Average Amplification Research Articles

Characterization of HVSR and VRSR in the Loess Plateau of China Based on Strong-Motion Data

In recent decades, China has collected extensive strong-motion data from the Loess Plateau, which is valuable for understanding the dynamic characteristics of loess sites and the effects of site conditions on seismic motions. The horizontal-to-vertical Fourier spectrum ratio (HVSR) and the horizontal-to-vertical velocity response spectrum ratio (VRSR) are widely used to study site dynamics. This study analyzes strong-motion data from the Loess Plateau to identify key features of the HVSR and VRSR curves. The results show that these spectral ratio curves effectively capture the dynamic behaviors of loess sites, minimizing the influences of earthquake magnitude and propagation path. While the spectral ratio peaks are less affected by magnitude, epicentral distance, and focal depth, they are significantly influenced by site conditions. Conversely, the dominant periods estimated from these curves are strongly influenced by magnitude, epicentral distance, and focal depth. For sites located on the Loess Plateau, the average amplification factor is approximately 3, with a mean predominant period of 0.4 s. These results provide valuable insights into the dynamic characteristics of loess sites and have practical implications for seismic design in the region.

Analytical Validation and Performance Evaluation of Amplicon-Based Next-Generation Sequencing Assays for Detecting ERBB2 and Other Gene Amplifications in Solid Tumors.

Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) panels are increasingly being utilized to identify actionable gene amplifications (copy number > 4) among solid tumors. This study validated the analytical performance of two amplicon-based NGS assays, the Oncomine Comprehensive Panel (OCAv3) and the Oncomine Focus Assay (OFA), for detecting gene amplification in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumors of varying cellularity. OCAv3 was assessed for amplification detection in 756 FFPE samples comprising various tumor types. We demonstrated that with standardized quality control metrics, including median absolute pairwise difference score, these assays can achieve a near-perfect positive predictive value, although their sensitivity for detecting amplifications significantly decreased in tumors with cellularity below 30%. Stratifying tumor cellularity into 10-30%, 31-60%, and 61-95% groups revealed significantly higher gene amplification detection rates in the 31-60% and 61-95% groups versus the 10-30% group (20.6% and 26.7% vs. 9.2%, p < 0.0001). When considering all detected gene amplifications, the average amplification calling per sample was nearly five-fold lower in the 10-30% group versus the 61-95% group (0.11 vs. 0.52; p < 0.0001). To further investigate the analytic performance of OCAv3 in detecting ERBB2 amplification, we analyzed a cohort of 121 uterine carcinomas with confirmed ERBB2 status by HER2 IHC or FISH, in which a threshold incorporating amplifications and tumor cellularity achieved 79% sensitivity and 100% specificity, potentially eliminating the need for FISH analysis in 34% of equivocal cases. In a separate validation cohort, similar analytical performance was observed, with the threshold demonstrating consistent sensitivity and specificity. This study highlights the strengths and limitations of amplicon-based NGS assays in detecting amplifications using real-world data.

Seismic Wave Amplification Characteristics in Slope Sections of Various Inclined Model Grounds

The collapse of slopes caused by earthquakes can lead to landslides, resulting in significant damage to both lives and structures. Seismic reinforcement of these slopes can protect social systems during an earthquake. In South Korea, where more than 70% of the land is mountainous, the stability of slopes is of paramount importance compared to other countries. While many seismic designs are based on peak ground acceleration (PGA), there is relatively little consideration given to the extent of PGA’s influence, and few studies have been done. This study aims to assess the seismic amplification of slopes with multilayers using a 1 g shaking table and verify the results through numerical analysis after confirming the impact of PGA at specific points. Typically, slope model experiments are conducted on single-layered ground models. However, actual ground conditions consist of multiple layers rather than a single layer, so a multi-layered model was created with different properties for the upper and lower layers. Two multi-layered ground models consisting of two layers were created, one with a flat ground surface and the other with a sloped surface. The properties of the two layers in each model were configured as a single layer to create the slope models. The peak ground acceleration (PGA) of the four ground models was compared, revealing that seismic wave amplification increases as it moves upward, and the amplification is even greater when transitioning from the lower to the upper ground layers, leading to different dynamic behavior of the slope. Through the contour lines, the influence of PGA was further confirmed, and it was found that approximately 60% of the PGA impact occurs at the topmost part of the slope on average. Analysis of the earthquake waves showed that the top of the slope experienced an average amplification of about 31.75% compared to the input motion, while the lower part experienced an average amplification of about 27.85%. Numerical analysis was performed using the ABAQUS program, and the results were compared with the 1 g shaking table experiments through spectral acceleration (SA), showing good agreement with the experimental results.

