Equivalent Quality Research Articles

Promoting Equitable and Affordable Patient Access to Safe and Effective Innovations in Donation and Transplantation of Substances of Human Origin and Derived Therapies.

Innovation is a hallmark of organ, tissue, and cell transplantation. The development of new treatments derived from these substances of human origin (SoHO) has rapidly evolved in recent years. Despite the great benefits that these innovative therapies could bring to patients, significant difficulties have arisen in making them equitably and widely accessible. Herein, we identify and address 4 challenges to promote innovation in this field in a collaborative, sustainable, and transparent manner and propose some concrete solutions applicable to SoHO-derived treatments, ranging from cell therapies to solid organ transplantation. Regulators, health policymakers, and government officials are recommended to incorporate specific elements into the regulatory frameworks of their respective jurisdictions, although regulatory convergence and equivalent quality and safety standards applicable to SoHO at a global level would be needed. An innovation-driven regulatory environment, respectful with the human origin and in accordance with the altruistic donation of SoHO, should be encouraged to improve the safety, effectiveness, accessibility, and affordability of SoHO and to promote collaboration between countries and between public and private sectors. This overview is the outcome of a working group focused on "Innovation in the donation and clinical application of SoHO" as part of the international Summit "Towards Global Convergence in Transplantation: Sufficiency, Transparency and Oversight" convened by the Organización Nacional de Trasplantes under the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in November 2023 and cosponsored by the Council of Europe, the World Health Organization, the Transplantation Society, and the European Society for Organ Transplantation.

Enhancing Delivery Efficiency on the MR-Linac: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Prostate SBRT using VMAT

PurposeLong treatment sessions are a limitation within MRIgART. This work aims for significantly enhancing the delivery efficiency on the MR-linac by introducing dedicated optimization and delivery techniques for VMAT. VMAT plan and delivery quality during MRIgART is compared to step-and-shoot IMRT for prostate SBRT. Methods and MaterialsTen prostate patients previously treated on a 1.5T MR-linac were retrospectively replanned to 36.25 Gy in five fractions using step-and-shoot IMRT and the clinical Hyperion optimizer within Monaco (Hyp-IMRT), the same optimizer with a VMAT technique (Hyp-VMAT), and a research-based optimizer with VMAT (OFL+PGD-VMAT). The plans were then adapted onto each daily MRI dataset using two different optimization strategies to evaluate the ATP workflow: “optimize weights” (IMRT-Weights and VMAT-Weights) and “optimize shapes” (IMRT-Shapes and VMAT-Shapes). Treatment efficiency was evaluated by measuring optimization time, delivery time, and total time (optimization + delivery). Plan quality was assessed by evaluating OAR sparing. Ten patient plans were measured using a modified linac control system to assess delivery accuracy via a gamma analysis (2%/2mm). Delivery efficiency was calculated as average dose rate divided by maximum dose rate. ResultsFor Hyp-VMAT and OFL+PGD-VMAT the total time was reduced by 124 ± 140 seconds (p = .020) and 459 ± 110 seconds (p < 0.001), respectively as compared to the clinical Hyp-IMRT group. Speed enhancements were also measured for ATP with reductions in total time of 404 ± 55 (p<0.001) for VMAT-Weights as compared to the clinical IMRT-Shapes group. Bladder and rectum DVH points were within 1.3 % or 0.8 cc for each group. All VMAT plans had gamma passing rates greater than 96 %. The delivery efficiency of VMAT plans was 89.7 ± 2.7 % compared to 50.0 ± 2.2 % for clinical IMRT. ConclusionsIncorporating VMAT into MRIgART will significantly reduce treatment session times while maintaining equivalent plan quality.

Germanene Reformation from Oxidized Germanene on Ag(111)/Ge(111) by Vacuum Annealing.

