Predicting Severe Radiation Pneumonitis in Patients With Locally-Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer After Thoracic Radiotherapy: Development and Validation of a Nomogram Based on the Clinical, Hematological, and Dose-Volume Histogram Parameters.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for severe radiation pneumonitis (RP) after thoracic radiotherapy (RT) in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), develop a prediction model to identify high-risk groups, and investigate the impact of severe RP on overall survival (OS).

Methods: We retrospectively collected clinical, dosimetric, and hematological factors of patients with stage III NSCLC receiving thoracic RT without immunotherapy. The primary and secondary end points were severe RP and OS, respectively.

Advancing lung cancer diagnosis: Combining 3D auto-encoders and attention mechanisms for CT scan analysis.

Objective: The goal of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a hybrid deep learning model that combines 3D Auto-encoders with attention mechanisms to detect lung cancer early from CT scan images. The study aims to improve diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity by focusing on key features in the scans.

Materials And Methods: A hybrid model was developed that combines feature extraction using 3D Auto-encoder networks with attention mechanisms.

The success rate of infrazygomatic mini-implants placed with and without surgical guides: a historical control study.

Background: To improve the success rate of mini-implants, some surgical guides have been developed through digital technologies to achieve three-dimensional (3D) guided mini-implants insertion. However, there is no a surgical guide which can be applied for the insertion of infrazygomatic mini-implant. In this study, we introduced a two-trajectories surgical guide and investigated the success rate of infrazygomatic mini-implants under the guidance of the template.

UBIQUITIN-CONJUGATING ENZYME34 mediates pyrophosphatase AVP1 turnover and regulates abiotic stress responses in Arabidopsis.

Understanding the molecular mechanisms of abiotic stress responses in plants is instrumental for the development of climate-resilient crops. Key factors in abiotic stress responses, such as the proton-pumping pyrophosphatase (AVP1), have been identified, but their function and regulation remain elusive. Here, we explored the post-translational regulation of AVP1 by the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBC34 and its relevance in the salt stress and phosphate starvation responses of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana).

Magnetic shielding properties of an iron-based nanocrystalline alloy for induction heating systems.

A nanocrystalline alloy, with an iron-based composition (FeSiBNbCu) and a Curie temperature of 570 °C, was investigated for its effectiveness as magnetic shielding films in an induction heating system. The primary focus of the research was to evaluate the shielding performance of the 3-turned (9-layered) shielding films with dimensions of 135 mm × 17 mm × 0.15 mm.

Collimation principles of a hollow X-ray microbeam for high-contrast cytoplasm irradiation.

A Monte Carlo simulation was used to assess the performance of a collimated hollow X-ray microbeam for subcellular cytoplasm irradiation. A high-Z coaxial collimation structure with an inner core for nucleus shielding was investigated. Two key performances, the extraction efficiency (cytoplasm dose per unit incident fluence) and the dose contrast (cytoplasm-to-nucleus dose ratio), were evaluated regarding the influences of the material, geometry and physical arrangements of the collimator, target dish and incident beam source.

Automated estimation of thoracic rotation in chest X-ray radiographs: a deep learning approach for enhanced technical assessment.

Objectives: This study aims to develop an automated approach for estimating the vertical rotation of the thorax, which can be used to assess the technical adequacy of chest X-ray radiographs (CXRs).

Methods: Total 800 chest radiographs were used to train and establish segmentation networks for outlining the lungs and spine regions in chest X-ray images. By measuring the widths of the left and right lungs between the central line of segmented spine and the lateral sides of the segmented lungs, the quantification of thoracic vertical rotation was achieved.

Sponge iron enriches autotrophic/aerobic denitrifying bacteria to enhance denitrification in sequencing batch reactor.

Sponge iron (SFe) coupled with a sludge system has great potential for improving biological denitrification; however, the underlying mechanism is not yet fully understood. In this study, the denitrification performance and microbial characteristics of ordinary sludge and SFe-sludge systems were investigated. Overall, the SFe-sludge reactor had faster ammonium degradation rate (94.

In vivo evaluation of T-Scan in quantifying occlusal contact.

Background: The T-scan system has been used previously to analyse occlusion, but the quantitative analysis of occlusal contact by T-Scan system has yet to be reported.

Objectives: To evaluate the reliability and validity of T-Scan system for quantitatively measuring occlusal contact area and occlusal contact number.

Methods: Twenty-two individuals with normal occlusion, 11 men and 11 women, were recruited for the study.

Clinical predictors of severe radiation pneumonitis in patients undergoing thoracic radiotherapy for lung cancer.

Background: Severe radiation pneumonitis (RP), one of adverse events in patients with lung cancer receiving thoracic radiotherapy, is more likely to lead to more mortality and poor quality of life, which could be predicted by clinical information and treatment scheme. In this study, we aimed to explore the clinical predict model for severe RP.

Methods: We collected information on lung cancer patients who received radiotherapy from August 2020 to August 2022.

Identification of priority areas for territorial space ecological restoration in arid area of Northwest China: A case study of Zhangye City in Heihe River basin.

Determining priority areas for territorial ecological restoration in the arid region of Northwest China based on the holistic protection and systematic governance is an important measure to build solid national ecological security barrier and promote the construction of territorial ecological civilization. Taking Zhangye City, a typical arid area city in Northwest China, as an example, we constructed the research framework of "ecological network-ecological sensitivities-ecological degradation" from two aspects of internal defects and external threats of ecological networks by using circuit theory and assessment methods of ecological service function importance, ecological sensitivity, and ecological degradation. We then identified the priority areas of territorial ecological restoration in northwest arid region and put forward the restoration strategies.