Site Characterization and Shallow Shear Velocity through HVSR Measurements around the Hyderabad Metropolitan Region, India

ABSTRACT We investigate the site characterization and shallow shear velocity profiles from the analysis of the Horizontal to Vertical Spectral ratio (HVSR) around the Hyderabad metropolitan region (HMR), which falls under the southern Indian shield. This work uses both the ambient noise and microearthquake data to compute the HVSR, and additionally the Random Decrement technique to compute the HVSR of extracted Rayleigh waves. This study indicates comparable HVSR curves at each station with the three different datasets, from which we obtain the average dominant frequency (f0) and amplification value (A0). They are further used to calculate the seismic vulnerability index value (Kg). We observe that the value of f0 around the HMR is not fixed, but is varying in the range of 3.4 to 18 Hz, whereas the value of A0 is in the range of 1.7 to 12 approximately and Kg in the range of 0.16 to 1.68 approximately, with an exception of ∼ 33 at VKB (Vikarabad) station, which may be due to a local unconsolidated sub-surface structure. Based on the Diffused Field Assumption (DFA), we invert the average HVSR curves and average dispersion curves of Rayleigh waves, and provide the shallow shear velocity profiles up to 300 m, along with an approximate estimate of VS30 (in upper 30 m depth). The estimated VS30 values vary between 911 to 3143 m/s, falling under the classifications A and B (mostly Hard Rock and Rock type) of National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) (BSSC, 2001). However, our study shows some stations with shear velocity inversions at shallow depths within 300 m, indicating layers of low velocity, needing further study. In the absence of detailed near-surface findings, these findings are valuable inputs for geotechnical engineering studies and urban-city planning around the HMR, and emphasizes the effectiveness the HVSR method to determine sub-surface topography and/or unknown soil structures as an economical investigation viability.

Towards high-power MOPA architectures in single-mode fibers for mid-IR mode-locked operation.

We report on a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) system at 2.8 µm to achieve an average power of 10.28 W with a pulse energy and peak power of 403 nJ and 5.76 kW, respectively. The seed, a semiconductor saturable mirror (SESAM) based mode-locked linear cavity source, delivers approximately 70 ps pulses at 28.16 MHz. Two amplifier stages are utilized in counter-pumping and dual-pumping configurations to enable high extraction efficiency and signal gain. To the best of our knowledge, this result is the highest average power and pulse energy obtained from a SESAM-based 2.8 µm mode-locked laser employing ZBLAN fiber MOPA architecture. It paves the way for achieving high average power in-fiber nonlinear amplification in single-mode fibers in the mid-infrared wavelength region.

Broadband Parametric Amplification in DARTWARS

Superconducting parametric amplifiers offer the capability to amplify feeble signals with extremely low levels of added noise, potentially reaching quantum-limited amplification. This characteristic makes them essential components in the realm of high-fidelity quantum computing and serves to propel advancements in the field of quantum sensing. In particular, Traveling-Wave Parametric Amplifiers (TWPAs) may be especially suitable for practical applications due to their multi-Gigahertz amplification bandwidth, a feature lacking in Josephson Parametric Amplifiers (JPAs), despite the latter being a more established technology. This paper presents recent developments of the DARTWARS (Detector Array Readout with Traveling Wave AmplifieRS) project, focusing on the latest prototypes of Kinetic Inductance TWPAs (KITWPAs). The project aims to develop a KITWPA capable of achieving 20 dB of amplification. To enhance the production yield, the first prototypes were fabricated with half the length and expected gain of the final device. In this paper, we present the results of the characterization of one of the half-length prototypes. The measurements revealed an average amplification of approximately 9 dB across a 2 GHz bandwidth for a KITWPA spanning 17 mm in length.

