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
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
α-Trifluoromethyl ketones are a class of useful compounds with versatile applications.Their synthetic application via the transformation of the C—F bonds is of particular interest by allowing the synthesis of organi...α-Trifluoromethyl ketones are a class of useful compounds with versatile applications.Their synthetic application via the transformation of the C—F bonds is of particular interest by allowing the synthesis of organic compounds with diverse structures.Herein,the advances in the research areas ofα-trifluoromethyl ketone synthesis and their defluorination reactions are reviewed.Discussion on the mechanisms of the typical reactions has also been provided,in hope of affording some guides to the chemistry ofα-trifluoromethyl ketones in the synthetic methods toward themselves and their derivatives.展开更多
Soil improvement is one of the most important issues in geotechnical engineering practice.The wide application of traditional improvement techniques(cement/chemical materials)are limited due to damage ecological en-vi...Soil improvement is one of the most important issues in geotechnical engineering practice.The wide application of traditional improvement techniques(cement/chemical materials)are limited due to damage ecological en-vironment and intensify carbon emissions.However,the use of microbially induced calcium carbonate pre-cipitation(MICP)to obtain bio-cement is a novel technique with the potential to induce soil stability,providing a low-carbon,environment-friendly,and sustainable integrated solution for some geotechnical engineering pro-blems in the environment.This paper presents a comprehensive review of the latest progress in soil improvement based on the MICP strategy.It systematically summarizes and overviews the mineralization mechanism,influ-encing factors,improved methods,engineering characteristics,and current field application status of the MICP.Additionally,it also explores the limitations and correspondingly proposes prospective applications via the MICP approach for soil improvement.This review indicates that the utilization of different environmental calcium-based wastes in MICP and combination of materials and MICP are conducive to meeting engineering and market demand.Furthermore,we recommend and encourage global collaborative study and practice with a view to commercializing MICP technique in the future.The current review purports to provide insights for engineers and interdisciplinary researchers,and guidance for future engineering applications.展开更多
Biliary system,which is responsible for transporting bile from the liver into the intestine,is commonly damaged by inflammation or tumors eventually causing liver failure or death.The implantation of biliary stents ca...Biliary system,which is responsible for transporting bile from the liver into the intestine,is commonly damaged by inflammation or tumors eventually causing liver failure or death.The implantation of biliary stents can effectively alleviate both benign and malignant biliary strictures,but the plastic and metal stents that are currently used cannot degrade and nearly has no beneficial biological effects,therefore their long-term service can result into inflammation,the formation of sludges and re-obstruction of bile duct.In recent years,magnesium(Mg)metal has been received increasing attention in the field of biomedical application due to its excellent biocompatibility,adequate mechanical properties,biodegradability and other advantages,such as anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties.The research on biliary stents made of magnesium metals(BSMM)has also made significant progress and a series of experiments in vitro and vivo has proved their possibility.However,there are still some problems holding back BSMM’s clinical use,including rapid corrosion rate and potential harmful reaction.In this review,we would summarize the current research of BSMM,evaluate their clinical benefits,find the choke points,and discuss the solving method.展开更多
Brain-computer interfaces(BCIs)represent an emerging technology that facilitates direct communication between the brain and external devices.In recent years,numerous review articles have explored various aspects of BC...Brain-computer interfaces(BCIs)represent an emerging technology that facilitates direct communication between the brain and external devices.In recent years,numerous review articles have explored various aspects of BCIs,including their fundamental principles,technical advancements,and applications in specific domains.However,these reviews often focus on signal processing,hardware development,or limited applications such as motor rehabilitation or communication.This paper aims to offer a comprehensive review of recent electroencephalogram(EEG)-based BCI applications in the medical field across 8 critical areas,encompassing rehabilitation,daily communication,epilepsy,cerebral resuscitation,sleep,neurodegenerative diseases,anesthesiology,and emotion recognition.Moreover,the current challenges and future trends of BCIs were also discussed,including personal privacy and ethical concerns,network security vulnerabilities,safety issues,and biocompatibility.展开更多
Grape crops are a great source of income for farmers.The yield and quality of grapes can be improved by preventing and treating diseases.The farmer’s yield will be dramatically impacted if diseases are found on grape...Grape crops are a great source of income for farmers.The yield and quality of grapes can be improved by preventing and treating diseases.The farmer’s yield will be dramatically impacted if diseases are found on grape leaves.Automatic detection can reduce the chances of leaf diseases affecting other healthy plants.Several studies have been conducted to detect grape leaf diseases,but most fail to engage with end users and integrate the model with real-time mobile applications.This study developed a mobile-based grape leaf disease detection(GLDD)application to identify infected leaves,Grape Guard,based on a TensorFlow Lite(TFLite)model generated from the You Only Look Once(YOLO)v8 model.A public grape leaf disease dataset containing four classes was used to train the model.The results of this study were relied on the YOLO architecture,specifically YOLOv5 and YOLOv8.After extensive experiments with different image sizes,YOLOv8 performed better than YOLOv5.YOLOv8 achieved 99.9%precision,100%recall,99.5%mean average precision(mAP),and 88%mAP50-95 for all classes to detect grape leaf diseases.The Grape Guard android mobile application can accurately detect the grape leaf disease by capturing images from grape vines.展开更多