For group 14 mono-elemental 2D materials, such as silicene, germanene, and stanene, oxidation is a severe problem that alters or degrades their physical properties. This study shows that the oxidized germanene on Ag(111)/Ge(111) can be reformed to germanene by simple heating ≈500°C in a vacuum. The key reaction in reforming germanene is the desorption of GeO and GeO2 during heating ≈350°C. After removing surface oxygen, Ge further segregates to the surface, resulting in the reformation of germanene. The reformed germanene has the same crystal structure, a (7√7 × 7√7) R19.1° supercell with respect to Ag(111), and has equivalent high quality to that of as-grown germanene on Ag(111)/Ge(111). Even after air oxidation, germanene can be reformed by annealing in a vacuum. On the other hand, the desorption of GeO and GeO2 at high temperatures is not suppressed in the O2 backfilling atmosphere. This instability of oxidized germanene/Ag(111)/Ge(111) at high temperatures contributes to the ease of germanene reformation without residual oxygen. In other words, the present germanene reformation, as well as the segregation of germanene on Ag(111)/Ge(111), is a highly robust process to synthesize germanene.

Higher Seed Rates Enlarge the Effects of Wide-Belt Sowing on Root Length Density, Thereby Improving Nitrogen Uptake and Use Efficiencies in Winter Wheat.

The optimized sowing method and appropriate seed rate can improve wheat N use efficiency. However, the interactive effect of the sowing method and seed rate on N use efficiency, particularly N uptake and root length density, are unclear. A field experiment was conducted for two growing seasons in southern Shanxi province, China, using a split-plot design with the sowing method as the main plot (wide-belt sowing, WBS, and conventional narrow-drill sowing, NDS) and seed rate as the sub-plot (100-700 m-2). Our results showed that WBS had a significant and positive effect on N use efficiency (yield per unit of available N from the fertilizer and soil, by 4.7-15.4%), and the relatively higher seed rates (>300 or 400 m-2) enlarged the effects. The N use efficiency increases under WBS were mainly attributed to the increases in N uptake before anthesis, resulting from the promoted nodal roots per plant and per unit area, and root length density in the top layer(s). WBS promoted N translocation and the N harvest index, resulting in equivalent grain protein concentration and processing quality compared to NDS. Thus, adopting higher seed rates (>300 m-2) combined with WBS is recommended for achieving greater N efficiencies while maintaining the grain protein concentration and processing quality of winter wheat.

Can a large language model create acceptable dental board-style examination questions? A cross-sectional prospective study

Background/purposeNumerous studies have shown that large language models (LLMs) can score above the passing grade on various board examinations. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate national dental board-style examination questions created by an LLM versus those created by human experts using item analysis. Materials and methodsThis study was conducted in June 2024 and included senior dental students (n = 30) who participated voluntarily. An LLM, ChatGPT 4o, was used to generate 44 national dental board-style examination questions based on textbook content. Twenty questions for the LLM set were randomly selected after removing false questions. Two experts created another set of 20 questions based on the same content and in the same style as the LLM. Participating students simultaneously answered a total of 40 questions divided into two sets using Google Forms in the classroom. The responses were analyzed to assess difficulty, discrimination index, and distractor efficiency. Statistical comparisons were performed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test or linear-by-linear association test, with a confidence level of 95%. ResultsThe response rate was 100%. The median difficulty indices of the LLM and human set were 55.00% and 50.00%, both within the range of “excellent” range. The median discrimination indices were 0.29 for the LLM set and 0.14 for the human set. Both sets had a median distractor efficiency of 80.00%. The differences in all criteria were not statistically significant (P > 0.050). ConclusionThe LLM can create national board-style examination questions of equivalent quality to those created by human experts.

Compressed SENSitivity Encoding (SENSE): Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis.

