This study explored the clinical value of routine multichannel pattern reversal visual evoked potential (prVEP) recordings in children without nystagmus. A single centre, retrospective case note review was carried out of children without nystagmus who had multichannel prVEP recordings from midline, O1 and O2 electrodes referred to Fz to an ISCEV large check (50' check width), reversing 3/s in a full 30° field and right and left 0-15° half fields, during 2020. Full-field (FF) prVEPs were classified as abnormal if midline P100 amplitude and peak time fell outside reference limits. Trans-occipital distribution asymmetry was defined as differences ≥ 20% amplitude between FF-prVEP the O1 and O2 at the peak time of the midline P100. Half field (HF) prVEPs acted as the gold standard discriminator of abnormality. The trans-occipital distribution and amplitude of the HF-prVEP ipsilateral positive peak (iP100) were compared for each eye. FF-prVEP and HF-prVEP data from 63 children were classified. Group 1, 7/63 (11%), had abnormal midline FF-prVEP evidence of visual pathway dysfunction, whilst Group 2, 56/63 (89%), had normal midline FF-prVEPs. Group 2 was subdivided further according to the trans-occipital distribution of FF-prVEPs followed by HF-prVEPs. Group2A, 14/56 (25%), had symmetrical FF-prVEP distribution and normal HF-prVEPs. Group2B, 31/56 (55.4%), had asymmetrical FF-prVEP distribution, but lateralised HF-prVEPs that explained the FF-prVEP asymmetric distribution. Group2C, 11/56 (19.6%), had HF-prVEP evidence of pathway dysfunction with symmetric (n = 2) or asymmetric (n = 9) FF-prVEP distributions. Common referral reasons in all groups were reduced vision, glioma, craniopharyngioma, epilepsy presurgical evaluation, craniosynostosis, papilloedema/disc drusen, with various other specific conditions. Multichannel prVEPs add value to investigations of reduced or unexplained vision in children without nystagmus. Visual pathway abnormalities would not have been identified without a multichannel FF- or HF-prVEP in 11/56 (19.6%) of children in this study who had normal midline FF-prVEPs.

WITHDRAWN: A Critical Review on Compressed Air Energy Storage in Underground Geological Media: Advances and Future Outlook

Earth building technologies are increasingly being used to promote a natural and sustainable construction model and to empower self-building in resource-limited areas. This work focuses on investigating the use of different types of stabilising additives in compressed earth blocks (CEBs). To this end, empirical studies and laboratory analyses of earth samples taken from different sites in Ecuador were combined. Once the most suitable earth for use as a building material was determined, four types of CEBs were produced using equipment designed ad hoc to encourage self-building: earth-based, fibre additives, cementitious additives, and additives of other origin. The panels were characterised by means of compression tests to analyse their mechanical behaviour, obtaining the most promising results for the additivated samples with the highest percentage of cement and for the sample containing ground reeds, with a compressive strength of 3.3 MPa and 0.7 MPa, respectively. These samples were then subjected to more extensive tests using digital image correlation to analyse their full field strains and cracks, where the samples stabilised with cement showed a more homogeneous and consistent behaviour. Finally, an economic and comparative study with conventional construction systems was carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of using the proposed earth materials for cleaner and more economical buildings, mainly due to cost savings and lower pollution in terms of transport when using local resources.

Performance evaluation of six digital mammography systems

Uncertainty quantification for structural response field with ultra-high dimensions

Model order reduction allows critical information about sensor placement and experiment design to be distilled from raw fluid mechanics simulation data. In many cases, sensed information in conjunction with reduced order models can also be used to regenerate full field variables. In this paper, a proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) inferencing method is extended to the modeling and compressive sensing of temperature, a scalar field variable. The method is applied to a simulated, critically stable, incompressible flow over a heated cylinder (Re = 1000) with Prandtl number varying between 0.001 and 50. The model is trained on pressure and temperature data from simulations. Field reconstructions are then generated using data from selected sensors and the POD model. Finally, the reconstruction error is evaluated across all Prandtl numbers for different numbers of retained modes and sensors. The predicted trend of increasing reconstruction accuracy with decreasing Prandtl number is confirmed and a Prandtl number/sensor count error matrix is presented.