The increase in soil temperature associated with climate change has introduced considerable challenges to crop production.Split nitrogen application(SN)represents a potential strategy for improving crop nitrogen use e...The increase in soil temperature associated with climate change has introduced considerable challenges to crop production.Split nitrogen application(SN)represents a potential strategy for improving crop nitrogen use efficiency and enhancing crop stress resistance.Nevertheless,the precise interaction between soil warming(SW)and SN remains unclear.In order to ascertain the impact of SW on maize growth and whether SN can improve the tolerance of maize to SW,a two-year field experiment was conducted(2022-2023).The aim was to examine the influence of two SW ranges(MT,warming 1.40℃;HT,warming 2.75℃)and two nitrogen application methods(N1,one-time basal application of nitrogen fertilizer;N2,one third of base nitrogen fertilizer+two thirds of jointing stage supplemental nitrogen fertilizer)on maize root growth,photosynthetic characteristics,nitrogen use efficiency,and yield.The results demonstrated that SW impeded root growth and precipitated the premature aging of maize leaves following anthesis,particularly in the HT,which led to a notable reduction in maize yield.In comparison to N1,SN has been shown to increase root length density by 8.54%,root bleeding rate by 8.57%,and enhance root distribution ratio in the middle soil layers(20-60 cm).The interaction between SW and SN had a notable impact on maize growth and yield.The SN improved the absorption and utilization efficiency of nitrogen by promoting root development and downward canopy growth,thus improving the tolerance of maize to SW at the later stage of growth.In particular,the N2HT resulted in a 14.51%increase in the photosynthetic rate,a 18.58%increase in nitrogen absorption efficiency,and a 18.32%increase in maize yield compared with N1HT.It can be posited that the SN represents a viable nitrogen management measure with the potential to enhance maize tolerance to soil high-temperature stress.展开更多
In the wave of digital and intelligent applications,artificial intelligence(AI)is transforming the development trajectories of industries across the globe.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),as a cultural treasure of th...In the wave of digital and intelligent applications,artificial intelligence(AI)is transforming the development trajectories of industries across the globe.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),as a cultural treasure of the Chinese nation,carries thousands of years of wisdom and practical experience.However,in the context of the rapid advancements in modern medicine and technology,TCM faces dual challenges:preserving its heritage while innovating.DeepSeek,a major achievement in the field of AI,offers a new opportunity for the development of TCM with its powerful technological capabilities.Exploring the integration of DeepSeek with TCM not only helps modernize the practice but also promises unique contributions to global health.展开更多
Liquid metals(LMs),because of their ability to remain in a liquid state at room temperature,render them highly versatile for applications in electronics,energy storage,medicine,and robotics.Among various LMs,Ga-based ...Liquid metals(LMs),because of their ability to remain in a liquid state at room temperature,render them highly versatile for applications in electronics,energy storage,medicine,and robotics.Among various LMs,Ga-based LMs exhibit minimal cytotoxicity,low viscosity,high thermal and electrical conductivities,and excellent wettability.Therefore,Ga-based LM composites(LMCs)have emerged as a recent research focus.Recent advancements have focused on novel fabrication techniques and applications spanning energy storage,flexible electronics,and biomedical devices.Particularly noteworthy are the developments in wearable sensors and electronic skins,which hold promise for healthcare monitoring and human-machine interfaces.Despite their potential,challenges,such as oxidative susceptibil-ity and biocompatibility,remain.Creating bio-based LMC materials is a promising approach to address these issues while exploring new avenues to optimize LMC performance and broaden its application domains.This review provides a concise overview of the recent trends in LMC research,highlights their transformative impacts,and outlines key directions for future investigation and development.展开更多
Carbon nanotubes(CNTs)have many excellent properties that make them ideally suited for use in lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).In this review,the recent research on applications of CNTs in LIBs,including their usage as fre...Carbon nanotubes(CNTs)have many excellent properties that make them ideally suited for use in lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).In this review,the recent research on applications of CNTs in LIBs,including their usage as freestanding anodes,conductive additives,and current collectors,are discussed.Challenges,strategies,and progress are analyzed by selecting typical examples.Particularly,when CNTs are used with relatively large mass fractions,the relevant interfacial electrochemistry in such a CNT-based electrode,which dictates the quality of the resulting solid-electrolyte interface,becomes a concern.Hence,in this review the different lithium-ion adsorption and insertion mechanisms inside and outside of CNTs are compared;the influence of not only CNT structural features(including their length,defect density,diameter,and wall thickness)but also the electrolyte composition on the solid-electrolyte interfacial reactions is analyzed in detail.Strategies to optimize the solid-solid interface between CNTs and the other solid components in various composite electrodes are also covered.By emphasizing the importance of such a structure-performance relationship,the merits and weaknesses of various applications of CNTs in various advanced LIBs are clarified.展开更多
Magnesium(Mg)-based bioresorbable stents represent a potentially groundbreaking advancement in cardiovascular therapy;offering tem-porary vessel support and complete biodegradability—addressing limitations of traditi...Magnesium(Mg)-based bioresorbable stents represent a potentially groundbreaking advancement in cardiovascular therapy;offering tem-porary vessel support and complete biodegradability—addressing limitations of traditional stents like in-stent restenosis and long-term com-plications.However,challenges such as rapid corrosion and suboptimal endothelialisation have hindered their clinical adoption.This review highlights the latest breakthroughs in surface modification,alloying,and coating strategies to enhance the mechanical integrity,corrosion resistance,and biocompatibility of Mg-based stents.Key surface engineering techniques,including polymer and bioactive coatings,are ex-amined for their role in promoting endothelial healing and minimising inflammatory responses.Future directions are proposed,focusing on personalised stent designs to optimize efficacy and long-term outcomes,positioning Mg-based stents as a transformative solution in interventional cardiology.展开更多