This study aimed to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate T1-TSE, T2-TSE and 3D FLAIR sequences obtained with and without Compressed-SENSE technique by assessing the contrast (C), the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). A total of 142 MRI images were acquired: 69 with Compressed-SENSE and 73 without Compressed-SENSE. All the MRI images were contoured, spatially aligned and co-registered using 3D Slicer Software. Two radiologists manually drew 12 regions of interests on three different structures of CNS: white matter (WM), grey matter (GM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). C values were significantly higher in Compressed-SENSE T1-TSE compared to No Compressed-SENSE T1-TSE for three different structures of the CNS. C values were also significantly lower for Compressed-SENSE 3D FLAIR and Compressed-SENSE T2-TSE compared to the corresponding No Compressed-SENSE scans. While CNR values did not significantly differ in GM-WM between Compressed-SENSE and No Compressed-SENSE for the 3D FLAIR and T1-TSE sequences, the differences in GM-CSF and WM-CSF were always statistically significant. Compressed-SENSE for 3D T2 FLAIR, T1w and T2w sequences enables faster MRI acquisition, reducing scan time and maintaining equivalent image quality. Compressed-SENSE is very useful in specific medical conditions where lower SAR levels are required without sacrificing the acquisition of helpful diagnostic sequences.

Debunking Deterministic Narratives of Technological Development Through Experimentation: A Critical Review of the Prehistory of Tin Bronze Alloying

The currently accepted narrative on the prehistory of bronze alloying technology follows deterministic, outdated assumptions of technological progression that ignore the role of contextual and performance factors in the decision-making processes, thus neglecting human agency. In essence, it is expected that newer techniques were overarchingly more advanced than older ones and hence replaced them. The validity of this narrative should be challenged and revised. A critical analysis of worldwide literature exposed that, contrary to predictions of the accepted theory, (1) the oldest alloying techniques persisted for centuries after newer ones were invented, and (2) several techniques usually coexisted in the same contexts. We hypothesised that these counterintuitive findings could be explained by differences in performance between techniques, (dis)advantageous at different settings. To obtain empirical information on the performance of techniques and test for behaviourally relevant performance differences between them, a series of alloying experiments were conducted. The results show that all techniques can produce objects of broadly equivalent quality while offering different trade-offs during production. Therefore, every technique—or a combination—can be advantageous under certain conditions, and there are no grounds to support a linear trajectory of substitution. These results debunk the traditional narrative and predict that co-smelting and cementation techniques were more frequently practiced in the past than hitherto assumed. Our propositions prompt a readjustment of explanatory models of bronze production organisation, trade, and consumption while opening unexplored research paths for archaeology and the history of technology.

Comparison of the Quality of Discharge Letters Written by Large Language Models and Junior Clinicians: Single-Blinded Study.

Discharge letters are a critical component in the continuity of care between specialists and primary care providers. However, these letters are time-consuming to write, underprioritized in comparison to direct clinical care, and are often tasked to junior doctors. Prior studies assessing the quality of discharge summaries written for inpatient hospital admissions show inadequacies in many domains. Large language models such as GPT have the ability to summarize large volumes of unstructured free text such as electronic medical records and have the potential to automate such tasks, providing time savings and consistency in quality. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of GPT-4 in generating discharge letters written from urology specialist outpatient clinics to primary care providers and to compare their quality against letters written by junior clinicians. Fictional electronic records were written by physicians simulating 5 common urology outpatient cases with long-term follow-up. Records comprised simulated consultation notes, referral letters and replies, and relevant discharge summaries from inpatient admissions. GPT-4 was tasked to write discharge letters for these cases with a specified target audience of primary care providers who would be continuing the patient's care. Prompts were written for safety, content, and style. Concurrently, junior clinicians were provided with the same case records and instructional prompts. GPT-4 output was assessed for instances of hallucination. A blinded panel of primary care physicians then evaluated the letters using a standardized questionnaire tool. GPT-4 outperformed human counterparts in information provision (mean 4.32, SD 0.95 vs 3.70, SD 1.27; P=.03) and had no instances of hallucination. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean clarity (4.16, SD 0.95 vs 3.68, SD 1.24; P=.12), collegiality (4.36, SD 1.00 vs 3.84, SD 1.22; P=.05), conciseness (3.60, SD 1.12 vs 3.64, SD 1.27; P=.71), follow-up recommendations (4.16, SD 1.03 vs 3.72, SD 1.13; P=.08), and overall satisfaction (3.96, SD 1.14 vs 3.62, SD 1.34; P=.36) between the letters generated by GPT-4 and humans, respectively. Discharge letters written by GPT-4 had equivalent quality to those written by junior clinicians, without any hallucinations. This study provides a proof of concept that large language models can be useful and safe tools in clinical documentation.

