Validation of clearcalc for efficient patient specific QA.

Uganda's only radiotherapy center is a very busy facility treating about 210 patients daily on three linear accelerators making it sometimes hard to have machine time for pretreatment QAs. This study was aimed at validating an independent calculation software, ClearCalc (ICS) for second checks of the treatment planning system (TPS) calculations. The validation of ICS started with simple phantom test plans consisting of square, irregular, open and wedged fields designed in the TPS and measured in phantoms.

The role of photooxidation and organic matter in Cr(III) and Cr(VI) interactions with poly(lactic acid) microplastics in aqueous solution.

There is limited research on the influence of environmental variables on the interactions of biodegradable microplastics with chromium. This study reports the results of adsorption experiments with Cr and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) in synthetic aqueous solutions. It addresses the influence of the initial oxidation state, Cr(III) or Cr(VI), the effects of UV irradiation and the presence of organic matter.

Learning curve and proficiency assessment for gynecological brachytherapy amongst radiation oncology trainees in India: Results from a prospective study.

Purpose: The quality of cervical cancer intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) depends on the training and experience of the radiation oncologist (RO). The present study was performed to establish primary learning curve for ICBT.

Materials And Methods: Forty-three skill parameters were identified for performing ICBT and were included for Brachytherapy Proficiency Assessment and Scoring System (Brachy-PASS) questionnaire.

Decoding the rhythmic representation and communication of visual contents.

Rhythmic neural activity is considered essential for adaptively modulating responses in the visual system. In this opinion article we posit that visual brain rhythms also serve a key function in the representation and communication of visual contents. Collating a set of recent studies that used multivariate decoding methods on rhythmic brain signals, we highlight such rhythmic content representations in visual perception, imagery, and prediction.

Molecularly manipulating pyrazinoquinoxaline derivatives to construct NIR-II AIEgens for multimodal phototheranostics of breast cancer bone metastases.

Multimodal phototheranostics on the basis of single molecular species shows inexhaustible and vigorous vitality, particularly those emit fluorescence in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II), the construction of such exceptional molecules nonetheless retains formidably challenging. In view of the undiversified molecular skeletons and insufficient phototheranostic outputs of previously reported NIR-II fluorophores, herein, electron acceptor engineering based on heteroatom-inserted rigid-planar pyrazinoquinoxaline was manipulated to fabricate aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-featured NIR-II counterparts with donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) architecture. Systematical investigations substantiated that one of those synthesized AIE molecules, namely 4TPQ, incorporating a fused thiophene acceptor, synchronously exhibited high molar absorptivity (ε), NIR-II emission, typical AIE tendency, significant reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and high photothermal conversion efficiency.

The human patellar tendon is mechanically homogenous at its mid-substance.

The human patellar tendon contains distinct fascicle bundles across its mediolateral and anteroposterior regions. Studies have suggested region-specific behaviour during in vivo actions, but it is unclear whether such regional differences result from localized variation in composition and mechanical properties within the tendon itself. Furthermore, the viscoelastic properties of any region of the human patellar tendon have not been well described previously.

Implementing the discontinuous-Galerkin finite element method using graph neural networks with application to diffusion equations.

Machine learning (ML) has benefited from both software and hardware advancements, leading to increasing interest in capitalising on ML throughout academia and industry. There have been efforts in the scientific computing community to leverage this development via implementing conventional partial differential equation (PDE) solvers with machine learning packages, most of which rely on structured spatial discretisation and fast convolution algorithms. However, unstructured meshes are favoured in problems with complex geometries.

ERK activation waves coordinate mechanical cell competition leading to collective elimination via extrusion of bacterially infected cells.

Epithelial cells respond to infection with the intracellular bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes by altering their mechanics to promote collective infected cell extrusion (CICE) and limit infection spread across cell monolayers. However, the underlying biochemical pathways remain elusive. Here, using in vitro (epithelial monolayers) and in vivo (zebrafish larvae) models of infection with L.