The trade-off between yield and environmental effects caused by nitrogen fertilizer application is an important issue in wheat production.A reduction in fertile florets is one of the main reasons for the lower yields ...The trade-off between yield and environmental effects caused by nitrogen fertilizer application is an important issue in wheat production.A reduction in fertile florets is one of the main reasons for the lower yields under low nitrogen application rates.Brassinosteroids(BRs)have been found to play a role in nitrogen-induced rice spikelet degeneration.However,whether BRs play a role in wheat floret development and the mechanisms involved are not clear.Therefore,a nitrogen gradient experiment and exogenous spraying experiment were conducted to investigate the role and mechanism of BRs in wheat floret development under low nitrogen stress.The results showed that as the nitrogen application decreased,the endogenous BRs content of the spikes decreased,photosynthesis weakened,and total carbon,soluble sugar and starch in the spikes decreased,leading to a reduction in the number of fertile florets.Under low nitrogen stress,exogenous spraying of 24-epibrassinolide promoted photosynthesis,and stimulated stem fructan hydrolysis and the utilization and storage of sucrose in spikes,which directed more carbohydrates to the spikes and increased the number of fertile florets.In conclusion,BRs mediate the effects of nitrogen fertilizer on wheat floret development,and under low nitrogen stress,foliar spraying of 24-epibrassinolide promotes the flow of carbohydrates from the stem to the spikes,alleviating wheat floret degeneration.展开更多
As one of the lightest engineering materials,magnesium(Mg)alloy possesses excellent mechanical performance,meeting the needs of versatile engineering fields and holding the potential to address cutting-edge issues in ...As one of the lightest engineering materials,magnesium(Mg)alloy possesses excellent mechanical performance,meeting the needs of versatile engineering fields and holding the potential to address cutting-edge issues in aerospace,electronics,biomedicine.The design of superhydrophobic(SHB)surfaces with micro and nanostructures can endow Mg alloys with multiple functionalities,such as self-cleaning,self-healing,antibacterial,and corrosion resistance.Over the past decade,researchers have drawn inspiration from nature to implement biomimetic design principles,resulting in the rapid development of micro/nanostructured SHB surfaces on Mg alloys,which hold great promise for biomedical applications.This review comprehensively introduces the biomimetic design principles of micro/nanostructured SHB surfaces on Mg alloys,discusses the challenges along with advantages and disadvantages of current preparation methods,and explores the future perspectives for preparing these SHB surfaces,providing strategies to enhance their performance in biomedical applications.展开更多
The Monte Carlo(MC)method offers significant advantages in handling complex geometries and physical processes in particle transport problems and has become a widely used approach in reactor physics analysis,radiation ...The Monte Carlo(MC)method offers significant advantages in handling complex geometries and physical processes in particle transport problems and has become a widely used approach in reactor physics analysis,radiation shielding design,and medical physics.However,with the rapid advancement of new nuclear energy systems,the Monte Carlo method faces challenges in efficiency,accuracy,and adaptability,limiting its effectiveness in meeting modern design requirements.Overcoming technical obstacles related to high-fidelity coupling,high-resolution computation,and intelligent design is essential for using the Monte Carlo method as a reliable tool in numerical analysis for these new nuclear energy systems.To address these challenges,the Nuclear Energy and Application Laboratory(NEAL)team at the University of South China developed a multifunctional and generalized intelligent code platform called MagicMC,based on the Monte Carlo particle transport method.MagicMC is a developing tool dedicated to nuclear applications,incorporating intelligent methodologies.It consists of two primary components:a basic unit and a functional unit.The basic unit,which functions similarly to a standard Monte Carlo particle transport code,includes seven modules:geometry,source,transport,database,tally,output,and auxiliary.The functional unit builds on the basic unit by adding functional modules to address complex and diverse applications in nuclear analysis.MagicMC introduces a dynamic Monte Carlo particle transport algorithm to address time-space particle transport problems within emerging nuclear energy systems and incorporates a CPU-GPU heterogeneous parallel framework to enable high-efficiency,high-resolution simulations for large-scale computational problems.Anticipating future trends in intelligent design,MagicMC integrates several advanced features,including CAD-based geometry modeling,global variance reduction methods,multi-objective shielding optimization,high-resolution activation analysis,multi-physics coupling,and radiation therapy.In this paper,various numerical benchmarks-spanning reactor transient simulations,material activation analysis,radiation shielding optimization,and medical dosimetry analysis-are presented to validate MagicMC.The numerical results demonstrate MagicMC's efficiency,accuracy,and reliability in these preliminary applications,underscoring its potential to support technological advancements in developing high-fidelity,high-resolution,and high-intelligence MC-based tools for advanced nuclear applications.展开更多
