Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Outcomes of Thymic Carcinoma: The Role of Radiotherapy Combined with Multimodal Treatments

Simple Summary This study aimed to identify the role of radiotherapy (RT) in the treatment of thymic carcinoma as well as the optimal RT target volume. A total of 116 patients who received multimodal treatment including RT with or without surgery or chemotherapy were included. The RT target volume was defined as the tumor bed or gross tumor with margin, and selective irradiation of the nodal area was performed when involved. The 5-year local recurrence-free survival rate was 94.7%. Overall, 53 recurrences were observed, of which distant metastasis was the most common. No isolated infield or marginal failures were observed. No infield nodal failure occurred among the patients who had initial node metastases and received RT including the nodal areas. A high local control rate was achieved with the addition of RT. A target volume confined to the tumor bed or gross tumor plus margin with the involved lymph node stations seems reasonable. Abstract Introduction: We aimed to identify the role of radiotherapy (RT) in the treatment of thymic carcinoma as well as the optimal RT target volume. Materials and Methods: This single-institution retrospective study included 116 patients diagnosed with thymic carcinoma between November 2006 and December 2021 who received multimodal treatment including RT with or without surgery or chemotherapy. Seventy-nine patients (68.1%) were treated with postoperative RT, 17 patients (14.7%) with preoperative RT, 11 patients (9.5%) with definitive RT, and nine patients (7.8%) with palliative RT. The target volume was defined as the tumor bed or gross tumor with margin, and selective irradiation of the regional nodal area was performed when involved. Results: With a median follow-up of 37.0 (range, 6.7–174.3) months, the 5-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival, and local recurrence-free survival rates were 75.2%, 47.7% and 94.7%, respectively. The 5-year OS was 51.9% in patients with unresectable disease. Overall, 53 recurrences were observed, of which distant metastasis was the most common pattern of failure (n = 32, 60.4%) after RT. No isolated infield or marginal failures were observed. Thirty patients (25.8%) who had lymph node metastases at the initial diagnosis had regional nodal areas irradiated. There was no lymph node failure inside the RT field. A tumor dimension of ≥5.7 cm (hazard ratio [HR] 3.01; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.25–7.26; p = 0.030) and postoperative RT (HR 0.20; 95% CI 0.08–0.52; p = 0.001) were independently associated with OS. Intensity-modulated-RT-treated patients developed less overall toxicity (p < 0.001) and esophagitis (p < 0.021) than three-dimensional-conformal-RT-treated patients. Conclusions: A high local control rate was achieved with RT in the primary tumor sites and involved lymph node area in the treatment of thymic carcinoma. A target volume confined to the tumor bed or gross tumor plus margin with the involved lymph node stations seems reasonable. The advanced RT techniques with intensity-modulated RT have led to reduced RT-related toxicity.
Web-Based Knowledge Translation Tool About Pediatric Acute Gastroenteritis for Parents: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children is a leading cause of emergency department (ED) visits, resulting in substantial health care costs and stress for families and caregivers. The majority of pediatric AGE cases are caused by viral infections and can be managed at home using strategies to prevent dehydration. To increase knowledge of, and support health decision-making for, pediatric AGE, we developed a knowledge translation (KT) tool (fully automated web-based whiteboard animation video). Objective The aim of this study was to assess the potential effectiveness of the web-based KT tool in terms of knowledge, health care decision-making, use of resources, and perceived benefit and value. Methods A convenience sample of parents was recruited between December 18, 2020, and August 10, 2021. Parents were recruited in the ED of a pediatric tertiary care hospital and followed for up to 14 days after the ED visit. The eligibility criteria included parent or legal guardian of a child aged <16 years presenting to the ED with an acute episode of diarrhea or vomiting, ability to communicate in English, and agreeable to follow-up via email. Parents were randomized to receive the web-based KT tool (intervention) about AGE or a sham video (control) during their ED visit. The primary outcome was knowledge assessed before the intervention (baseline), immediately after the intervention, and at follow-up 4 to 14 days after ED discharge. Other outcomes included decision regret, health care use, and KT tool usability and satisfaction. The intervention group participants were invited to participate in a semistructured interview to gather additional feedback about the KT tool. Results A total of 103 parents (intervention: n=51, 49.5%, and control: n=52, 50.5%) completed the baseline and postintervention assessments. Of these 103 parents, 78 (75.7%; intervention: n=36, 46%, and control: n=42, 54%) completed the follow-up questionnaire. Knowledge scores after the intervention (mean 8.5, SD 2.6 vs mean 6.3, SD 1.7; P<.001) and at follow-up (mean 9.1, SD 2.7 vs mean 6.8, SD 1.6; P<.001) were significantly higher in the intervention group. After the intervention, parents in the intervention group reported greater confidence in knowledge than those in the control group. No significant difference in decision regret was found at any time point. Parents rated the KT tool higher than the sham video across 5 items assessing usability and satisfaction. Conclusions The web-based KT tool improved parental knowledge about AGE and confidence in their knowledge, which are important precursors to behavior change. Further research is needed into understanding what information and delivery format as well as other factors influence parents’ decision-making regarding their child’s health. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03234777; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03234777 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.1186/s40814-018-0318-0
Sleep and Core Body Temperature Alterations Induced by Space Radiation in Rats