An efficient ultrasonic wavenumber-domain plane wave imaging method towards the inspection of curved structures

Ultrasonic phased array testing is commonly employed for inspecting curved structures. Conventional plane wave imaging techniques, based on delay-and-sum in the time-domain, offer high image quality and inspection accuracy but suffer from low frame rates due to their high computational complexity. In this work, an efficient wavenumber-domain imaging method that combines non-stationary wavefield extrapolation and f-k migration is proposed for curved structure inspection. Special emission focal laws are designed to generate a sequence of steered plane waves through the curved interface. The raw data is then extrapolated to the top boundary of the region of interest, followed by f-k migration to reconstruct images with high time efficiency. Simulation and experimental evaluations demonstrate a time reduction by a factor of up to 32.24 compared to conventional time-domain plane wave image reconstruction with equivalent image quality, highlighting its potential for monitoring flaws in real-time.

Intracardiac Echocardiography-Applications in the Electrophysiology and the Cardiac Catheterization Labs.

Background. Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is routinely used in cardiac electrophysiology and catheterization labs. It plays a vital role in understanding cardiac anatomy, procedural planning, and early identification of complications. In this review, we describe the utility of ICE for procedures in the electrophysiology lab, including atrial fibrillation ablation, left atrial appendage occlusion device implantation, and cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) extraction. Intracardiac echocardiography also helps in the identification of complications such as pericardial effusion, pulmonary vein stenosis, and left atrial appendage thrombus. Compared with traditional echocardiographic modalities such as transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), ICE has equivalent image quality, requires less sedation, and possesses no risk of esophageal injury. The disadvantages of ICE include a learning curve and necessity for central vascular access.

Triple-0: Zero-shot denoising and dereverberation on an end-to-end frozen anechoic speech separation network.

Speech enhancement is crucial both for human and machine listening applications. Over the last decade, the use of deep learning for speech enhancement has resulted in tremendous improvement over the classical signal processing and machine learning methods. However, training a deep neural network is not only time-consuming; it also requires extensive computational resources and a large training dataset. Transfer learning, i.e. using a pretrained network for a new task, comes to the rescue by reducing the amount of training time, computational resources, and the required dataset, but the network still needs to be fine-tuned for the new task. This paper presents a novel method of speech denoising and dereverberation (SD&D) on an end-to-end frozen binaural anechoic speech separation network. The frozen network requires neither any architectural change nor any fine-tuning for the new task, as is usually required for transfer learning. The interaural cues of a source placed inside noisy and echoic surroundings are given as input to this pretrained network to extract the target speech from noise and reverberation. Although the pretrained model used in this paper has never seen noisy reverberant conditions during its training, it performs satisfactorily for zero-shot testing (ZST) under these conditions. It is because the pretrained model used here has been trained on the direct-path interaural cues of an active source and so it can recognize them even in the presence of echoes and noise. ZST on the same dataset on which the pretrained network was trained (homo-corpus) for the unseen class of interference, has shown considerable improvement over the weighted prediction error (WPE) algorithm in terms of four objective speech quality and intelligibility metrics. Also, the proposed model offers similar performance provided by a deep learning SD&D algorithm for this dataset under varying conditions of noise and reverberations. Similarly, ZST on a different dataset has provided an improvement in intelligibility and almost equivalent quality as provided by the WPE algorithm.

Development and qualification of 3 L scale-down model for large scale vaccine process on Vero cell culture using microcarriers.