Stratospheric Gravity Waves Impact on Infrasound Transmission Losses Across the International Monitoring System

AbstractThe international monitoring system (IMS) has been put in place to monitor compliance with the comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty (CTBT). Its infrasound component, dedicated to the monitoring of atmospheric events, gives also room to civil applications (e.g. monitoring of volcanic eruptions, meteorites, severe weather). Infrasound detection capabilities are largely determined by the state of the middle atmosphere. This requires an accurate knowledge of the atmospheric processes at play. More particularly internal gravity waves (GW) pose a challenge to atmospheric modelling because of unresolved processes. Using high-resolution simulation outputs over winter 2020 (20 January–1 March) we present a method to assess the impact of GW on infrasound surface transmission losses across the IMS. We validate the method by comparing simulated GW perturbations to GW lidar observations at Observatoire de Haute-Provence in France, and satellite-based GW energy estimations globally. We perform propagation simulations using atmospheric specifications where GW are filtered out and kept in, respectively. We demonstrate that the largest impact of GW across the IMS is not where GW activity is the largest, but rather where GW activity combines with infrasound waveguides not firmly set in a given direction. In northern winter, the largest variations of transmission losses at 1 Hz due to GW occur in the southern (summer) hemisphere in the direction of the main guide (westward propagation), with average values ranging between 10 and 25 dB in the first shadow zone. It corresponds to an average signal amplification of at least a factor 5 to 15, while this amplification is around 2 to 5 for the main guide in the northern winter hemisphere (eastward propagation).

Development of Genome-Wide Intron Length Polymorphism (ILP) Markers in Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis) and Related Applications for Genetics Research.

The market value of tea is largely dependent on the tea species and cultivar. Therefore, it is important to develop efficient molecular markers covering the entire tea genome that can be used for the identification of tea varieties, marker-assisted breeding, and mapping important quantitative trait loci for beneficial traits. In this study, genome-wide molecular markers based on intron length polymorphism (ILP) were developed for tea trees. A total of 479, 1393, and 1342 tea ILP markers were identified using the PCR method in silico from the 'Shuchazao' scaffold genome, the chromosome-level genome of 'Longjing 43', and the ancient tea DASZ chromosome-level genome, respectively. A total of 230 tea ILP markers were used to amplify six tea tree species. Among these, 213 pairs of primers successfully characterize products in all six species, with 112 primer pairs exhibiting polymorphism. The polymorphism rate of primer pairs increased with the improvement in reference genome assembly quality level. The cross-species transferability analysis of 35 primer pairs of tea ILP markers showed an average amplification rate of 85.17% through 11 species in 6 families, with high transferability in Camellia reticulata and tobacco. We also used 40 pairs of tea ILP primers to evaluate the genetic diversity and population structure of C. tetracocca with 176 plants from Puan County, Guizhou Province, China. These genome-wide markers will be a valuable resource for genetic diversity analysis, marker-assisted breeding, and variety identification in tea, providing important information for the tea industry.

The analysis and mapping of an urban planning area in risk and hazard dimensions using earthquake-MASW-VES data: the case of Yenişehir (Bursa), Turkey

The study area was defined by geophysical level maps and earthquake parameters. Geophysical measurements were collected from the Mesudiye formation and alluvial units. The seismic Vs–Vp–Vs30, dynamic parameter and electrical resistivity values of the layers were calculated. Vs–Vp–Gmax–σ–Ak and ρ level maps were prepared for depths of 0–5, 5–10, and > 10 m. Seismic Vs30 and groundwater maps were prepared for risk/hazard and liquefaction interpretations, and a risk map was drawn from Ak–Vs30–groundwater maps. In the Mesudiye formation, the average ground amplification value is Ak = 2.21 and according to this value, the danger level is class A and low (Ansal et. all 2004). In alluviums, the average Ak was calculated as 2.51. According to this value, its class is B (medium) and the danger level is medium level. According to the level maps, it was observed that seismic velocities and electrical resistivities increased, and they were compatible with the geological units when passing to the more tight-ground Mesudiye formation from loose-porous-water-saturated alluvial units towards the north and deeper. It was determined that the alluvial grounds with low resistivity (8–30 Ohm m) are moderately corrosive–corrosive; groundwater levels are at ~ 5 m and contain different geological gradations. Therefore, the alluviums were interpreted as a risky area. This interpretation was also proved and supported with the results of the earthquake parameters. It was determined that as the magnitude of the earthquake increased, the probability of a larger earthquake occurred with a longer recurrence year. It was found that the frequency of recurrence of earthquakes with M ≤ 5.5 within 10–50–75–100 years was higher, and M ≥ 6 decreased. For M = 7.4, the average amax = 0.31 g was calculated, and it was determined the liquefaction risk is high hazard, especially in fine-gravel-sandy alluviums (in the south). Therefore, these areas may be more affected by the earthquake.