Aiming at the problem that traditional design methods make it difficult to control the polarization aberration distribution of optical systems quickly and accurately, this study proposes an automatic optimization design method for polarization optical systems based on deep learning. The unsupervised training model based on ray tracing and polarized ray tracing was constructed by learning the reference lens structural feature data from the optical lens library, and the generalization ability of the deep neural network model was improved to achieve the automatic optimization design of the polarized optical system. The design results show that the optical system structure optimized by the network model is close to the reference lens in the full field of view and the full spectrum and that the optical system structure can be designed for different focal length requirements. The success rate of 1 million groups of initial structures designed is better than 96.403%, and the polarization effect of the optical system is effectively controlled. The proposed deep learning approach to optical design provides a new solution for future complex optical systems and also provides an effective way to improve the design accuracy of special optical systems such as polarization optical systems.

The Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Preoperative Staging and Treatment of Invasive Lobular Carcinoma

Effect of binocular visual cue availability on fruit and insect grasping performance in two cheirogaleids: Implications for primate origins hypotheses

Inertial microfluidics allows for passive, label-free manipulation of particles suspended in a fluid. Physical experiments can understand the underlying mechanisms to an extent whereby inertial microfluidic devices are used in real-world applications such as disease diagnostics. However, design processes are often iterative and device optimisation can be improved. Numerical modelling has complementary capabilities to physical experiments, with access to full flow field data and control of design parameters. Numerical modelling is used to uncover the fundamental mechanisms in inertial microfluidics and provides evidence for physical experiments. In recent years, numerical modelling has been increasingly coupled to machine learning algorithms to uncover additional physics and provide fast solutions. In this perspective, I discuss the role numerical modelling will play in future inertial microfluidic device research and the opportunities to combine numerical modelling with machine learning algorithms. Two key areas for future research applying machine learning are highlighted; fast predictions of flow fields and the optimisation of design parameters. Developments in these areas would significantly reduce the resources required in device design and have the potential to uncover new applications.

High-fidelity numerical simulations of partial differential equations (PDEs) given a restricted computational budget can significantly limit the number of parameter configurations considered and/or time window evaluated. Multi-fidelity surrogate modelling aims to leverage less accurate, lower-fidelity models that are computationally inexpensive in order to enhance predictive accuracy when high-fidelity data are scarce. However, low-fidelity models, while often displaying the qualitative solution behaviour, fail to accurately capture fine spatio-temporal and dynamic features of high-fidelity models. To address this shortcoming, we present a data-driven strategy that combines dimensionality reduction with multi-fidelity neural network surrogates. The key idea is to generate a spatial basis by applying proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) to high-fidelity solution snapshots, and approximate the dynamics of the reduced states—time-parameter-dependent expansion coefficients of the POD basis—using a multi-fidelity long short-term memory network. By mapping low-fidelity reduced states to their high-fidelity counterpart, the proposed reduced-order surrogate model enables the efficient recovery of full solution fields over time and parameter variations in a non-intrusive manner. The generality of this method is demonstrated by a collection of PDE problems where the low-fidelity model can be defined by coarser meshes and/or time stepping, as well as by misspecified physical features.