Anomaly Detection (AD) has been extensively adopted in industrial settings to facilitate quality control of products. It is critical to industrial production, especially to areas such as aircraft manufacturing, which ...Anomaly Detection (AD) has been extensively adopted in industrial settings to facilitate quality control of products. It is critical to industrial production, especially to areas such as aircraft manufacturing, which require strict part qualification rates. Although being more efficient and practical, few-shot AD has not been well explored. The existing AD methods only extract features in a single frequency while defects exist in multiple frequency domains. Moreover, current methods have not fully leveraged the few-shot support samples to extract input-related normal patterns. To address these issues, we propose an industrial few-shot AD method, Feature Extender for Anomaly Detection (FEAD), which extracts normal patterns in multiple frequency domains from few-shot samples under the guidance of the input sample. Firstly, to achieve better coverage of normal patterns in the input sample, we introduce a Sample-Conditioned Transformation Module (SCTM), which transforms support features under the guidance of the input sample to obtain extra normal patterns. Secondly, to effectively distinguish and localize anomaly patterns in multiple frequency domains, we devise an Adaptive Descriptor Construction Module (ADCM) to build and select pattern descriptors in a series of frequencies adaptively. Finally, an auxiliary task for SCTM is designed to ensure the diversity of transformations and include more normal patterns into support features. Extensive experiments on two widely used industrial AD datasets (MVTec-AD and VisA) demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed FEAD.展开更多
Exosomes(Exos)are extracellular vesicles secreted by cells and serve as crucial mediators of intercellular communication.They play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and progression of various diseases and offer promi...Exosomes(Exos)are extracellular vesicles secreted by cells and serve as crucial mediators of intercellular communication.They play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and progression of various diseases and offer promising avenues for therapeutic interventions.Exos derived from mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)have significant immunomodulatory properties.They effectively regulate immune responses by modulating both innate and adaptive immunity.These Exos can inhibit excessive inflammatory responses and promote tissue repair.Moreover,they participate in antigen presentation,which is essential for activating immune responses.The cargo of these Exos,including ligands,proteins,and microRNAs,can suppress T cell activity or enhance the population of immunosuppressive cells to dampen the immune response.By inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation,acting on macrophages,and increasing the population of regulatory T cells,these Exos contribute to maintaining immune and metabolic homeostasis.Furthermore,they can activate immune-related signaling pathways or serve as vehicles to deliver microRNAs and other bioactive substances to target tumor cells,which holds potential for immunotherapy applications.Given the immense therapeutic potential of MSC-derived Exos,this review comprehensively explores their mechanisms of immune regulation and therapeutic applications in areas such as infection control,tumor suppression,and autoimmune disease management.This article aims to provide valuable insights into the mechanisms behind the actions of MSC-derived Exos,offering theoretical references for their future clinical utilization as cell-free drug preparations.展开更多
In this review,we propose a comprehensive overview of additive manufacturing(AM)technologies and design possibilities in manufacturing metamaterials for various applications in the biomedical field,of which many are i...In this review,we propose a comprehensive overview of additive manufacturing(AM)technologies and design possibilities in manufacturing metamaterials for various applications in the biomedical field,of which many are inspired by nature itself.It describes how new AM technologies(e.g.continuous liquid interface production and multiphoton polymerization,etc)and recent developments in more mature AM technologies(e.g.powder bed fusion,stereolithography,and extrusion-based bioprinting(EBB),etc)lead to more precise,efficient,and personalized biomedical components.EBB is a revolutionary topic creating intricate models with remarkable mechanical compatibility of metamaterials,for instance,stress elimination for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine,negative or zero Poisson’s ratio.By exploiting the designs of porous structures(e.g.truss,triply periodic minimal surface,plant/animal-inspired,and functionally graded lattices,etc),AM-made bioactive bone implants,artificial tissues,and organs are made for tissue replacement.The material palette of the AM metamaterials has high diversity nowadays,ranging from alloys and metals(e.g.cobalt-chromium alloys and titanium,etc)to polymers(e.g.biodegradable polycaprolactone and polymethyl methacrylate,etc),which could be even integrated within bioactive ceramics.These advancements are driving the progress of the biomedical field,improving human health and quality of life.展开更多
Membrane technology holds significant potential for augmenting or partially substituting conventional separation techniques,such as heatdriven distillation,thereby reducing energy consumption.Organic solvent nanofiltr...Membrane technology holds significant potential for augmenting or partially substituting conventional separation techniques,such as heatdriven distillation,thereby reducing energy consumption.Organic solvent nanofiltration represents an advanced membrane separation technology capable of discerning molecules within a molecular weight range of approximately 100-1000 Da in organic solvents,offering low energy requirements and minimal carbon footprints.Molecular separation in non-polar solvent system,such as toluene,n-hexane,and n-heptane,has gained paramount importance due to their extensive use in the pharmaceutical,biochemical,and petrochemical industries.In this review,we presented recent advancements in membrane materials,membrane fabrication techniques and their promising applications for separation in nonpolar solvent system,encompassing hydrocarbon separation,bioactive molecule purification and organic solvent recovery.Furthermore,this review highlighted the challenges and opportunities associated with membrane scale-up strategies and the direct translation of this promising technology into industrial applications.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α-Trifluoromethyl ketones are a class of useful compounds with versatile applications.Their synthetic application via the transformation of the C—F bonds is of particular interest by allowing the synthesis of organic compounds with diverse structures.Herein,the advances in the research areas ofα-trifluoromethyl ketone synthesis and their defluorination reactions are reviewed.Discussion on the mechanisms of the typical reactions has also been provided,in hope of affording some guides to the chemistry ofα-trifluoromethyl ketones in the synthetic methods toward themselves and their derivatives.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41962016)the Natural Science Foundation of NingXia(Nos.2023AAC02023,2023A1218,and 2021AAC02006).