Species-specific SNP arrays for non-invasive genetic monitoring of a vulnerable bat

Genetic tagging from scats is one of the minimally invasive sampling (MIS) monitoring approaches commonly used to guide management decisions and evaluate conservation efforts. Microsatellite markers have traditionally been used but are prone to genotyping errors. Here, we present a novel method for individual identification in the Threatened ghost bat Macroderma gigas using custom-designed Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) arrays on the MassARRAY system. We identified 611 informative SNPs from DArTseq data from which three SNP panels (44–50 SNPs per panel) were designed. We applied SNP genotyping and molecular sexing to 209 M. gigas scats collected from seven caves in the Pilbara, Western Australia, employing a two-step genotyping protocol and identifying unique genotypes using a custom-made R package, ScatMatch. Following data cleaning, the average amplification rate was 0.90 ± 0.01 and SNP genotyping errors were low (allelic dropout 0.003 ± 0.000) allowing clustering of scats based on one or fewer allelic mismatches. We identified 19 unique bats (9 confirmed/likely males and 10 confirmed/likely females) from a maternity and multiple transitory roosts, with two male bats detected using roosts, 9 km and 47 m apart. The accuracy of our SNP panels enabled a high level of confidence in the identification of individual bats. Targeted SNP genotyping is a valuable tool for monitoring and tracking of non-model species through a minimally invasive sampling approach.

Failure Probability and Economic Loss Assessment of a High-Rise Frame Structure under Synthetic Multi-Dimensional Long-Period Ground Motions

Multiple research studies and seismic data analyses have shown that multi-directional long-period ground motion affects crucial and intricate large-scale structures like oil storage containers, long-span bridges, and high-rise buildings. Seismic damage data show a 3–55% chance of long-period ground motion. To clarify, the chance of occurrence is 3% in hard soil and 83% in soft soil. Due of the above characteristics, the aseismic engineering field requires a realistic stochastic model that accounts for long-period multi-directional ground motion. A weighted average seismic amplification coefficient selected NGA database multi-directional long-period ground motion recordings for this study. Due to the significant low-frequency component in the long-period ground motion, this research uses empirical mode decomposition (EMD) to efficiently decompose it into a composite structure with high- and low-frequency components. Given the above, further investigation is needed on the evolutionary power spectrum density (EPSD) functions of high- and low-frequency components. Analyzing the recorded data will reveal these functions and their corresponding parameters. Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is needed to simulate samples of high- and low-frequency components in different directions. These samples can be combined to illustrate multi-directional long-period ground motion. Representative samples exhibit the seismic characteristics of long-period multi-directional ground motion, as shown by numerical examples. This proves the method’s engineering accuracy and usefulness. Moreover, this study used incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) to apply seismic vulnerability theory. This study investigated whether long-period ground motions in both x and multi-directional directions could enhance the seismic response of a high-rise frame structure. By using this method, a comprehensive seismic economic loss rate curve was created, making economic loss assessment clearer. This study shows that multi-directional impacts should be included when studying seismic events and calculating structure economic damages.

Medicinal Value, Genetic Diversity, and Genetic Relationship Analysis of Auricularia cornea (Agaricomycetes) Based on ITS, ISSR, and SRAP Markers.

Wild resources of Auricularia cornea (A. polytricha) are abundant in China, and genetic diversity and genetic relationships analysis of A. cornea can provide basis for germplasm resource utilization and innovation and molecular marker-assisted breeding. In this study, 22 Auricularia strains collected were identified as A. cornea based on ITS sequence analysis, and its genetic diversity was examined by ISSR and SRAP markers. The results showed that a total of 415 bands were amplified by 11 selected ISSR primers, with an average amplification of 37.73 bands per primer, and the mean values of Ne, I, and H were 1.302, 0.368, and 0.219, respectively. A total of 450 bands were amplified by 10 SRAP primers, with an average of 45 bands per primer, and the average of Ne, I, and H were 1.263, 0.302, and 0.183, respectively. The unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means analysis based on ISSR-SRAP marker data revealed that the genetic similarity coefficient between the tested strains was 0.73-0.97, and the strains could be divided into five groups at 0.742, which had a certain correlation with regional distribution. The results of PCOA and population structure analysis based on ISSR-SRAP data also produced similar results. These results demonstrate the genetic diversity and distinctness among wild A. cornea and provide a theoretical reference for the classification, breeding, germplasm innovation, utilization, and variety protection of A. cornea resources.

