Search Results (5,439)

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) printing has become increasingly popular for exploring advanced material matrices with a polymeric base. This study uses a low-energy method to investigate the metallization process on a surface created by 3D printing. This involves using an acrylic-paint-based solution to disperse the copper (Cu) powder on a polylactic acid (PLA) substrate, allowing for an evaluation of the fabricated samples’ mechanical, morphological, absorbance, and capacitance properties. The study findings indicate a gradual increase in tensile strength as the content of Cu in the acrylic paint layer on the PLA substrate increases. There was a clear and consistent increase in the tensile strength of the specimen, ranging from 13.5 MPa (sample 1) to 15.6 MPa (sample 5). Similarly, the percentage of strain at failure also showed a noticeable increase, ranging from 4.2% (sample 1) to 8.6% (sample 5). The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation revealed the presence of completely enveloped Cu particles in acrylic paint on the FDM-printed surface of the PLA. The Ultraviolet–Visible Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS) indicated a significant change in the absorbance pattern as the copper content in the layer increased. The augmented absorbance values serve as an advantage because they demonstrate enhanced UV light interaction, which correlates with the increase in capacitance measurements of 6 to 8 pF. This result suggests that the fabricated sample potentially leads to favorable alterations in material characteristics for applications that demand stable capacitance alongside improved mechanical properties. The SEM analysis supported the observed trends. Full article

This study examines the interplay between individual predictors (self-efficacy) and organizational factors (perceived organizational support) within the framework of the PERMA+4 model to promote workplace well-being. Data were collected from 545 employees (57.8% women) using self-reported questionnaires and analyzed through structural equation modeling. The results indicate that self-efficacy positively influences seven dimensions of the PERMA+4 model, while perceived organizational support significantly affects five dimensions. Positive emotions are identified as a mediator, amplifying the impact of PERMA+4 dimensions on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Specifically, positive emotions have a positive effect on job satisfaction, underscoring their pivotal role in the workplace well-being. These findings validate the PERMA+4 model as a comprehensive framework for understanding workplace well-being, emphasizing the dynamic interaction between individual and organizational factors. Moreover, they provide actionable insights for interventions aimed at enhancing employee satisfaction and long-term commitment by fostering self-efficacy, organizational support, and positive emotions. Full article

The particle filter (PF) algorithm has found widespread application in navigation multipath estimation. However, it exhibits significant limitations in complex multipath environments. Its state prediction relies heavily on particle distribution and is prone to particle degeneracy, where the weights of most particles approach zero, and only a few particles contribute significantly to state estimation. These issues result in an inadequate number of effective samples, degrading multipath estimation performance. Therefore, a navigation multipath estimation method based on an EKF-GAPF (Extended Kalman Filter–Genetic Algorithm Particle Filter) algorithm is proposed in this paper. This method utilizes the EKF to calculate the mean and covariance of samples using the latest observation information, providing a more reasonable proposal density for particle filtering and enhancing the accuracy of state prediction. Simultaneously, by introducing the crossover and mutation mechanisms of the adaptive genetic algorithm, particles are continuously evolved during the resampling process, preventing them from falling into local extrema. Experimental results show that EKF-GAPF outperforms EKF, EPF, and PF in amplitude and delay estimation. Under the condition of random initial values, the multipath signal amplitude estimation error converges to 0.002, and the multipath signal time delay estimation error converges to 0.006 (approximately 1.8 m). This method enables high-precision parameter estimation for both direct and multipath signals. Full article