AimTo assess the efficacy of Voretigene Neparvovec (VN) treatment by objective fixation stability and chromatic pupillometry testing in clinical practice. DesignRetrospective cohort study with longitudinal follow-up. SubjectsTwelve patients (aged 7 to 34 years) with RPE65-related inherited retinal dystrophies were treated at the same center with VN in both eyes. MethodsPatients treated at the same center with VN were evaluated over a 12-month post-treatment follow-up by subjective and objective tests. Furthermore, patients treated with VN who developed atrophy were compared to those who did not. Main outcome measuresBest corrected visual acuity (BCVA), full field stimulus threshold test (FST), semi-automated kinetic visual field (SKVF), microperimetry, and chromatic pupillometry over a 12-month follow-up ResultsSignificant improvements of BCVA (p<0.001), SKVF (p<0.05) and FST (p<0.001) were already observed 45 days after treatment and were maintained at the 12-month timepoint. Fixation stability, assessed by microperimetry, improved significantly (p<0.05) after treatment. Chromatic pupillometry showed significant improvements (p<0.05) at the 6- and 12-month timepoints. The increase in maximum pupillary constriction significantly (p<0.001) correlated with higher retinal sensitivity in FST. Four patients developed multifocal retinal atrophy in both eyes, detected at the 6-month timepoint, but this atrophy was not generally associated with worse visual function outcomes. ConclusionsThis study is the first attempt to demonstrate the efficacy of VN treatment in real life using objective tests in addition to those normally performed in clinical practice. Our findings show a significant improvement of retinal function both in subjective assessments, such as BCVA, SKVF and FST, and in objective measurements of fixation stability and maximum pupillary constriction. Moreover, the significant correlation between maximum pupillary constriction and light sensitivity thresholds corroborates the introduction of chromatic pupillometry as an objective test to better assess treatment outcomes in patients with inherited retinal dystrophies.

We propose a large viewing angle integral imaging 3D display system based on a symmetrical compound lens array (SCLA). The display system comprises a high-resolution 2D display panel, an SCLA, and a light shaping diffuser. The high-resolution 2D display panel presents an elemental image array, the SCLA modulates the light rays emitted from the 2D display panel to form 3D images in space, and the light shaping diffuser eliminates the gaps between 3D pixels of the 3D images. We find that the lateral aberration is a crucial factor that affects the resolution of the reconstructed 3D image. The symmetrical structure of the SCLA enables a reduced focal length and the elimination of lateral aberration, improving the viewing angle and the 3D image resolution simultaneously. The experimental results confirm that the proposed display system increases the viewing angle to 68.6°, achieving a comparable resolution of the full field of view while maintaining a simple structure.

Preterm birth is defined as a birth before 37 weeks of gestation and is one of the leading contributors to infant mortality rates globally. Premature birth can lead to life-long developmental impairment for the child. Unfortunately, there is a significant lack of tools to diagnose preterm birth risk, which limits patient care and the development of new therapies. To develop a speculum-free, portable preterm imaging system (PPRIM) for cervical imaging; testing of the PPRIM system to resolve polarization properties of birefringent samples; and testing of the PPRIM under an IRB on healthy, non-pregnant volunteers for visualization and polarization analysis of cervical images. The PPRIM can perform Mueller-matrix imaging to characterize the remodeling of the uterine cervix during pregnancy. The PPRIM is built with a polarized imaging probe and a flexible insertable sheath made with a compatible flexible rubber-like material to maximize comfort and ease of use. The PPRIM device is developed to meet specific design specifications as a speculum-free, portable, and comfortable imaging system with polarized imaging capabilities. This system comprises a main imaging component and a flexible silicone inserter. The inserter is designed to maximize comfort and usability for the patient. The PPRIM shows high-resolution imaging capabilities at the 20mm working distance and 25mm circular field of view. The PPRIM demonstrates the ability to resolve birefringent sample orientation and full field capture of a healthy, non-pregnant cervix. The development of the PPRIM aims to improve access to the standard of care for women's reproductive health using polarized Mueller-matrix imaging of the cervix and reduce infant and maternal mortality rates and better quality of life.

The head-on scattering of electrons with energies from a few MeV to 5 GeV off ultrashort and ultra-intense laser pulses at petawatt intensities is investigated. Radiation reaction (RR) effects are included through the correction terms given by the Landau–Lifshitz equation. Full paraxial fields for the laser are used, including their longitudinal electric and magnetic components, and both the fundamental Gaussian TEM00 mode as well as the orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode with (l,p)=(1,0) are studied. We compare the expected behavior, as regards the influence of RR, at near-infrared (NIR) and at vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) or X-ray wavelengths.