The use of microsatellite markers to analyze genetic diversity of ornamental chili peppers (Capsicum spp.) and their transferability to cross amplification

Ornamental chili peppers, as one of high economic value horticultural crops, present a high diversity which needs to be assessed. The aim of this study was to analyze the genetic diversity of ornamental chili pepper genotypes using microsatellite markers and to analyze the transferability of these markers to cross-amplification to ornamental chili pepper species other than Capsicum annuum L. Two generated main clusters revealed in this study, that the first cluster consisted entirely of genotypes from C. annuum species while the second cluster consisted of a mixture from C. annuum, C. chinense, and C. baccatum species. The highest genetic similarity was identified between Nazla IPB and Violeta IPB, and Viola IPB with Triwarsana IPB, with a similarity of 96% for both. Polymorphism analysis showed that all of the microsatellite markers used were classified as highly informative (PIC >0.5). Total markers were able to cross-species amplify all of the ornamental chili pepper genotypes, with an overall average amplification percentage of 96.25%, with most of them showing 100% cross-amplification. Selected microsatellite markers from this study could be used in species differentiation, molecular identification of interspecific hybrids, and assessing the genetic resource on broad genotypes of ornamental chili peppers.

Amplification Ratio of a Recycled Plastics-Compliant Mechanism Flexure Hinge

This research focuses on the fabrication of plastic flexure hinges from diverse plastics such as ABS, PP, HDPE, and LDPE. To enhance hinge efficiency, the recycling ratios are also investigated. The amplification ratio of different recycle ratios and plastic types are measured. The results show that the input and output displacements of all PP, ABS, and HDPE hinges are linear. The presence of recycled plastics has no impact on this basis. The pure PP, ABS, and HDPE flexure hinges achieve the highest amplification ratios of 5.728, 8.249, and 5.668. The addition of recycled plastics reduces the amplification ratio. This decrease in the amplification ratio, however, is small. At a 25% recycle ratio, the PP, ABS, and HDPE flexure hinges have 12%, 13.3%, and 21.7% lower amplification ratios than the pure plastic hinges. Furthermore, the utilization of recycled plastics may lessen the need for new plastic made from raw materials. With the PP flexure hinge, a maximum input value of 157 µm could result in an output value of 886 µm. At a maximum input value of 115 µm, the ABS flexure hinge could achieve an output value of 833 µm. Finally, a maximum input value of 175 µm might result in an output value of 857 µm when using the HDPE flexure hinge. The average amplification ratio values for all recycling ratios for PP, ABS, and HDPE flexure hinges are, respectively, 5.35, 7.60, and 5.02. The ABS flexure hinge frequently outperforms the PP and HDPE flexure hinge in terms of amplification ratios. Among these plastics, HDPE flexure hinges have the lowest amplification ratio. In general, increasing the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) content of the LDPE/TPU blend increases the amplification ratio. The cause could be the TPU’s high compatibility with the LDPE polymer. The LDPE/TPU blend hinge offers a broader range of the amplification ratio of 2.85–10.504 than the PP, ABS, and HDPE flexure hinges. It is interesting that changing the blend percentage has a much greater impact on the amplification ratio than changing the recycling ratio. The findings broaden the range of applications for plastic flexure hinges by identifying optimal plastic types. The impact of the hinge shape on the performance of the injected plastic flexure hinge might be studied in further research.

Specific primers for the rapid detection and quantitation of Rhizobium elite strains of common beans in the plant and environment

