A StarGAN and transformer-based hybrid classification-regression model for multi-institution VMAT patient-specific quality assurance.

Background: The field of artificial intelligence (AI)-based patient-specific quality assurance (PSQA) for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) faces challenges in terms of developing general models across institutions due to the prevalence of multi-institution data collection and multivariate heterogeneity. Building a general model that is capable of handling diverse multi-institution data is critical for enabling large-scale integration and analysis.

Purpose: This study aims to develop a star generative adversarial network (StarGAN) and transformer-based hybrid classification-regression PSQA framework to address unification of heterogeneous data from different institutions.

Unprecedented atomic surface of silicon induced by environmentally friendly chemical mechanical polishing.

Silicon (Si) dominates the integrated circuit (IC), semiconductor, and microelectronic industries. However, it is a challenge to achieve a sub-angstrom surface of Si. Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is widely used in the manufacturing of Si, while toxic and polluted slurries are usually employed in CMP, resulting in pollution to the environment.

A meta-analysis to investigate the role of magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the detection of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Background: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a complex neuropsychiatric illness that alters patient's behavior and social well-being. Early and accurate diagnosis of TLE is a key factor in its treatment. Currently, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is recommended due to its high sensitivity and specificity in the detection of seizures.

Determining the origin and fate of nitrate in the Nanyang Basin, Central China, using environmental isotopes and the Bayesian mixing model.

Identifying sources of nitrate contamination has been a long-term challenge in areas with different land uses. We investigated the biogeochemical processes and quantified the contribution of potential nitrate sources in the Nanyang Basin, the source area of the South to North Water Diversion Project in China. Hydrogeochemical characteristics, the dual-isotope method (δN-NO and δO-NO), and the Bayesian mixing model (SIAR) were combined.

Abnormal Default Mode Network Homogeneity in Treatment-Naive Patients With First-Episode Depression.

The default mode network (DMN) may be an important component involved in the broad-scale cognitive problems seen in patients with first-episode treatment-naive depression. Nevertheless, information is scarce regarding the changes in network homogeneity (NH) found in the DMN of these patients. Therefore, in this study, we explored the NH of the DMN in patients with first-episode treatment-naive depression.

Abnormal default-mode network homogeneity in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Default-mode network (DMN) plays a key role in a broad-scale cognitive problem, which occurs in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, little is known about the alterations of the network homogeneity (NH) of DMN in TLE. In the present study, we employed NH method to investigate the NH of DMN in TLE at rest.

Decreased functional connectivity and structural deficit in alertness network with right-sided temporal lobe epilepsy.

Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) often suffer from alertness alterations. However, specific regions connected with alertness remain controversial, and whether these regions have structural impairment is also elusive. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and neural mechanisms underlying the functions and structures of alertness network in patients with right-sided temporal lobe epilepsy (rTLE) by performing the attentional network test (ANT), resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-SfMRI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

Interleukin-17A promotes functional activation of systemic sclerosis patient-derived dermal vascular smooth muscle cells by extracellular-regulated protein kinases signalling pathway.

Introduction: Dermal vascular smooth muscle cells (DVSMCs) are important for vascular wall fibrosis in microangiopathy of systemic sclerosis (SSc). T helper 17 cell-associated cytokines, particularly interleukin-17A (IL-17A), have been demonstrated to play a role in the pathogenesis of SSc. However, the effect of IL-17A on the DVSMCs in microangiopathy of SSc has not been established.

Analysis of SCA2 and SCA3/MJD repeats in Parkinson's disease in mainland China: genetic, clinical, and positron emission tomography findings.

To investigate the prevalence and clinical feature(s) of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with expanded (ATXN2 and MJD1) genes of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 and 3 (SCA2 and SCA3/MJD) in a mainland Chinese population, CAG triplet repeat expansions of (SCA2 and SCA3/MJD) genes (ATXN2 and MJD1) were analyzed in a cohort of 452 PD patients, including 386 sporadic and 66 familial forms. Striatal dopamine transporter was evaluated in two SCA2 and two SCA3/MJD-positive family members, an idiopathic PD patient and a healthy control using carbon (C11) [(11)C]-radiolabeled-CFT positron emission tomography (PET). We found two patients in one familial PD (FPD) family (1.