文摘Soil improvement is one of the most important issues in geotechnical engineering practice.The wide application of traditional improvement techniques(cement/chemical materials)are limited due to damage ecological en-vironment and intensify carbon emissions.However,the use of microbially induced calcium carbonate pre-cipitation(MICP)to obtain bio-cement is a novel technique with the potential to induce soil stability,providing a low-carbon,environment-friendly,and sustainable integrated solution for some geotechnical engineering pro-blems in the environment.This paper presents a comprehensive review of the latest progress in soil improvement based on the MICP strategy.It systematically summarizes and overviews the mineralization mechanism,influ-encing factors,improved methods,engineering characteristics,and current field application status of the MICP.Additionally,it also explores the limitations and correspondingly proposes prospective applications via the MICP approach for soil improvement.This review indicates that the utilization of different environmental calcium-based wastes in MICP and combination of materials and MICP are conducive to meeting engineering and market demand.Furthermore,we recommend and encourage global collaborative study and practice with a view to commercializing MICP technique in the future.The current review purports to provide insights for engineers and interdisciplinary researchers,and guidance for future engineering applications.
基金supported by Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province(2021JJ31081,2024JJ5619)the Science Fund of State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing Technology for Vehicle(No 32215004).
文摘Biliary system,which is responsible for transporting bile from the liver into the intestine,is commonly damaged by inflammation or tumors eventually causing liver failure or death.The implantation of biliary stents can effectively alleviate both benign and malignant biliary strictures,but the plastic and metal stents that are currently used cannot degrade and nearly has no beneficial biological effects,therefore their long-term service can result into inflammation,the formation of sludges and re-obstruction of bile duct.In recent years,magnesium(Mg)metal has been received increasing attention in the field of biomedical application due to its excellent biocompatibility,adequate mechanical properties,biodegradability and other advantages,such as anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties.The research on biliary stents made of magnesium metals(BSMM)has also made significant progress and a series of experiments in vitro and vivo has proved their possibility.However,there are still some problems holding back BSMM’s clinical use,including rapid corrosion rate and potential harmful reaction.In this review,we would summarize the current research of BSMM,evaluate their clinical benefits,find the choke points,and discuss the solving method.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2021YFF1200602)the National Science Fund for Excellent Overseas Scholars(0401260011)+3 种基金the National Defense Science and Technology Innovation Fund of Chinese Academy of Sciences(c02022088)the Tianjin Science and Technology Program(20JCZDJC00810)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82202798)the Shanghai Sailing Program(22YF1404200).
文摘Brain-computer interfaces(BCIs)represent an emerging technology that facilitates direct communication between the brain and external devices.In recent years,numerous review articles have explored various aspects of BCIs,including their fundamental principles,technical advancements,and applications in specific domains.However,these reviews often focus on signal processing,hardware development,or limited applications such as motor rehabilitation or communication.This paper aims to offer a comprehensive review of recent electroencephalogram(EEG)-based BCI applications in the medical field across 8 critical areas,encompassing rehabilitation,daily communication,epilepsy,cerebral resuscitation,sleep,neurodegenerative diseases,anesthesiology,and emotion recognition.Moreover,the current challenges and future trends of BCIs were also discussed,including personal privacy and ethical concerns,network security vulnerabilities,safety issues,and biocompatibility.
文摘Grape crops are a great source of income for farmers.The yield and quality of grapes can be improved by preventing and treating diseases.The farmer’s yield will be dramatically impacted if diseases are found on grape leaves.Automatic detection can reduce the chances of leaf diseases affecting other healthy plants.Several studies have been conducted to detect grape leaf diseases,but most fail to engage with end users and integrate the model with real-time mobile applications.This study developed a mobile-based grape leaf disease detection(GLDD)application to identify infected leaves,Grape Guard,based on a TensorFlow Lite(TFLite)model generated from the You Only Look Once(YOLO)v8 model.A public grape leaf disease dataset containing four classes was used to train the model.The results of this study were relied on the YOLO architecture,specifically YOLOv5 and YOLOv8.After extensive experiments with different image sizes,YOLOv8 performed better than YOLOv5.YOLOv8 achieved 99.9%precision,100%recall,99.5%mean average precision(mAP),and 88%mAP50-95 for all classes to detect grape leaf diseases.The Grape Guard android mobile application can accurately detect the grape leaf disease by capturing images from grape vines.