Sleep problems in astronauts can arise from mission demands and stress and can impact both their health and ability to accomplish mission objectives. In addition to mission-related physical and psychological stressors, the long durations of the proposed Mars missions will expose astronauts to space radiation (SR), which has a significant impact on the brain and may also alter sleep and physiological functions. Therefore, in this study, we assessed sleep, EEG spectra, activity, and core body temperature (CBT) in rats exposed to SR and compared them to age-matched nonirradiated rats. Male outbred Wistar rats (8–9 months old at the time of the study) received SR (15 cGy GCRsim, n = 15) or served as age- and time-matched controls (CTRL, n = 15) without irradiation. At least 90 days after SR and 3 weeks prior to recording, all rats were implanted with telemetry transmitters for recording EEG, activity, and CBT. Sleep, EEG spectra (delta, 0.5–4 Hz; theta, 4–8 Hz; alpha, 8–12 Hz; sigma, 12–16 Hz; beta, 16–24 Hz), activity, and CBT were examined during light and dark periods and during waking and sleeping states. When compared to the CTRLs, SR produced significant reductions in the amounts of dark period total sleep time, total nonrapid eye movement sleep (NREM), and total rapid eye movement sleep (REM), with significant decreases in light and dark period NREM deltas and dark period REM thetas as well as increases in alpha and sigma in NREM and REM during either light or dark periods. The SR animals showed modest increases in some measures of activity. CBT was significantly reduced during waking and sleeping in the light period. These data demonstrate that SR alone can produce alterations to sleep and temperature control that could have consequences for astronauts and their ability to meet mission demands.
Demonstration and Characterization of High-Throughput 200.5 Tbit/s S+C+L Transmission over 2x100 PSCF Spans

Recent advances in multi-band amplification support ultra-wideband (UWB) systems as a suitable solution to cope with the increasing fiber communications traffic demand. The combination of UWB with spectral-efficient modulation formats can significantly increase in the total throughput of wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) transmission systems. In this work, we demonstrate a 240×70 Gbaud PCS-256QAM WDM transmission using an optical bandwidth of 150 nm across the S, C and L bands. We combine doped-fiber amplifiers, semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOA) and backward distributed Raman amplification to achieve 200.5 Tbit/s of total generalized mutual information (GMI) throughput over two 100 km pure-silica-core fibers (PSCFs). We also present the digital twin of this experiment, providing the impact of wavelength-dependent impairments on the system performance. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of high-throughput multi-span UWB transmission.
Stability of triangular points in the relativistic R3BP when the bigger primary is an oblate spheroid

Abstract In this paper, we study the effect of oblateness of the more massive primary in the relativistic R3BP. We observe that the locations of the triangular points and their stability are affected by the relativistic and oblateness factors. It is also noticed that the oblateness factor possesses destabilizing behavior. Therefore, the size of the region of stability decreases with increase in the value of the oblateness factor. Further, a numerical study on the locations of the triangular points and the critical mass for the Earth-Moon , Jupiter and its Moons, Saturn and its Moons systems is given.
Consensus too soon: judges’ and lawyers’ views on genetic information use

Timely effective regulation of genetic advances presents a challenge for justice systems. We used a 51-item battery to examine views on major genetics-related issues of those at the forefront of regulating this area – Supreme Court judges (N = 73). We also compared their views with those of other justice stakeholders (N = 210) from the same country (Romania). Judges showed greater endorsement and less variability in views on the use of genetic data and technologies than the other groups. The agreement among the judges was strikingly strong for some controversial issues, including gene editing; patenting of genetic findings; and the State using genetic information for crime prevention. Judges and other lawyers recognized the need for amending the relevant laws. Without appropriate regulation, genetic science has a risk of propelling inequality rather than fulfilling its promise to improve people’s lives.
Assessment of Melt Compounding with Zeolites as an Effective Deodorization Strategy for Mixed Plastic Wastes and Comparison with Degassing