Scale-down models (SDM) are pivotal tools for process understanding and improvement to accelerate the development of vaccines from laboratory research to global commercialization. In this study, a 3 L SDM representing a 50 L scale Vero cell culture process of a live-attenuated virus vaccine using microcarriers was developed and qualified based on the constant impeller power per volume principle. Both multivariate data analysis (MVDA) and the traditional univariate data analysis showed comparable and equivalent cell growth, metabolic activity, and product quality results across scales. Computational fluid dynamics simulation further confirmed similar hydrodynamic stress between the two scales.

O-302 Feasibility and efficacy of a flexible and simplified ovarian stimulation protocol for oocyte donors, combining random-start corifollitropin alpha and progestin primed ovarian stimulation protocol (PPOS)

Abstract Study question Is the total number of retrieved oocytes in donors equivalent, according to the onset phase of stimulation with corifollitropin alpha in a random-start PPOS protocol? Summary answer The total number of retrieved and mature oocytes were not different after starting stimulation in the early, mid or late follicular or luteal phases. What is known already Recent studies have shown the ability to obtain oocytes of equivalent quality after follicular or luteal phase ovarian stimulation and have also demonstrated the efficacy and safety of the PPOS protocol in oocytes donors. In order to provide a more friendly, simplified and flexible ovarian stimulation protocol reducing the burden for donors, we studied the impact on oocyte yield of combining a random start corifollitropin alpha stimulation with the concomitant prevention of premature LH surge by progestin administration. Study design, size, duration This multicenter open-labelled RCT was performed in 4 oocytes donation centers from July 2020 to September 2023 to assess the equivalence in terms of number of retrieved oocytes of a delayed onset of corifollitropin alpha stimulation with concomitant administration of desogestrel in Mid Follicular Phase (MFP/D4-D7 of the natural cycle), Late Follicular Phase (LFP/D8-D11), Ovulatory Phase (OP/D12-D15) or Luteal Phase (LP/D16-D30) compared to the standard start in Early Follicular Phase (EFP/D1-D3). Participants/materials, setting, methods From 110 randomized oocyte donors,102 reached triggering of ovulation with triptoreline acetate and OPU : EFP n = 22, MFP n = 20, LFP n = 19, OP n = 18 and LP n = 23. The sample size was calculated to show an equivalence between groups in total number of retrieved oocytes. Secondary endpoints were the number of mature oocytes, premature LH surge and Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome rates. Differences were tested using a ANOVA test or a Pearson’s Chi2 test, as appropriate. Main results and the role of chance Donors were 33 [29.2-35.0] years old [95% Confidence interval] with a mean BMI of 23.4 [21.1-26.3] kg/m2. The mean number (SD) of retrieved oocytes was 14.2 (9.1). In intention to treat analysis, there was no significant difference between the 5 groups, regarding the total number of retrieved oocytes. The mean numbers of retrieved oocytes from the 5 groups were 12.5 (7.7), 13.2 (8.0), 15.7(9.8), 17.8 (11.4), and 12.8(8.3), respectively in the EPF group, the MPF group, the LPF group, the OP group and the FP group, with no significant differences between the groups (p = 0.30). The mean (SD) number of mature oocytes was 11.8 (7.6) with no significant differences between the 5 groups. Only one premature LH surge was reported in the MFP group (0.98%). Four minor to moderate OHSS were reported (3.9%). Limitations, reasons for caution The main limitation of our study is the small sample size responsible for a lack of power. But to our knowledge, this is the first RCT to compare the number of oocytes retrieved, according to the onset phase of ovarian stimulation in a random-start PPOS protocol, for oocyte donors. Wider implications of the findings The proportion of ovarian stimulation cycles with freeze-all is constantly increasing worldwide. Therefore simplified, ultra-flexible ovarian stimulation protocols could be proposed to maintain the spread of the workload along the working days without programming, with fewer injections and reduced burden for patients, with the same efficacy. Trial registration number NCT03895099