Tools for adequately detecting and monitoring elite strains used for common bean inoculation are lacking. These tools help evaluate strain competitiveness and nodule occupancy rates and study their ecology in the environment. For this reason, we designed and tested specific primers for three Rhizobium elite strains widely used as common bean inoculants: Rhizobium tropici CIAT 899, R. tropici CPAC H12, and R. freirei PRF 81. Primer specificity was confirmed in PCR assays performed with the target strains and 45 strains of the Rhizobiaceae family. CIAT 899 and CPAC H12 showed an average nucleotide identity of 99.99 %; thus, all further evaluations were performed with CIAT 899 and PRF 81. Primer amplification efficiency, sensitivity, determination coefficients, and dissociation curves were evaluated. In addition, three pairs of primers for each target strain were evaluated for their capacities to quantify their targets in the nodules, rhizosphere, and roots. Eleven and seven strain-specific primer pairs were selected for CIAT 899 and PRF 81, respectively. They amplified DNA isolated from bacterial suspensions, nodules, and nodule extracts used directly in PCR with average amplification efficiencies between 91 % and 105 % and 96 % and 107 % for CIAT 899 and PRF 81 primers and detection limits of 32 and 34 copies of target DNA, respectively. Their use showed that populations increased in the roots and decreased in the rhizospheric soil over 15 days. Nodular occupancy rates were above 90 % when the strains were inoculated individually, and a high co-infection rate was observed upon co-inoculation, with CIAT 899 and PRF 81 detected in 100 % and 73 % of the nodules, respectively. We conclude that the primers and methodologies shown here are suitable for detecting the target strains with high specificity and sensitivity. Our approach also demonstrated that R. tropici CIAT 899 and R. freirei PRF 81 were competitive and effective in infecting common beans under the tested conditions.

An In Situ Signal Amplification Sensor for Measuring In‐Plane Current Density Distribution in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Inconsistency of current density distribution in‐plane in fuel cells is a common phenomenon. This study develops a novel highly integrated sensor with the feature of signal in situ amplification for measuring in‐plane current density. First, the sensor is designed and fabricated based on the idea of in situ amplification of in‐plane signals before transmission. Then, the sensor accuracy is quantitatively evaluated prior to fuel cell experiments based on a single‐point calibration approach. Finally, the distribution of in‐plane current density is observed using the sensor in the fuel cell test system. Additionally, the measurement accuracy of the circuit current in the test bench is compared by introducing the calibrated segment average amplification factors. The results indicate that these signals amplified by the sensor can effectively withstand the effects of signal transmission loss and interference, and it can be determined that the measurement accuracy of the sensor is controlled within 97% in the small current range and within 98% in the nonsmall current range in normal operation. This work provides a feasible solution for in situ measurements of in‐plane current density, with significant improvements in signal acquisition, structural matching, and fabrication process compared to existing such sensors.

Spectral acceleration basin amplification factors for interface Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquakes in Canada’s 2020 national seismic hazard model

Canada’s 2020 national seismic hazard model (CSHM 2020) provides hazard estimates for interface Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) earthquakes in southwestern Canada using four ground motion models (GMMs) with equal weights. Two out of the four GMMs were derived using data primarily from subduction earthquakes in Japan so their use in CSHM 2020 includes a “Japan-to-Cascadia” factor to account for local site conditions. Despite this regional factor, the GMMs do not explicitly consider the amplification effects from the Georgia sedimentary basin below Metro Vancouver. This study benchmarks ground motion shaking from a suite of 30 physics-based simulations of M9 CSZ earthquakes, which explicitly account for basin effects for periods exceeding 1 s, to corresponding estimates from interface GMMs in CSHM 2020. Using this comparison, this study proposes site-specific and period-dependent basin amplification factors for a range of sites located within the Georgia sedimentary basin. The average basin amplification factors at the deepest basin location reach values as high as 2.24 and 6.29 at a 2 s period with respect to basin-edge and outside-basin reference locations, respectively. We evaluate the proposed factors by comparing them against long-period amplifications observed in empirical strong motion recordings from the 2001 M6.8 Nisqually earthquake. A framework to incorporate the proposed basin amplification factors in the calculation of CSHM 2020 uniform hazard spectra (UHS) is also proposed. The modified UHS ordinates at the deepest basin location reach values that are 58% to 271% higher, at a 2 s period, than non-basin UHS estimates when amplification factors are calculated with respect to basin-edge and outside-basin reference locations, respectively.

High average power amplification of femtosecond pulses based on the Yb:CaYAlO4 crystal.

In this paper, we demonstrated the direct amplification of femtosecond pulses with the Yb:CaYAlO4 crystal for the first time. A compact and simple two-stage amplifier delivered amplified pulses with the average powers of 55.4 W for σ-polarization and 39.4 W for π-polarization at the center wavelengthes of 1032 nm and 1030 nm, corresponding to 28.3% and 16.3% optical-to-optical efficiencies, respectively. These are to the best of our knowledge the highest value achieved with a Yb:CaYAlO4 amplifier. Upon using a compressor consisting of prisms and GTI mirrors, a pulse duration of 166-fs was measured. Thanks to the good thermal management, the beam quality (M2) parameters <1.3 along each axis were maintained in each stage.