Surfing the Growth Parameters in the Quest for Low-Power, Forming-Free, and Highly Stable TiO Memristors for Nanoscale Electronics.

Understanding the resistive switching (RS) behavior of oxide-based memory devices at nanoscale is crucial for advancement of high-integration density in-memory computing platforms. This study explores a comprehensive growth parameter space to address the RS behavior of pulsed-laser-deposited substoichiometric TiO (TiO) thin films in search of tailored nanoscale memristors with low-power consumption and high stability. Conductive-atomic-force-microscopy-based measurements facilitate deciphering the switching behavior at nanoscale, providing a direct avenue to understand the microstructure-property relationships.

Interlayer Spacing Optimization Combined with Zinc-Philic Engineering Fostering Efficient Zn Storage of VCT MXenes for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

As emerging cutting-edge energy storage technologies, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have garnered extensive research attention for its high safety, low cost, abundant raw materials, and, eco-friendliness. Nevertheless, the commercialization of AZIBs is mainly limited by insufficient development of cathode materials. Among potential candidates, MXene-based materials stand out as a promising option for their unique combination of hydrophilicity and conductivity.

Catalytic effects of iron adatoms in poly(-phenylene) synthesis on rutile TiO(110).

-Armchair graphene nanoribbons (nAGNRs) are promising components for next-generation nanoelectronics due to their controllable band gap, which depends on their width and edge structure. Using non-metal surfaces for fabricating nAGNRs gives access to reliable information on their electronic properties. We investigated the influence of light and iron adatoms on the debromination of 4,4''-dibromo--terphenyl precursors affording poly(-phenylene) (PPP as the narrowest GNR) wires through the Ullmann coupling reaction on a rutile TiO(110) surface, which we studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy.

Nanoscale Structure and Interfacial Electrochemical Reactivity of Moiré-Engineered Atomic Layers.

ConspectusThe electronic properties of atomically thin van der Waals (vdW) materials can be precisely manipulated by vertically stacking them with a controlled offset (for example, a rotational offset─i.e., twist─between the layers, or a small difference in lattice constant) to generate moiré superlattices.

Whisker-free lithium electrodeposition by tuning electrode microstructure.

Growth of lithium whiskers or dendrites is the major obstacle towards safe and stable utilization of lithium metal anodes in rechargeable batteries. In this study, we look deeper into the mechanism of lithium electrodeposition. We find that before lithium whisker or dendrite nucleation occurs, lithium is deposited into the grain boundaries of the metal electrode, which we directly observed in the focused ion beam cross-sections of the lithium electrode.

Bernoulli trial under subsystem restarts: Two competing searchers looking for a target.

We study a pair of independent searchers competing for a target under restarts and find that introduction of restarts tends to enhance the search efficiency of an already efficient searcher. As a result, the difference between the search probabilities of the individual searchers increases when the system is subject to restarts. This result holds true independent of the identity of individual searchers or the specific details of the distribution of restart times.

Studying power-grid synchronization with incremental refinement of model heterogeneity.

The dynamics of electric power systems are widely studied through the phase synchronization of oscillators, typically with the use of the Kuramoto equation. While there are numerous well-known order parameters to characterize these dynamics, shortcoming of these metrics are also recognized. To capture all transitions from phase disordered states over phase locking to fully synchronized systems, new metrics were proposed and demonstrated on homogeneous models.

Molecular Insights into the Adsorption of Deposit Control Additives from Hydrocarbon Fuels.

Engine deposits can reduce performance and increase emissions, particularly for modern direct-injection fuel delivery systems. Surfactants known as deposit control additives (DCAs) adsorb and self-assemble on the surface of deposit precursors to keep them suspended in the fuel. Here, we show how molecular simulations can be used to virtually screen the ability of surfactants to bind to polyaromatic hydrocarbons, comprising a major class of carbonaceous deposits.

Theoretical investigation of the AΠ-XΣ, BΣ-XΣ, CΣ-XΣ, and EΠ-XΣ transitions of the CO molecule.