Formation mechanism of high-quality Palaeogene “compositional mixing” reservoirs in lacustrine rift basins: A case from the offshore Bohai Bay Basin, China

Mixed siliciclastic-carbonate reservoirs are currently considered a unique type of reservoir for hydrocarbon exploration. However, to date, research on “compositional mixing”, an important type of mixed sediment, remains relatively scarce. In recent years, significant breakthroughs in hydrocarbon exploration have been achieved in compositional mixing deposits, which are found within a lacustrine setting of the offshore Bohai Bay Basin in China. Despite the lack of systematic studies on their formation mechanisms, these discoveries are insightful case for understanding compositional mixing reservoirs (CMRs). In this study, an interdisciplinary approach that integrates petrographic analysis, cathodoluminescence analysis, reservoir characterization, and high-pressure mercury injection tests from drilled wells, cores, and thin sections, is employed to elucidate the characteristics of CMRs and the factors controlling reservoir modifications. Our findings reveal that compositional mixing deposits predominantly occurred with fan delta systems adjacent to uplifts. Two distinct reservoir types, namely, mixed slide deposits and mixed sandy debris flow deposits, were formed by coexistence of fan delta front siliciclastics with shallow-water biota (carbonate components). A comparative analysis of reservoir properties suggests that CMRs are of equivalent or superior quality to fan delta systems, challenging existing paradigms. This superiority is attributed to two primary factors: (1) the unique internal texture of compositional variations significantly influences subsequent diagenesis, leading to the extensive development of selective dissolution porosity and a reduction of clay cementation; and (2) distinctive early diagenetic events, including micrite envelopes and early dolomitization, markedly enhance the reservoirs’ resistance to compaction. In contrast, fan delta deposits lacking carbonate components do not undergo selective dissolution and their siliciclastic composition facilitates clay cementation. This study offers novel insights and a model for understanding the formation mechanism of CMRs, providing implications for future global petroleum exploration in mixed sediment reservoirs.

Clinical evaluation of deep learning-enhanced lymphoma pet imaging with accelerated acquisition.

This study aims to evaluate the clinical performance of a deep learning (DL)-enhanced two-fold accelerated PET imaging method in patients with lymphoma. A total of 123 cases devoid of lymphoma underwent whole-body 18F-FDG-PET/CT scans to facilitate the development of an advanced SAU2Net model, which combines the advantages of U2Net and attention mechanism. This model integrated inputs from simulated 1/2-dose (0.07 mCi/kg) PET acquisition across multiple slices to generate an estimated standard dose (0.14 mCi/kg) PET scan. Additional 39 cases with confirmed lymphoma pathology were utilized to evaluate the model's clinical performance. Assessment criteria encompassed peak-signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), structural similarity index (SSIM), a 5-point Likert scale rated by two experienced physicians, SUV features, image noise in the liver, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Diagnostic outcomes, including lesion numbers and Deauville score, were also compared. Images enhanced by the proposed DL method exhibited superior image quality (P<0.001) in comparison to low-dose acquisition. Moreover, they illustrated equivalent image quality in terms of subjective image analysis and lesion maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) as compared to the standard acquisition method. A linear regression model with y=1.017x + 0.110 ( ) can be established between the enhanced scans and the standard acquisition for lesion SUVmax. With enhancement, increasedsignal-to-noise ratio (SNR), CNR, and reduced image noise were observed, surpassing those of the standard acquisition. DL-enhanced PET images got diagnostic results essentially equavalent to standard PET images according totwo experienced readers. The proposed DL method could facilitate a 50% reduction in PET imaging duration for lymphoma patients, while concurrently preserving image quality and diagnostic accuracy.

Validation and Feasibility of Ultrafast Cervical Spine MRI Using a Deep Learning-Assisted 3D Iterative Image Enhancement System.