Frequency-dependent site amplification functions for key geological units in Iceland from a Bayesian hierarchical model for earthquake strong-motions

A fundamental modeling assumption in engineering seismology is that seismic ground motion is affected by source, propagation path and site effects. Contrary to the first two, comprehensive studies on site effects, the localized amplification effects on seismic ground motion due to the uppermost geological structure, have been limited in Iceland. As a result, site amplification has been modeled in ground motion models in a simplistic and qualitative way. In this study, we address this limitation by using the new Bayesian hybrid GMM proposed by Kowsari et al. (2020) to model the recorded ground motions at regional strong-motion stations in southwest Iceland, specifically the peak ground acceleration and pseudo-acceleration response spectra as a function of oscillator period (i.e., PGA and PSA at T=0.01-3.0 s), earthquake magnitude, distance and hypocentral depth, and at first, we omit a site-term. Then, we incorporate the GMM in a Bayesian Hierarchical Model (BHM) that allows prior distributions of model parameters to be used and we partition the model residuals into various terms associated with the source, propagation path and station terms. Through Bayesian inference of the model parameters the results show that the station term residuals reveal a frequency-dependent site amplification at the recording sites. By inspecting this systematic behaviour, we propose four groups of station terms by their characteristics. We then carefully inspect the station locations in terms of their associated geological unit and observe that the geological units and station term groups are qualitatively correlated. By combining the two, we propose the first frequency-dependent average site amplification functions associated with key geological units in Iceland based on age and formation. Provisionally we refer to them as hard rock, rock, (Holocene) lava rock, and (unspecified) soil site classes, respectively. We then update the GMM by incorporating these amplification functions so that it now enables the prediction of PGA and PSA at these four site classes. As a result, the new model standard deviations are considerably lower, with those associated with the event term being τ = 0.05, station terms φS2S = 0.10, intra-event φ = 0.17 and total σ = 0.18 in common logarithm units for PGA. The new site class-specific GMM now enables the site-specific ground motion for separate geological units which in turn improves site-specific seismic hazard assessment and informed site-specific engineering decision making in Iceland.

Establishment and preliminary application of organoids in ovarian cancer

Objective: To explore the establishment and application of ovarian cancer organoids. Methods: Fresh ovarian tumor tissues, obtaining from patients underwent surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between October 2021 and March 2022, were collected, enzymatic degraded, digested, and embedded into matrigel to establish organoids. A total of 32 ovarian cancer samples were collected. Hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining and immunofluorescence (IF) procedure were used to verify the morphological structure of organoids and their expression of molecular markers. 3D cyto-live or dead assay was used to detecte the live or dead cells in organoids. Carboplatin with a concentration ranging from 5 to 80 μmol/L (5, 10, 20, 40, 80 μmol/L) was added to organoids to calculate the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) in different organoids. Results: (1) Organoids from a total of 32 patients were established, of which 18 cases could be passaged stably in the long term in vitro, while 14 could be passaged in the short time. The average amplification time of long-term passage in vitro was over 3 months, and the longest reached 9 months. (2) In HE staining, significant nuclei atypia and local micropapillary structures were observed in organoids. IF staining revealed that ovarian cancer organoids expressed molecular markers similar to primary tumor tissues, such as Pan cytokeratin (Pan-CK), p53, paired box gene 8 (PAX8), and Wilms tumor gene 1 (WT1). (3) In 3D cyto-live or dead assay, a large number of apoptotic cells were observed inside and around the organoids after added carboplatin. The sensitivity to carboplatin varied in 18 organoids could amplify in the long term, with an average IC50 of (29.5±15.8) μmol/L. Moreover, IC50 values of 4 organoids derived from patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were much higher than the 14 organoids which did not received neoadjuvant chemotherapy [(48.7±11.3) μmol/L vs (24.0±12.1) μmol/L; t=3.429, P=0.022]. Conclusions: Organoids recapitulate ovarian cancers in vitro and could be stably passaged. Organoids derived from patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy have higher resistance to carboplatin.