ABSTRACT The thermal and electrical responses of additive manufactured specimens were analysed for a additive manufactured steel magnetic shield as a case study. The analysis was based on the evidence that variations in the thermal properties of a material can be measured as a phase delay in thermal diffusion through the material bulk. The signal post-processing was performed, and the results were presented in a phase diagram. The results showed that after heat treatment, the slope of the phase diagram changed to less steep, indicating an increase in thermal diffusivity and hence thermal conductivity. The electrical conductivity was predicted using the thermal conductivity and the Weidemann-Franz law and validated by experimental measurements of the electrical conductivity. The same approach was applied to predict the electrical conductivity in the magnetic shielding, taking into consideration the scaling of the density due to porosity. The results showed that the thermographic non-destructive full field non-contact approach can be used to evaluate the electrical properties of a component and that the heat-treated specimens show better thermal diffusivity and hence thermal and electrical conductivity.

Summary This article contains the description of, and call for participation in, the 11th Society of Petroleum Engineers Comparative Solution Project (the 11th SPE CSP, https://spe.org/csp). It is motivated by the simulation challenges associated with CO2 storage operations in geological settings of realistic complexity. The 11th SPE CSP contains three versions: Version 11A is a 2D geometry at the laboratory scale, inspired by a recent CO2 storage forecasting and validation study. For Version 11B, the 2D geometry and operational conditions from 11A are rescaled to field conditions characteristic of the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Finally, for Version 11C, the geometry of Version 11B is extruded to a full 3D field model. The CSP has a two-year timeline, being launched at the 2023 SPE Reservoir Simulation Conference and culminating at the 2025 SPE Reservoir Simulation Conference. A community effort is run in parallel to develop utility scripts and input files for common simulators to lower the threshold of participation; see the link to supplementary material on the CSP website. At the time of writing, complete input decks for one simulator are already ready for all three versions.

Strain-induced crystallisation of reinforced elastomers using surface calorimetry

Increasing evidence has highlighted retinal impairments in neurodegenerative diseases. Dominant mutations in TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and the accumulation of TDP-43 in the cytoplasm is a pathological hallmark of ALS, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and many other neurodegenerative diseases. While homozygous transgenic mice expressing the disease-causing human TDP-43 M337V mutant (TDP-43M337V mice) experience premature death, hemizygous TDP-43M337V mice do not suffer sudden death, but they exhibit age-dependent motor-coordinative and cognitive deficits. This study aims to leverage the hemizygous TDP-43M337V mice as a valuable ALS/FTD disease model for the assessment also of retinal changes during the disease progression. We evaluated the retinal function of young TDP-43M337V mice by full field electroretinogram (ERG) recordings. At 3-4 months of age, well before the onset of brain dysfunction at 8 months, the ERG responses were notably impaired in the retinas of young female TDP-43M337V mice in contrast to their male counterparts and age-matched non-transgenic mice. Mitochondria have been implicated as critical targets of TDP-43. Further investigation revealed that significant changes in the key regulators of mitochondrial dynamics and bioenergetics were only observed in the retinas of young female TDP-43M337V mice, while these alterations were not present in the brains of either gender. Together our findings suggest a sex-specific vulnerability within the retina in the early disease stage, and highlight the importance of retinal changes and mitochondrial markers as potential early diagnostic indicators for ALS, FTD, and other TDP-43 related neurodegenerative conditions.

Microsphere photolithography (MPL) is a promising technique for cost-effective fabrication of large-scale metasurfaces. This approach generates an array of photonic jets by the collimated illumination of self-assembled microspheres. The photonic jets can be precisely steered within the unit cell defined by each microsphere by changing the angle of incidence. This allows for the creation of complex metasurface element geometries. Computer controlled articulation of the substrate relative to a static UV source allows the direct-write of different metasurface elements. However, this is time-consuming and requires registration between each exposure for complex features. This paper investigates a single exposure method with the dynamic continuous angle of incidence control provided by a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) in the front Fourier plane of the projection system. The grayscale values of the DMD pixels can be adjusted to provide optical proximity correction. Larger patterns can be achieved by scanning the substrate relative to the exposure beam. This approach is demonstrated with the creation of hierarchical patterns. This work greatly simplifies the MPL exposure process for complex resonators and provides potential for full light field control.