Accuracy and Feasibility of Synthetic CT for Lung Adaptive Radiotherapy: A Phantom Study.

Objectives: The respiratory variations will lead to inconsistency between the actual delivery dose and the planning dose. How the minor interfractional amplitude changes affect the geometry and dose delivery accuracy remains to be investigated in the context of lung adaptive radiotherapy.

Methods: Planning 4-dimensional-computed tomography and kV-cone beam computed tomography were scanned based on the Computerized Imaging Reference Systems phantom, which was employed to simulate the minor interfractional amplitude variations.

Correlation between intraosseous thermal change and drilling impulse data during osteotomy within autonomous dental implant robotic system: An in vitro study.

Objectives: This study aims at examining the correlation of intraosseous temperature change with drilling impulse data during osteotomy and establishing real-time temperature prediction models.

Materials And Methods: A combination of in vitro bovine rib model and Autonomous Dental Implant Robotic System (ADIR) was set up, in which intraosseous temperature and drilling impulse data were measured using an infrared camera and a six-axis force/torque sensor respectively. A total of 800 drills with different parameters (e.

[Establishment and evaluation of rabbit model of closed tibial fracture].

Objective: To explore the effect of a modified three-point bending fracture device for establishing a rabbit model of closed tibial fracture.

Methods: The model of closed tibial fracture was established in 40 6-month-old male New Zealand white rabbits with a body weight of 2.5 to 3.

Identification of priority pollutants and key factors affecting environmental risks of lead‑zinc mine tailing sites.

Lead‑zinc mine tailing sites are widely distributed in China. Tailing sites with different hydrological settings tend to have different susceptibilities toward pollution and hence different priority pollutants and environmental risks. This paper aims to identify priority pollutants and key factors influencing environmental risks of lead‑zinc mine tailing sites with different types of hydrological settings.

Mechanical Alloying Behavior and Thermal Stability of CoCrCuFeMnNi High-Entropy Alloy Powders Prepared via MA.

CoCrCuFeMnNi (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.

A completely digital workflow to fabricate a double-layered template for anterior esthetic veneers.

In the esthetic restoration of anterior teeth, trial restorations are an efficient way of communicating among patients, doctors, and dental laboratory technicians. Although the development of digital technologies has made it popular to design digital diagnostic waxing in a software program, problems such as the polymerization inhibition of silicone materials and time-consuming trimming remain. The silicone mold based on a 3-dimensionally printed resin cast still has to be transferred to the digital diagnostic waxing and to the patient's mouth to generate a trial restoration.

Accuracy of implant placement using CAD-CAM tooth-supported surgical guides for an auricular prosthesis in vitro.

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of tooth-supported surgical guides used to place implants in auricular prostheses. The accuracy (trueness and precision) of the implant positions was evaluated, and the difference between the surgical guide with and without retention of the external auditory canal (EAC) was compared.

Materials And Methods: This study simulated implant placement in vitro for the treatment of right auricle malformation.

A digital workflow for fabricating an interim obturator after partial maxillary resection.

This article describes a digital workflow for fabricating an interim obturator after partial maxillectomy which utilizes the radiopacity of iodoform gauze, a common surgical packing material, to simulate postoperative oronasal defect cavities through a computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) workflow and to generate the interim obturator by 3-dimensional printing. This technique may serve as a promising alternative technique for the fabrication of an interim obturator and, in particular, benefit patients who have not seen a prosthetic specialist before surgery and present without a surgical obturator.

Effects of sponge iron dosage on nitrogen removal performance and microbial community structure in sequencing batch reactors.

The application of sponge iron (SI) carriers can improve the biochemical treatment performance of sequencing batch reactors (SBR) during wastewater treatment. This study used SBR reactors to explore the effects of SI dosage on the nitrogen removal performance and reactor stability and microbial community structure under low temperature and ultra-low load. In contrast to conventional SBR, the average removal rate of total nitrogen (TN) in the biological sponge iron system (BSIS) was increased by 5.

Clinical Applications of Polyetheretherketone in Removable Dental Prostheses: Accuracy, Characteristics, and Performance.

The high-performance thermoplastic polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility, chemical stability, and radiolucency. The present article comprehensively reviews various applications of PEEK in removable dental prostheses, including in removable partial dentures (RPDs) (frameworks and clasps), double-crown RPDs, and obturators. The clinical performance of PEEK in removable dental prostheses is shown to be satisfactory and promising based on the short-term clinical evidence and technical complications are scarce.

Effects of Periodontal Splints on Biomechanical Behaviors in Compromised Periodontal Tissues and Cement Layer: 3D Finite Element Analysis.

Background: In this study, we evaluated the effect of periodontal splints made from different materials on the stress distributions in compromised periodontal tissues and cement layers, using a computer simulation of mastication.

Methods: Twenty-five 3D models were created for a segment of mandibular teeth with different periodontal splints bilaterally extended to the canines. The models were divided into five groups according to the different materials and thicknesses (mm) of the splints: the non-splinted group, PEEK 0.

The association between disruption of the circadian rhythm and aggravation of colitis in mice.

Delayed recovery from ulcerative colitis is mainly due to impaired healing of the intestinal epithelium after inflammation. The circadian rhythm controls cell proliferation and energy metabolism. However, the role of circadian genes in inflammatory bowel disease is largely unknown.