To systematically address the intricate multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) challenges to practical situations where uncertain and hesitant information plays a critical role in guiding optimal choices. In this article, we introduce the concept of $\mathfrak{m}$-polar Q-hesitant fuzzy ($\mathcal{MPQHF}$) $\mathfrak{B}\mathrm{C}\mathbb{K}/\mathfrak{B}\mathrm{C}\mathbb{I}$ algebras, combining $\mathfrak{m}$-PFS theory with Q-hesitant fuzzy set theory in the framework of $\mathfrak{B}\mathrm{C}\mathbb{K}$/$\mathfrak{B}\mathrm{C}\mathbb{I}$ algebras. This innovative approach enhances the attitudes of uncertainty, vagueness, and hesitance of data in decision-making processes. We investigate the features and actions of this proposed hybrid approach to fuzzy sets and hesitant fuzzy sets, focusing on $\mathcal{MPQHF}$ subalgebras, and explore the characteristics of several kinds of ideals under $\mathfrak{B}\mathrm{C}\mathbb{K}$/$\mathfrak{B}\mathrm{C}\mathbb{I}$ algebras. It also showed that it can better represent complex levels of uncertainty than regular sets. The proposed method’s theoretical framework offers a better way to show uncertain data in areas like engineering, computer science, and computational mathematics. By linking theoretical advancements of $\mathcal{MPQHF}$ sets with practical applications, we highlight the benefits and challenges of this approach. Demonstrating the practical uses of the $\mathcal{MPQHF}$ sets aims to encourage broader adoption. Symmetry plays a vital role in algebraic structure and is used in various fields like decision-making, encryption, pattern recognition problems, and automata theory. Furthermore, this work enhances the understanding of algebraic structures and offers a robust tool for career exploration and development through improved decision-making methodologies. Full article

Land consolidation (LC) plays an important role in disturbing carbon storage (CS) change. Evaluating how LC affects CS is crucial for mitigating global climate change. However, existing research often overlooks differences in various aspects of land remediation, making it challenging to propose targeted policy adjustments to enhance CS effectiveness. This study presents a framework to assess the effectiveness of CS changes throughout the LC process, encompassing policy formulation stages (PF), construction stages (CO), and post-management stages (PM). Carbon density, a key factor in measuring CS changes, is adjusted using biomass model-integrated empirical measurements with dynamic growth coefficients calibrated through phenological monitoring. The Guangdong Demolition and Reclamation (D&R) project, a specific type of LC, serves as a case study. The findings are as follows: (1) D&R increased forest and garden land by 1420 hm² and 1674 hm², respectively, leading to a regional CS increase of 359,000 t, a five-fold rise per hectare. (2) The effectiveness of PF is 5.81%, with a discrepancy of over 36 million tons. The policy content’s adaptability is low, indicating significant room for improvement in CS outcomes at this stage. (3) The effectiveness of CO is 24.71%, with considerable variation between counties, ranging from 1.26% to 97.55%, due to the varying capabilities of executors and the diverse regional topographical features. Refining implementation content and encouraging collaborative efforts are effective strategies to enhance CS. (4) The effectiveness of PM is 65.03%, and the counties in the east are lower than the west. Scientific post-care is essential for improving CS. This framework provides theoretical support for optimizing LC to enhance regional CS and lays the groundwork for future investigations into the long-term impacts of LC on CS, as well as the potential for applying the methods used in this study to other regions and types of land consolidation projects. Full article

Based on the flexible adjustment of the seven-wire, this study will assemble a new toughened seven-wire which is combined with a common single welding wire and the existing welding wire containing ductile alloy element (Ni element), and the microstructure properties, mechanical properties and toughening mechanism of the welding seams were studied. The results show that the microstructure of the four combinatorial seven-wire welding seams is mainly composed of coarse proeutectoid ferrite (PF) and fine acicular ferrite (AF). Among them, the core of inclusions that induce AF nucleation and growth are mainly composed of Al, Ti, Si, and Mn-based oxides, and the edge of inclusions is mainly composed of Mn and Cu sulfides (MnS, CuS). The addition of Ti compounds further promotes AF nucleation. This is also a reason why the impact toughness of the combinatorial seven-wire W2/W3 welding seams is higher than that of other combinatorial seven-wire welding seams, but the impact toughness of the rich Ni seven-wire can meet the standard requirements of the China Classification Society (CCS). Among the four combinatorial seven-wire welding seams, the proportions of large angle grain boundaries (grain orientation difference ≥ 15°) that improve the ability of materials to prevent brittle fracture are 65.9%, 68.8%, 66.0%, 61.7%, respectively, that is, the larger proportion of large angle grain boundaries in combinatorial seven-wire W2 welding seams (Ni content is 0.0897%) is one of the reasons for the higher impact toughness of the welding seams. With the increase of Ni content in the welding seam, the AF content first increased and then decreased, the yield strength and tensile strength increased, and the elongation and section shrinkage first increased and then decreased. When the combinatorial seven-wire W2/W3 was used, the welding seam plasticity was the best. Full article

Resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy is a major clinical problem in ovarian cancers. The development of predictive biomarkers and therapeutic approaches is an area of unmet need. p73, a member of the p53 family of transcription factors, has essential functions during DNA repair, proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis. The role of p73 in ovarian cancer pathogenesis and response to therapy is largely unknown. The clinicopathological significance of p73 protein expression was evaluated in 278 human ovarian cancers. TP73 transcripts were investigated in publicly available clinical data sets (n = 522) and bioinformatics analysis was completed in the ovarian TCGA cohort (n = 182). Preclinically, p73 was overexpressed in A2780 platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer cells or depleted in platinum-resistant A2780cis cells and investigated for aggressive phenotypes, as well as platinum sensitivity. High p73 protein expression was linked with high grade (p < 0.001), advanced-stage disease (p = 0.002), and shorter progression-free survival (p < 0.0001). TP73 transcripts were significantly higher in tumours compared to normal tissue (p < 0.0001) and linked with shorter PFS (p = 0.047). Preclinically, p73 overexpression in A2780 cells increased proliferation, invasion, spheroid formation, and DNA repair capacity, and was associated with the upregulation of multiple DNA repair and platinum resistance-associated genes. In contrast, p73 deletion in A2780cis led to reduced proliferation and enhanced sensitivity to cisplatin, along with DNA double-strand break accumulation, G2/M cell cycle arrest, and increased apoptosis. We conclude that p73 is a predictor of platinum resistance. p73 can be exploited for targeted ovarian cancer therapy. Full article

As a typical ecologically fragile mountainous area, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province faces challenges of irrational land resource allocation and uncoordinated urbanization. This study employs an ecological niche width model to quantify the functional status of “production-living-ecological” functions (PLEFs) between 2010–2020. Methodologically, we integrated spatial autocorrelation analysis and Spearman’s correlation coefficients to systematically evaluate spatiotemporal synergies and trade-offs among PLEFs. Based on this, spatial clustering patterns were further analyzed using Maxwell’s triangle and K-means algorithms to delineate functional zones. Key findings include: (1) Production function (PF) and living function (LF) exhibit a “core-periphery” spatial pattern (high-value clusters in the south, low-value contiguous areas in the north), while ecological function (EF) displays a “high-low-high” ring-shaped pattern (high values in the northwest and southeast, declining in the central region due to development pressure); (2) synergy and trade-off relationships coexist in the study area. Synergies and trade-offs coexist among PLEFs. The synergistic effect between PF and EF strengthens significantly, the trade-off relationship between PF and LF weakens slightly, and the trade-off between LF and EF remains prominent; high-low (HL) clusters and low-high (LH) clusters exceed 55%; (3) based on synergy/trade-off relationships, the study area is divided into six functional zones (e.g., economic priority zones, ecological protection zones), with proposed optimization strategies such as “intensive valley development, eco-cultural tourism in border areas, and urban-rural coordination in central regions,” providing scientific support for sustainable territorial spatial utilization in mountainous areas. Full article