基金supported by the Natural Science Fund of China(31771724)the Key Research and Development Project of Shaanxi Province(2024NC-ZDCYL-01-10).
文摘The increase in soil temperature associated with climate change has introduced considerable challenges to crop production.Split nitrogen application(SN)represents a potential strategy for improving crop nitrogen use efficiency and enhancing crop stress resistance.Nevertheless,the precise interaction between soil warming(SW)and SN remains unclear.In order to ascertain the impact of SW on maize growth and whether SN can improve the tolerance of maize to SW,a two-year field experiment was conducted(2022-2023).The aim was to examine the influence of two SW ranges(MT,warming 1.40℃;HT,warming 2.75℃)and two nitrogen application methods(N1,one-time basal application of nitrogen fertilizer;N2,one third of base nitrogen fertilizer+two thirds of jointing stage supplemental nitrogen fertilizer)on maize root growth,photosynthetic characteristics,nitrogen use efficiency,and yield.The results demonstrated that SW impeded root growth and precipitated the premature aging of maize leaves following anthesis,particularly in the HT,which led to a notable reduction in maize yield.In comparison to N1,SN has been shown to increase root length density by 8.54%,root bleeding rate by 8.57%,and enhance root distribution ratio in the middle soil layers(20-60 cm).The interaction between SW and SN had a notable impact on maize growth and yield.The SN improved the absorption and utilization efficiency of nitrogen by promoting root development and downward canopy growth,thus improving the tolerance of maize to SW at the later stage of growth.In particular,the N2HT resulted in a 14.51%increase in the photosynthetic rate,a 18.58%increase in nitrogen absorption efficiency,and a 18.32%increase in maize yield compared with N1HT.It can be posited that the SN represents a viable nitrogen management measure with the potential to enhance maize tolerance to soil high-temperature stress.
文摘In the wave of digital and intelligent applications,artificial intelligence(AI)is transforming the development trajectories of industries across the globe.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),as a cultural treasure of the Chinese nation,carries thousands of years of wisdom and practical experience.However,in the context of the rapid advancements in modern medicine and technology,TCM faces dual challenges:preserving its heritage while innovating.DeepSeek,a major achievement in the field of AI,offers a new opportunity for the development of TCM with its powerful technological capabilities.Exploring the integration of DeepSeek with TCM not only helps modernize the practice but also promises unique contributions to global health.
基金supported by the GRDC(Global Research Development Center)Cooperative Hub Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF),funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT(MSIT)(No.RS-2023-00257595).
文摘Liquid metals(LMs),because of their ability to remain in a liquid state at room temperature,render them highly versatile for applications in electronics,energy storage,medicine,and robotics.Among various LMs,Ga-based LMs exhibit minimal cytotoxicity,low viscosity,high thermal and electrical conductivities,and excellent wettability.Therefore,Ga-based LM composites(LMCs)have emerged as a recent research focus.Recent advancements have focused on novel fabrication techniques and applications spanning energy storage,flexible electronics,and biomedical devices.Particularly noteworthy are the developments in wearable sensors and electronic skins,which hold promise for healthcare monitoring and human-machine interfaces.Despite their potential,challenges,such as oxidative susceptibil-ity and biocompatibility,remain.Creating bio-based LMC materials is a promising approach to address these issues while exploring new avenues to optimize LMC performance and broaden its application domains.This review provides a concise overview of the recent trends in LMC research,highlights their transformative impacts,and outlines key directions for future investigation and development.
基金Xiamen Science and Technology Project,Grant/Award Number:3502Z20231057National Key Research and Development Program of China,Grant/Award Number:3502Z20231057National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Numbers:22279107,22288102。
文摘Carbon nanotubes(CNTs)have many excellent properties that make them ideally suited for use in lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).In this review,the recent research on applications of CNTs in LIBs,including their usage as freestanding anodes,conductive additives,and current collectors,are discussed.Challenges,strategies,and progress are analyzed by selecting typical examples.Particularly,when CNTs are used with relatively large mass fractions,the relevant interfacial electrochemistry in such a CNT-based electrode,which dictates the quality of the resulting solid-electrolyte interface,becomes a concern.Hence,in this review the different lithium-ion adsorption and insertion mechanisms inside and outside of CNTs are compared;the influence of not only CNT structural features(including their length,defect density,diameter,and wall thickness)but also the electrolyte composition on the solid-electrolyte interfacial reactions is analyzed in detail.Strategies to optimize the solid-solid interface between CNTs and the other solid components in various composite electrodes are also covered.By emphasizing the importance of such a structure-performance relationship,the merits and weaknesses of various applications of CNTs in various advanced LIBs are clarified.