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of ultrafast (2 min) cervical spine MRI protocol using a deep learning-assisted 3D iterative image enhancement (DL-3DIIE) system, compared to a conventional MRI protocol (6 min 14s). Fifty-one patients were recruited and underwent cervical spine MRI using conventional and ultrafast protocols. A DL-3DIIE system was applied to the ultrafast protocol to compensate for the spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of images. Two radiologists independently assessed and graded the quality of images from the dimensions of artifacts, boundary sharpness, visibility of lesions and overall image quality. We recorded the presence or absence of different pathologies. Moreover, we examined the interchangeability of the two protocols by computing the 95% confidence interval of the individual equivalence index, and also evaluated the inter-protocol intra-observer agreement using Cohen's weighted kappa. Ultrafast-DL-3DIIE images were significantly better than conventional ones for artifacts and equivalent for other qualitative features. The number of cases with different kinds of pathologies was indistinguishable based on the MR images from ultrafast-DL-3DIIE and conventional protocols. With the exception of disc degeneration, the 95% confidence interval for the individual equivalence index across all variables did not surpass 5%, suggesting that the two protocols are interchangeable. The kappa values of these evaluations by the two radiologists ranged from 0.65 to 0.88, indicating good-to-excellent agreement. The DL-3DIIE system enables 67% spine MRI scan time reduction while obtaining at least equivalent image quality and diagnostic results compared to the conventional protocol, suggesting its potential for clinical utility.

EFFICIENT VIDEO COMPRESSION USING HEVC AND NON-LINEAR CONVOLUTIONAL MOBILEVNET BASED RATE-DISTORTION OPTIMIZATION

With the surge in demand for high-quality video content over various platforms, efficient video compression techniques have become indispensable. High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) has been a cornerstone, yet further enhancements are essential for optimal compression. Despite HEVC’s advancements, achieving optimal compression while maintaining video quality remains challenging. Additionally, existing methods often overlook the computational complexity, hindering real-time applications. We propose a novel approach integrating HEVC with Non-Linear Convolutional MobileNet (NLCM) for enhanced compression efficiency. Our method employs a rate-distortion optimization framework, leveraging the capabilities of both HEVC and NLCM to achieve superior compression performance. NLCM provides adaptive filtering, enhancing spatial and temporal correlations, while HEVC ensures high compression efficiency. Through experimentation on standard video datasets, our method demonstrates significant improvements over existing techniques. Compared to HEVC alone, our approach achieves up to 30% reduction in bitrate at equivalent perceptual quality levels. Moreover, computational complexity is reduced by 15%, enabling real- time applications without compromising performance. The proposed method exhibits competitive results across various resolutions and frame rates, making it versatile for diverse video compression scenarios.

Modelization of extended axial field-of-view PET scanners to analyze the performance improvement

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) offers non-invasive insights into physiological processes. However, in clinical practice conventional PET scanners face limitations in comprehensive imaging due to their restricted axial field of view (FOV).This study explores the benefits and challenges of extending PET scanner AFOV using Monte Carlo simulation with GATE 9.1. The Biograph Vision Quadra scanner is a novel system based on the Digital Biograph Vision 600 scanner. Both devices use silicon photomultipliers and 3.2 x 3.2 × 20 mm Lutetium Oxyorthosilicate crystals (LSO). However, the 32 detector rings of the Quadra scanner enable a four-fold expansion in the Axial Field Of View (FOV) compared to Vision. As a result, higher sensitivity, and an enhancement of noise equivalent count rate and image quality are achieved. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of increasing the number of detector rings and the axial FOV on the scanner performance. To accomplish this, four different geometries are modeled using GATE (GEANT4 Application for Tomographic Emission). Based on the Biograph Vision 600 model, the length and the number of detector rings are gradually extended to reach the length of the Quadra scanner. Thus, four geometries with 8 (25.6 cm), 16 (51.2 cm), 24 (76.8 cm) and 32 (102.4 cm) detector rings are simulated, keeping the crystal configuration and the dimensions in the transaxial plane. The study evaluates sensitivity, Noise Equivalent Count Rate (NECR), and image quality parameters. Results indicate a significant increase in sensitivity and NECR with FOV extension, underscoring enhanced performance. However, artifact occurrence, particularly concentric circular patterns and background homogeneity changes, accentuates with extended AFOV. Normalization algorithms, particularly component-based normalization, mitigate these artifacts. This study contributes to the understanding of the advantages and limitations of extending PET scanner AFOV, offering insights into the effectiveness of component-based normalization for improving PET image quality.