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of immunotherapy compared to chemotherapy across different treatment lines in patients with pleural mesothelioma. It also sought to identify factors influencing the success of immunotherapy, such as histological subtype, PD-L1 expression, type of asbestos exposure, and metastatic status. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted with 60 patients diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma. Data on age, gender, histological subtype, and asbestos exposure were collected for all patients and PD-L1 expression was assessed in a subset of patients. Patients received either chemotherapy or immunotherapy as first-, second-, and third-line treatments, and progression-free survival (PFS) and treatment responses were evaluated. Results: Among the 60 patients, 35 (58.3%) were male and the median age was 59 years. The majority (71.7%) had epithelioid histology and 28.3% had distant metastases. Asbestos exposure was documented in 65% of the cases. PD-L1 expression of ≥1% was found in 13 of 17 patients tested. First-line treatments included immunotherapy for 11 patients and chemotherapy for the others, with immunotherapy achieving median PFS of 9 months versus 6 months for chemotherapy, although the difference was not statistically significant. In third-line treatments, immunotherapy significantly outperformed chemotherapy with median PFS of 6 months compared to 3 months (p = 0.048). Absence of metastasis and prior asbestos exposure in an endemic region were linked to better immunotherapy outcomes. Conclusion: Immunotherapy shows increased efficacy in later treatment lines for pleural mesothelioma, especially for patients without metastases or with prior endemic asbestos exposure. Tailored therapeutic strategies should be further explored in prospective studies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) harbors one of the most mutated genomes. There are limited data on the genomic profile and its predictive potential for response to immunotherapy with PD-1 inhibitors in cSCC. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed cSCC patients treated with PD-1 inhibitor monotherapy at a single institution. Clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes, PD-L1 expression, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and genomic profile in tumor and blood were analyzed. Logistic regression and a support vector classifier were used to validate identified biomarkers of significance. Results: Twenty-five patients were evaluable for response and had genomics tested in tumor and/or blood. Of the total, 80% of patients achieved an objective response: 40% complete response (CR), 32% partial response (PR) for more than 6 months, and 8% stable disease (SD) for more than 1 year; 20% of patients progressed on treatment. With a median follow-up of 21 months, progression-free survival (PFS) was 28 months in responders vs. 3 months in non-responders (p = 0.00001). Median PD-L1 was 25% in responders vs. 10% in non-responders (p = 0.39). There was no difference in median TMB between responders and non-responders. Eight gene mutations were significantly more frequent in non-responders than in responders: CDK12 (p = 0.005), CTCF (p = 0.033), CTNNB1 (p = 0.033), IGF1R (p = 0.038), IKBKE (p = 0.016), MLH1 (0.033), QKI (p = 0.016), and TIPARP (p = 0.033). A support vector model of these genes classified responders and non-responders with an accuracy of 0.88 in the training data and 1.0 in the testing data. Conclusions: PD-1 inhibitor monotherapy produces an impressive response. Eight gene mutations were significantly more frequent in non-responders. PD-L1 and TMB were inconclusive in predicting treatment response to anti-PD-L1. Full article

Background: Therapy using lutetium-177 dotatate (¹⁷⁷LU) was approved in Europe for the treatment of advanced neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) in 2017. Since then, it has become part of the strategies in the treatment of NETs, making it now possible to evaluate real-life results. Research Design and Methods: Single-arm, retrospective, multicenter, cohort study of all the patients with metastatic NETs treated with ¹⁷⁷LU (four cycles of 200 mCi every 8 weeks) in the two medical centers dedicated to the treatment of NETs from the region of Aragón, Spain, from 2017 to 2024. Descriptive analysis of demographic characteristics, efficacy, and survival analysis were performed using the statistics software Jamovi 2.6.14. Results: Sixty-eight patients were included. The majority were male, and the most frequent primary location was the pancreas. The ORR was 30.9%. The DCR was 88%. The median OS was 47.4 months [95% CI, 25.6–NE]. The median PFS was 26.1 months [95% CI, 18.5–68.3]. High-grade tumors, multiple previous treatments, and pancreatic location presented worse OS. In total, 42.6% presented any grade adverse event (17.2% hematologic, 30.9% GI symptoms). Conclusions: The efficacy of ¹⁷⁷LU in our study is like that observed in similar studies. Acceptable tolerance has been shown. Pancreatic tumors, previous treatments, and higher grades demonstrated worse outcomes. The new research line must consider the use of treatment with ¹⁷⁷LU in earlier lines for metastatic disease as well as its possible use in local or locally advanced disease. Full article

In this work, an energy-efficient noise-shaping (NS) successive-approximation (SAR) capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC) is proposed. The interface is based on a direct-comparison technique, in which the sensor capacitance is compared directly to an on-chip binary weighted capacitive digital-to-analog converter (DAC). To implement NS, a 2nd order feed-forward loop filter processes the extracted residue at the end of each conversion cycle. Employing NS to achieve the target resolution leads to a small capacitive DAC and hence a small Si-area compared to the conventional SAR approach that would require a capacitive DAC with the same resolution as the overall CDC resolution. The proposed capacitive NS SAR sensor interface is designed and implemented in 130 nm CMOS technology for a 4 pF dynamic range and achieves an effective number of bits (ENOB) of 12.0 bits with a measurement time of 2.5 ms. The CDC dissipates 1.0 $\mathsf{\mu }$A from a 0.8 V supply resulting in a figure of merit (FoM) of 488 fJ/conversion-step. Full article