文摘Magnesium(Mg)-based bioresorbable stents represent a potentially groundbreaking advancement in cardiovascular therapy;offering tem-porary vessel support and complete biodegradability—addressing limitations of traditional stents like in-stent restenosis and long-term com-plications.However,challenges such as rapid corrosion and suboptimal endothelialisation have hindered their clinical adoption.This review highlights the latest breakthroughs in surface modification,alloying,and coating strategies to enhance the mechanical integrity,corrosion resistance,and biocompatibility of Mg-based stents.Key surface engineering techniques,including polymer and bioactive coatings,are ex-amined for their role in promoting endothelial healing and minimising inflammatory responses.Future directions are proposed,focusing on personalised stent designs to optimize efficacy and long-term outcomes,positioning Mg-based stents as a transformative solution in interventional cardiology.
基金supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi,China(2021NY-083)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31871567)。
文摘The trade-off between yield and environmental effects caused by nitrogen fertilizer application is an important issue in wheat production.A reduction in fertile florets is one of the main reasons for the lower yields under low nitrogen application rates.Brassinosteroids(BRs)have been found to play a role in nitrogen-induced rice spikelet degeneration.However,whether BRs play a role in wheat floret development and the mechanisms involved are not clear.Therefore,a nitrogen gradient experiment and exogenous spraying experiment were conducted to investigate the role and mechanism of BRs in wheat floret development under low nitrogen stress.The results showed that as the nitrogen application decreased,the endogenous BRs content of the spikes decreased,photosynthesis weakened,and total carbon,soluble sugar and starch in the spikes decreased,leading to a reduction in the number of fertile florets.Under low nitrogen stress,exogenous spraying of 24-epibrassinolide promoted photosynthesis,and stimulated stem fructan hydrolysis and the utilization and storage of sucrose in spikes,which directed more carbohydrates to the spikes and increased the number of fertile florets.In conclusion,BRs mediate the effects of nitrogen fertilizer on wheat floret development,and under low nitrogen stress,foliar spraying of 24-epibrassinolide promotes the flow of carbohydrates from the stem to the spikes,alleviating wheat floret degeneration.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Found for Distinguished Young Scholars(52225101)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(WUT:104972024RSCbs0018 and 2023CDJYXTD-002)+1 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing(CSTB2023NSCQ-MSX0527)the Chongqing Academician Special Fund(2022YSZXJCX0014CSTB).
文摘As one of the lightest engineering materials,magnesium(Mg)alloy possesses excellent mechanical performance,meeting the needs of versatile engineering fields and holding the potential to address cutting-edge issues in aerospace,electronics,biomedicine.The design of superhydrophobic(SHB)surfaces with micro and nanostructures can endow Mg alloys with multiple functionalities,such as self-cleaning,self-healing,antibacterial,and corrosion resistance.Over the past decade,researchers have drawn inspiration from nature to implement biomimetic design principles,resulting in the rapid development of micro/nanostructured SHB surfaces on Mg alloys,which hold great promise for biomedical applications.This review comprehensively introduces the biomimetic design principles of micro/nanostructured SHB surfaces on Mg alloys,discusses the challenges along with advantages and disadvantages of current preparation methods,and explores the future perspectives for preparing these SHB surfaces,providing strategies to enhance their performance in biomedical applications.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.12475174 and U2267207)YueLuShan Center Industrial Innovation(No.2024YCII0108)+2 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province(No.2022JJ40345)Science and Technology Innovation Project of Hengyang(No.202250045336)the Project of State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection,Soochow University(No.GZK12023031)。
文摘The Monte Carlo(MC)method offers significant advantages in handling complex geometries and physical processes in particle transport problems and has become a widely used approach in reactor physics analysis,radiation shielding design,and medical physics.However,with the rapid advancement of new nuclear energy systems,the Monte Carlo method faces challenges in efficiency,accuracy,and adaptability,limiting its effectiveness in meeting modern design requirements.Overcoming technical obstacles related to high-fidelity coupling,high-resolution computation,and intelligent design is essential for using the Monte Carlo method as a reliable tool in numerical analysis for these new nuclear energy systems.To address these challenges,the Nuclear Energy and Application Laboratory(NEAL)team at the University of South China developed a multifunctional and generalized intelligent code platform called MagicMC,based on the Monte Carlo particle transport method.MagicMC is a developing tool dedicated to nuclear applications,incorporating intelligent methodologies.It consists of two primary components:a basic unit and a functional unit.The basic unit,which functions similarly to a standard Monte Carlo particle transport code,includes seven modules:geometry,source,transport,database,tally,output,and auxiliary.The functional unit builds on the basic unit by adding functional modules to address complex and diverse applications in nuclear analysis.MagicMC introduces a dynamic Monte Carlo particle transport algorithm to address time-space particle transport problems within emerging nuclear energy systems and incorporates a CPU-GPU heterogeneous parallel framework to enable high-efficiency,high-resolution simulations for large-scale computational problems.Anticipating future trends in intelligent design,MagicMC integrates several advanced features,including CAD-based geometry modeling,global variance reduction methods,multi-objective shielding optimization,high-resolution activation analysis,multi-physics coupling,and radiation therapy.In this paper,various numerical benchmarks-spanning reactor transient simulations,material activation analysis,radiation shielding optimization,and medical dosimetry analysis-are presented to validate MagicMC.The numerical results demonstrate MagicMC's efficiency,accuracy,and reliability in these preliminary applications,underscoring its potential to support technological advancements in developing high-fidelity,high-resolution,and high-intelligence MC-based tools for advanced nuclear applications.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52188102).