Conventional Sphagnum peatlite substrate can be reduced by 50% in stratified substrate systems while growing equivalent size and quality Pentas lanceolata

Floriculture crop production heavily relies on the use of peat-based substrates to quickly mass produce containerized crops. The sustainability of using peat moss has been an increasing concern for both horticultural stakeholders and the community. The concept of stratifying soilless substrates (i.e., vertically layering unique substrates atop of each other within the container) has been shown to reduce peat moss applications by upwards of 50 %. Although, most stratified substrate research has only studied an equal partition in which the substrate is evenly split into two layers. This necessitates further studying modification of the limits and optima for the depth of each layer. This study evaluated adjusting this stratified depth layer for possible further benefits, such as reduced water and peat moss applications. Lucky Star Dark Red Pentas lanceolata ‘PAS1231189’ was grown in one of four substrate treatments, including a (1) non-stratified 100 % peat and perlite blend (peat-lite), (2) 13.4 cm peat-lite placed above 4.4 cm pine bark (PB) horizon with the container consisting of 75 % (by vol.) peat-lite and 25 % (by vol.) PB; (3) 8.9 cm peat-lite placed above 8.9 cm PB layer with the container consisting of 50 % (by vol.) peatlite and 50 % (by vol.) PB; (4) 4.5 cm peat-lite placed above 13.3 cm PB with the container consisting of 25 % (by vol.) peat-lite and 75 % (by vol.) pine bark. Crops were placed on irrigation-actuated lysimetry systems to maintain substrate volumetric water contents between 0.20 and 0.30 cm3 cm−3. This study identified successful production of pentas in stratified profiles when the depth layer is ≥ 50 % peatlite by vol., with equal growth to pentas grown traditionally (i.e., 100 % peat-lite; non-stratified). Crops grown in a 25 % peat-lite : 75 % PB depth layer experienced significantly reduced growth with regards to growth index, quality, and dry biomass. Moreover, crops grown in the 25 % peat-lite by vol. also experienced faster peak inflorescence with a subsequent continuous decline in flower development due to water stress; whereas, plants grown in ≥ 50 % peatlite by vol. continued to develop blooms throughout the study. This study demonstrates that a popular floriculture crop can be grown by stratifying expensive floriculture media above inexpensive PB with little to no differences in growth if the stratified peat layer is equal or greater than 50 % the container vol.

Transgene-Free Cynomolgus Monkey iPSCs Generated under Chemically Defined Conditions.

Non-human primates (NHPs) are pivotal animal models for translating novel cell replacement therapies into clinical applications, including validating the safety and efficacy of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived products. Preclinical development and the testing of cell-based therapies ideally comprise xenogeneic (human stem cells into NHPs) and allogenic (NHP stem cells into NHPs) transplantation studies. For the allogeneic approach, it is necessary to generate NHP-iPSCs with generally equivalent quality to the human counterparts that will be used later on in patients. Here, we report the generation and characterization of transgene- and feeder-free cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) iPSCs (Cyno-iPSCs). These novel cell lines have been generated according to a previously developed protocol for the generation of rhesus macaque, baboon, and human iPSC lines. Beyond their generation, we demonstrate the potential of the novel Cyno-iPSCs to differentiate into two clinically relevant cell types, i.e., cardiomyocytes and neurons. Overall, we provide a resource of novel iPSCs from the most frequently used NHP species in the regulatory testing of biologics and classical pharmaceutics to expand our panel of iPSC lines from NHP species with high relevance in preclinical testing and translational research.