The emission of off-odors from mechanically recycled plastics severely limits their re-introduction into the market for the production of new objects, for the same use or even for less demanding applications, thus hindering the implementation of an effective circular economy for plastics. The addition of adsorbing agents during the extrusion of polymers represents one of the most promising strategy to reduce the odorous emissions of plastics, due to its characteristics of cost-effectiveness, flexibility and low energy consumption. The novelty of this work lies in the assessment of zeolites as VOC adsorbents during the extrusion of recycled plastics. They appear more suitable than other types of adsorbents, due to their ability to capture and “hold” the adsorbed substances at the high temperatures of the extrusion process. Moreover, the effectiveness of this deodorization strategy was compared with the traditional degassing technique. Two types of mixed polyolefin wastes, coming from completely different collection and recycling processes, were tested: Fil-S (Film-Small), deriving from post-consumer flexible films of small size, and PW (pulper waste), which is the residual plastic waste obtained from the paper recycling process. The melt compounding of the recycled materials with two micrometric zeolites (zeolite 13X and Z310) resulted as more effective in the off-odors removal with respect to degassing. In particular, the highest reduction (−45%) of the Average Odor Intensity (AOI) was measured for both PW/Z310 and Fil-S/13X systems at 4 wt% of the zeolites’ amount, compared with the corresponding untreated recyclates. Finally, by combining degassing and melt compounding with zeolites, the best result was obtained for the composite Fil-S/13X, whose Average Odor Intensity resulted as quite close (+22%) to the one of the virgin LDPE.
Influence of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Dissimilar Rotary Friction Welded Inconel to Stainless Steel Joints

The present study aims to evaluate the microstructure, grain size, and mechanical properties of the dissimilar AISI 316L/Inconel 718 (IN 718) rotary friction welded joints under both the as-welded and post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) conditions. Because of reduced flow strength at elevated temperatures, the AISI 316L and IN 718 dissimilar weldments exhibited more flash formation on the AISI 316L side. At higher rotating speeds during friction welding, an intermixing zone was created at the weld joint interface due to the material softening and squeezing. The dissimilar welds exhibited distinctive regions, including the fully deformed zone (FDZ), heat-affected zone (HAZ), thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ), and the base metal (BM), located on either side of the weld interface. The dissimilar friction welds, AISI 316L/IN 718 ST and AISI 316L/IN 718 STA, exhibited yield strength (YS) of 634 ± 9 MPa and 602 ± 3 MPa, ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 728 ± 7 MPa and 697± 2 MPa, and % elongation (% El) of 14 ± 1.5 and 17 ± 0.9, respectively. Among the welded samples, PWHT samples exhibited high strength (YS = 730 ± 2 MPa, UTS = 828 ± 5 MPa, % El = 9 ± 1.2), and this may be attributed to the formation of precipitates. Dissimilar PWHT friction weld samples resulted in the highest hardness among all the conditions in the FDZ due to the formation of precipitates. On the AISI 316L side, prolonged exposure to high temperatures during PWHT resulted in grain growth and decreased hardness. During the tensile test at ambient temperature, both the as-welded and PWHT friction weld joints failed in the HAZ regions of the AISI 316L side.
High‐accuracy differential quadrature finite element method and its application to free vibrations of thin plate with curvilinear domain

Based on the differential quadrature (DQ) rule, the Gauss Lobatto quadrature rule and the variational principle, a DQ finite element method (DQFEM) is proposed for the free vibration analysis of thin plates. The DQFEM is a highly accurate and rapidly converging approach, and is distinct from the differential quadrature element method (DQEM) and the quadrature element method (QEM) by employing the function values themselves in the trial function for the title problem.
College students’ self-regulation in asynchronous online courses during COVID-19

ABSTRACT Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, courses in higher education have increasingly been delivered via asynchronous online modalities. Although such modalities may allow instructors and students greater flexibility in how they engage with their courses, they increase the self-regulatory challenges learners experience. Students may feel less capable of regulating their learning in web-based modalities, which may increase procrastination and lower academic performance. Alternatively, students who procrastinate in their asynchronous courses may become convinced that they lack the self-regulatory skills needed to succeed. Little research has examined these relationships. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine these self-regulatory processes, the challenges students experience in asynchronous classes, and possible effects on academic performance. Undergraduate students (N = 1,216) attending a public U.S. university responded to closed – and open-ended survey items in Fall 2020. A cross-lagged panel model revealed the interdependency of self-efficacy for self-regulation and academic procrastination, and their relationship with course performance. Findings suggest that students’ beliefs in their self-regulatory capabilities and their procrastination behaviors are related to each other and jointly contribute to course performance. Students described time management difficulties as the most challenging aspect of asynchronous online learning. Integration of quantitative and qualitative data revealed several unique challenges experienced by students who had relatively higher or lower self-efficacy and procrastination. Overall, this study suggests implications for the timely support of college students’ self-regulation in asynchronous online learning courses during and after COVID-19.
Soil potassium spatial variability and comparison of several interpolation methods