文摘Anomaly Detection (AD) has been extensively adopted in industrial settings to facilitate quality control of products. It is critical to industrial production, especially to areas such as aircraft manufacturing, which require strict part qualification rates. Although being more efficient and practical, few-shot AD has not been well explored. The existing AD methods only extract features in a single frequency while defects exist in multiple frequency domains. Moreover, current methods have not fully leveraged the few-shot support samples to extract input-related normal patterns. To address these issues, we propose an industrial few-shot AD method, Feature Extender for Anomaly Detection (FEAD), which extracts normal patterns in multiple frequency domains from few-shot samples under the guidance of the input sample. Firstly, to achieve better coverage of normal patterns in the input sample, we introduce a Sample-Conditioned Transformation Module (SCTM), which transforms support features under the guidance of the input sample to obtain extra normal patterns. Secondly, to effectively distinguish and localize anomaly patterns in multiple frequency domains, we devise an Adaptive Descriptor Construction Module (ADCM) to build and select pattern descriptors in a series of frequencies adaptively. Finally, an auxiliary task for SCTM is designed to ensure the diversity of transformations and include more normal patterns into support features. Extensive experiments on two widely used industrial AD datasets (MVTec-AD and VisA) demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed FEAD.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.82072537the General Project of Hunan Natural Science Foundation,No.2022JJ30412 and No.2021JJ30464.
文摘Exosomes(Exos)are extracellular vesicles secreted by cells and serve as crucial mediators of intercellular communication.They play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and progression of various diseases and offer promising avenues for therapeutic interventions.Exos derived from mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)have significant immunomodulatory properties.They effectively regulate immune responses by modulating both innate and adaptive immunity.These Exos can inhibit excessive inflammatory responses and promote tissue repair.Moreover,they participate in antigen presentation,which is essential for activating immune responses.The cargo of these Exos,including ligands,proteins,and microRNAs,can suppress T cell activity or enhance the population of immunosuppressive cells to dampen the immune response.By inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation,acting on macrophages,and increasing the population of regulatory T cells,these Exos contribute to maintaining immune and metabolic homeostasis.Furthermore,they can activate immune-related signaling pathways or serve as vehicles to deliver microRNAs and other bioactive substances to target tumor cells,which holds potential for immunotherapy applications.Given the immense therapeutic potential of MSC-derived Exos,this review comprehensively explores their mechanisms of immune regulation and therapeutic applications in areas such as infection control,tumor suppression,and autoimmune disease management.This article aims to provide valuable insights into the mechanisms behind the actions of MSC-derived Exos,offering theoretical references for their future clinical utilization as cell-free drug preparations.
基金sponsored by the Science and Technology Program of Hubei Province,China(2022EHB020,2023BBB096)support provided by Centre of the Excellence in Production Research(XPRES)at KTH。
文摘In this review,we propose a comprehensive overview of additive manufacturing(AM)technologies and design possibilities in manufacturing metamaterials for various applications in the biomedical field,of which many are inspired by nature itself.It describes how new AM technologies(e.g.continuous liquid interface production and multiphoton polymerization,etc)and recent developments in more mature AM technologies(e.g.powder bed fusion,stereolithography,and extrusion-based bioprinting(EBB),etc)lead to more precise,efficient,and personalized biomedical components.EBB is a revolutionary topic creating intricate models with remarkable mechanical compatibility of metamaterials,for instance,stress elimination for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine,negative or zero Poisson’s ratio.By exploiting the designs of porous structures(e.g.truss,triply periodic minimal surface,plant/animal-inspired,and functionally graded lattices,etc),AM-made bioactive bone implants,artificial tissues,and organs are made for tissue replacement.The material palette of the AM metamaterials has high diversity nowadays,ranging from alloys and metals(e.g.cobalt-chromium alloys and titanium,etc)to polymers(e.g.biodegradable polycaprolactone and polymethyl methacrylate,etc),which could be even integrated within bioactive ceramics.These advancements are driving the progress of the biomedical field,improving human health and quality of life.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.2230081973)Shanghai Pilot Program for Basic Research(22TQ1400100-4).
文摘Membrane technology holds significant potential for augmenting or partially substituting conventional separation techniques,such as heatdriven distillation,thereby reducing energy consumption.Organic solvent nanofiltration represents an advanced membrane separation technology capable of discerning molecules within a molecular weight range of approximately 100-1000 Da in organic solvents,offering low energy requirements and minimal carbon footprints.Molecular separation in non-polar solvent system,such as toluene,n-hexane,and n-heptane,has gained paramount importance due to their extensive use in the pharmaceutical,biochemical,and petrochemical industries.In this review,we presented recent advancements in membrane materials,membrane fabrication techniques and their promising applications for separation in nonpolar solvent system,encompassing hydrocarbon separation,bioactive molecule purification and organic solvent recovery.Furthermore,this review highlighted the challenges and opportunities associated with membrane scale-up strategies and the direct translation of this promising technology into industrial applications.