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the management of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Emerging evidence suggests a potential association between elevated body mass index (BMI) and enhanced ICI efficacy, yet this relationship remains inconclusive and warrants further investigation. This study aims to evaluate the impact of BMI on treatment efficacy and survival outcomes in advanced NSCLC patients treated with first-line ICI therapy. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at a multi-center registry to evaluate the impact of baseline BMI on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with stage IV NSCLC who received first-line ICI therapies. Treatment regimens included pembrolizumab or the combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab, administered either as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy, at the oncology department between January 2018 and December 2023. BMI was categorized according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, and OS and PFS were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: Among 346 patients, 12.72% were underweight, 45.38% normal weight, 29.19% overweight, and 12.72% obese. Overweight and obese patients were more likely to receive pembrolizumab (p = 0.039) and less likely to undergo chemotherapy (p = 0.012). No significant differences in median overall survival (OS, log-rank: p = 0.155) or progression-free survival (PFS, log-rank: p = 0.370) were observed across BMI categories. However, differences emerged upon further analysis of PD-L1 levels (OS, log-rank: p = 0.029; PFS, log-rank: p = 0.044), additional chemotherapy (OS, log-rank: p = 0.009; PFS, log-rank: p = 0.021), type of immune checkpoint inhibitor (OS, log-rank: p < 0.001; PFS, log-rank: p < 0.001), and histologic diagnosis (OS, log-rank: p = 0.011; PFS, log-rank: p = 0.003). Conclusions: BMI was not an independent predictor of survival outcomes in advanced NSCLC treated with ICI. Incorporating BMI with other patient-specific factors into personalized immunotherapy strategies highlights the importance of tailored approaches to improve patient care and clinical outcomes. Full article

Changes in the dosing schedules for immune checkpoint inhibitors, specifically nivolumab and pembrolizumab, in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, were introduced based on pharmacokinetic data and analysis of pre-existing clinical trial data in the absence of new clinical trials. Therefore, we sought to provide real-world data examining whether fixed-dose therapy (FDT) or weight-adapted therapy (WAT) influenced progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and the incidence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The electronic case notes of all patients (n = 77) treated with immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy (ICI) in the first-line setting for melanoma in the Department of Dermatology, University of Luebeck, between the 1 January 2017 and the 31 December 2020, were retrospectively analysed. Although a higher proportion of patients in the WAT cohort were treated in the palliative setting, there were no correlations between dosing schedule, renal function, or BMI and PFS. Moreover, there were no differences between the cohorts in terms of PFS, OS, or the number and nature of irAEs. An elevated serum S100 concentration was associated with a decreased mean PFS in the FDT cohort (p < 0.001). This study, although inherently limited by its retrospective and monocentric nature, provides reassuring evidence that dosing schedule and pre-existing comorbidities do not influence efficacy or the irAE profile of ICI therapy in the management of melanoma. Full article

Background/Objectives: Purinergic signaling, which involves extracellular ATP (eATP), its metabolites, purinergic receptors and ectonucleotidases, plays a pivotal role in the tumor microenvironment (TME), impacting tumor progression and the antineoplastic immune response. In this study, the CD39, CD73, P2X4, and P2X7 expression in NSCLC tumor cells and the surrounding stroma of 139 resected patients was examined. Methods: The study included tissue samples from 139 NSCLC patients. Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed using 1.0 mm cores from annotated tumor regions. Immunohistochemical staining for CD39, CD73, P2X4, and P2X4 was performed on 2 µm sections. TMA slides were digitized and analyzed with QuPath, where staining intensity was evaluated using a semi-quantitative H-score. Statistical analysis, including survival analysis, was performed using R, to assess the impact of biomarker expression on patient outcomes. Results: High CD39 expression in both tumor and stromal cells was significantly associated with prolonged PFS (respectively: p = 0.0058 and p = 0.0067), particularly in adenocarcinoma (ADC) patients (respectively: p = 0.01 and p = 0.023). In the multivariable Cox model, low CD73 expression in tumor cells correlated with longer PFS (HR: 0.47; 95% CI: [0.28, 0.8], p = 0.005), while low CD73 expression in stromal cells was linked to increased progression risk (HR: 4.81; 95% CI: [1.61, 14.4], p = 0.001). Neither P2X7 nor P2X4 demonstrated a consistent effect on PFS in univariable analyses; however, multivariable analyses suggested that P2X4 might play a prognostic role in NSCLCs (HR: 0.37; 95% CI: [0.19, 0.73], p = 0.003). Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of purinergic signaling in NSCLC prognosis and highlight the role of the ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73 as potential therapeutic targets to enhance antineoplastic immune responses. Full article