Field nutrient distribution map obtained from the study on soil spatial variability and spatial interpolation was the basis of precision nutrient management technique. A 7 9 hectare silage field close to the Agricultural Research Institute at Hillsborough, Northern Ireland, was selected for the study. Grid sampling method (25m×25m) was adopted and there were 125 sampling points in this field. Soil available K from part of all samples was taken to produce spatial variability maps using various interpolation methods of Kriging, Inverse distance, Spline, Move average and Trend, and the results of different interpolation were compared by the comparison analysis of mean error (ME) and mean squared error (MSE) using the other part data. The results showed the methods of Kriging and Inverse distance were acceptable.
Diffusion of Sn donors in β-Ga2O3

Diffusion of the n-type dopant Sn in β-Ga2O3 is studied using secondary-ion mass spectrometry combined with hybrid functional calculations. The diffusion of Sn from a Sn-doped bulk substrate with surface orientation (001) into an epitaxial layer is observed after heat treatments in the temperature range of 1050–1250 °C. Calculated formation energies of Sn-related and intrinsic defects show that the migration of Sn is mediated by Ga vacancies ( VGa) through the formation and dissociation of intermittent mobile VGaSnGa complexes. The evolution of the Sn concentration vs depth profiles after heat treatments can be well described by a reaction–diffusion model. Using model parameters guided by the hybrid functional calculations, we extract a VGaSnGa complex migration barrier of 3.0 ± 0.4 eV with a diffusion coefficient of 2 × 10−1 cm2/s. The extracted migration barrier is consistent with our theoretical predictions using the nudged elastic band method, which shows migration barriers of 3.42, 3.15, and 3.37 eV for the [100], [010], and [001] directions, respectively.
Tea Plantation Intercropping Legume Improves Soil Ecosystem Multifunctionality and Tea Quality by Regulating Rare Bacterial Taxa

Microorganisms play essential roles in soil-ecosystem multifunctionality. However, the contribution of their community assembly processes, composition, diversity, and keystone species to ecosystem multifunctionality is unclear, especially in tea-plantation ecosystems. In order to assess the effects of various intercropping patterns (tea-plant monoculture and tea plants, respectively, intercropped with soybean, soybean—milk vetch, soybean—red clover, and soybean—smooth vetch) on soil rare and abundant taxa, a field experiment was carried out. We found that tea plantation intercropping with legumes improved the soil-ecosystem multifunctionality by altering the soil environment, and ultimately benefited nutrient absorption and quality improvement of tea leaves. Whether it was in bacteria or fungi, rare taxa had a higher proportion of deterministic processes in community assembly than abundant taxa. Additionally, intercropping practices changed the soil environment, and rare bacterial taxa were assembled and shifted from variable selection to homogeneous dispersal. Intercropping practices significantly changed the bacterial and fungal communities’ composition, and rare taxa had higher α-diversity than abundant taxa. Increasing legume species in intercropping practice enhanced community dissimilarity to the tea monoculture by affecting soil pH, ammonium nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen. Rare bacterial and fungal β-diversity exhibited stronger positive relationships with ecosystem multifunctionality (both average and multi-threshold approaches) compared to the corresponding abundant taxa. Furthermore, ecosystem multifunctionality under different intercropping practices was closely related to the keystone rare operational taxonomic units, especially rare bacterial species of Chloroflexi. Our results emphasize the disparate feedbacks of rare and abundant taxa to diverse intercropping practices, as well as the important connection between rare bacterial taxa and ecosystem multifunctionality.
Spray-Drying Impact the Physicochemical Properties and Formation of Maillard Reaction Products Contributing to Antioxidant Activity of Camelina Press Cake Extract

Spray-drying is one of the most popular techniques in the food industry for converting liquid material from a fluid state into a form of dried particles to produce encapsulated or instant products. Instant products are considered as convenient foods; moreover, the goal of encapsulation is to close the bioactive compounds in a shell, preventing them from being affected by environmental factors. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of spray-drying conditions, in particular three inlet temperatures, on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of powders obtained from Camelina Press Cake Extract (CPE). The CPE was spray-dried at 140 °C, 160 °C and 180 °C. The solubility, Carr and Hausner Indexes, tapped densities and water activity of the powders were analyzed. The structural changes were also detected using FTIR spectroscopy. Additionally, the characteristics of the initial and reconstituted samples and their rheological properties were evaluated. The antioxidant potential, total polyphenols and flavonoids content, free amino acids, and the Maillard reaction products contents in the spray-dried powders were also evaluated. The results indicate a cascade of changes between the initial and reconstituted samples, and important changes in the bioactive potential of samples. The inlet temperature significantly influenced the solubility, flowability and particle sizes of the powders, as well as Maillard products formation. The results of the rheological measurements illustrate the changes after the reconstitution of extracts. This study indicates the optimal parameters of CPE spray-drying, those that yield favorable physicochemical and functional values, which may open up a promising path for CPE valorization, indicating its potential and the possibilities of its use.