The spectrum of carbon monoxide is important for astrophysical media, such as planetary atmospheres, interstellar space, exoplanetary and stellar atmospheres; it also important in plasma physics, laser physics and combustion. Interpreting its spectral signature requires a deep and thorough understanding of its absorption and emission properties. A new accurate spectroscopic model for the ground and electronically-excited states of the CO molecule computed at the aug-cc-pV5Z CASSCF/MRCI+Q level is reported.

DFT study of Pd-doped ZrCl: a promising solution for dissolved gas molecule analysis in transformer oil.

The application of 2D materials for detecting dissolved gas molecules is essential for identifying faults in oil-immersed transformers. This study investigates the adsorption properties of ZrCl monolayer (ML) and Pd-doped ZrCl ML with six gas molecules (CO, CO, CH, CH, CH, CH) in transformer oil using the density functional approach. The adsorption behaviour was analysed by calculating and comparing the structures, charge transfer and adsorption energies.

Crafting Hollow Spheres via Bulk Ice Melting with ppb-Level Gas Sensing Performance.

Ice melting, a common yet complex phenomenon, remains incompletely understood. While theoretical studies suggest that preexisting defects in ice generate "off-lattice" water molecules, triggering bulk ice melting, direct experimental evidence of their form has been lacking as the transparent and transient nature of ice poses significant challenges for observation with current techniques. Here, we introduce an ice-melting-induced lyophilization (IMIL) technique that employs graphene-based nanoprobes to replicate and track liquid evolution within melting bulk ice.

Atomistic Probing and Identification of Point Defects and Grain Boundaries of 1H and 1T' Molybdenum Telluride Monolayer.

The substantial structural defects frequently observed in fabricated transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) samples inevitably affect the device performance. The molybdenum telluride (MoTe) monolayer can easily generate phase transitions between the 1H and 1T' phases due to a small energy barrier. However, distinguishing and identifying various defects during experiments is challenging.

Crispant analysis in zebrafish as a tool for rapid functional screening of disease-causing genes for bone fragility.

Heritable fragile bone disorders (FBDs), ranging from multifactorial to rare monogenic conditions, are characterized by an elevated fracture risk. Validating causative genes and understanding their mechanisms remain challenging. We assessed a semi-high throughput zebrafish screening platform for rapid in vivo functional testing of candidate FBD genes.

Screen-Printing vs Additive Manufacturing Approaches: Recent Aspects and Trends Involving the Fabrication of Electrochemical Sensors.

A few decades ago, the technological boom revolutionized access to information, ushering in a new era of research possibilities. Electrochemical devices have recently emerged as a key scientific advancement utilizing electrochemistry principles to detect various chemical species. These versatile electrodes find applications in diverse fields, such as healthcare diagnostics and environmental monitoring.

Capturing Strong Correlation in Molecules with Phaseless Auxiliary-Field Quantum Monte Carlo Using Generalized Hartree-Fock Trial Wave Functions.

Generalized Hartree-Fock (GHF) is a long-established electronic structure method that can lower the energy (compared to spin-restricted variants) by breaking physical wave function symmetries, namely and . After an exposition of GHF theory, we assess the use of GHF trial wave functions in phaseless auxiliary field quantum Monte Carlo (ph-AFQMC-G) calculations of strongly correlated molecular systems including symmetrically stretched hydrogen rings, carbon dioxide, and dioxygen. Imaginary time propagation is able to restore symmetry and yields energies of comparable or better accuracy than CCSD(T) with unrestricted HF and GHF references, and consistently smooth dissociation curves─a remarkable result given the relative scalability of ph-AFQMC-G to larger system sizes.

Mitigating triplet loss in 2D WSe/non-fullerene heterostructures using halogenated acceptors.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDCs) can be combined with organic semiconductors to form hybrid van der Waals heterostructures. Specially, non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) stand out due to their excellent absorption and exciton diffusion properties. Here, we couple monolayer tungsten diselenide (ML-WSe) with two well performing NFAs, ITIC, and IT-4F (fluorinated ITIC) to achieve hybrid architectures.