Intermediate Stage Research Articles

Transmission centers of global embodied mercury emissions are moving from developed to developing regions

Mercury (Hg) can accumulate in the food chain, posing significant threats to human health and biodiversity. Existing studies have identified critical primary suppliers, producers, and final consumers driving Hg emissions in global supply chains. However, the hotspots in the intermediate transmission stages of global supply chains remain unknown. This study reveals critical transmission sectors and transactions of global embodied Hg emissions during 1995–2022. Results show that the critical transmission sectors and transactions of global embodied Hg emissions have been moving from developed (e.g., Japan and Russia) to developing (e.g., China and India) economies. Critical transmission sectors were primarily concentrated in the metal products, transportation, machinery and equipment manufacturing, and construction industries. Domestic transactions were the primary transmission pathways for embodied Hg emissions, with nearly half of these being intra-sectoral transactions. These findings can help policymakers develop transmission-bound Hg reduction policies and multi-level cooperation to support joint Hg emission reduction.

Exploring cortical morphology biomarkers of amnesic mild cognitive impairment using novel fractal dimension-based structural MRI analysis.

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is considered as an intermediate stage of Alzheimer's disease, but no MRI biomarkers currently distinguish aMCI from healthy individuals effectively. Fractal dimension, a quantitative parameter, provides superior morphological information compared to conventional cortical thickness methods. Few studies have used cortical fractal dimension values to differentiate aMCI from healthy controls. In this study, we aim to build an automated discriminator for accurately distinguishing aMCI using fractal dimension measures of the cerebral cortex. Thirty aMCI patients and 30 health controls underwent structural MRI of the brain. First, the atrophy of participants' cortical sub-regions of Desikan-Killiany cortical atlas was assessed using fractal dimension and cortical thickness. The fractal dimension is more sensitive than cortical thickness in reducing dimensional effects and may accurately reflect morphological changes of the cortex in aMCI. The aMCI group had significantly lower fractal dimension values in the bilateral temporal lobes, right limbic lobe and right parietal lobe, whereas they showed significantly lower cortical thickness values only in the bilateral temporal lobes. Fractal dimension analysis was able to depict most of the significantly different focal regions detected by cortical thickness, but additionally with more regions. Second, applying the measured fractal dimensions (and cortical thickness) of both cerebral hemispheres, an unsupervised discriminator was built for the aMCI and healthy controls. The proposed fractal dimension-based method achieves 80.54% accuracy in discriminating aMCI from healthy controls. The fractal dimension appears to be a promising biomarker for cortical morphology changes that can discriminate patients with aMCI from healthy controls.

Controlled growth of ruthenium dioxide nanostructures in borosilicate glass melts

Ruthenium, a fission product generated during the fission of uranium oxide fuel in a reactor, interacts with alkali metals such as sodium in the upper layer of the cold cap, forming a sodium ruthenate intermediate (NaxRuyOz), which promotes the crystallization of acicular RuO2 within the glass melt. During vitrification, RuO2 predominantly settles at the bottom of the melt owing to its high density and low solubility, significantly increasing both the conductivity and viscosity of the glass melt. Herein, the formation of NaxRuyOz, along with the chemical reactions promoting the crystallization of RuO2 in the waste glass, was comprehensively investigated. The results of X-ray diffraction and X-ray spectroscopy indicate that lamellar and granular Na3RuO4 do not form directly through the reaction between NaNO3 and RuO2 but rather through an intermediate stage from Na2RuO4. This reaction critically affects the morphology of RuO2 within the waste glass. The uncalcined mixture of NaNO3 and RuO2 was found to interact with the glass melt, forming granular RuO2 crystals, whereas the reaction of Na3RuO4 with the glass melt was found to lead to the formation of acicular RuO2 crystals. The results of X-ray absorption fine structure analysis indicate that the valence state of Ru in NaRu-BSG is slightly higher than that in reference RuO2, which was attributed to the presence of trace amounts of Na3RuO4 in the glass.

Performance of Kinnow (<i>Citrus reticulata</i> Blanco) based Agri-horticultural Systems during Intermediate Stage of Fruiting in Light Textured Soil of Arid Rajasthan

Kinnow (Citrus reticulata Blanco) cultivation is increasing in IGNP area due to its profitability and good market value. It is cultivated as sole crop and the interspaces are left unutilized. Growing suitable intercrops in the left over spaces of kinnow may generate extra income to the farmers. Hence, an experiment was conducted to study the productivity and profitability of kinnow based intercropping systems in hyper arid partially irrigated zone of western Rajasthan.The study was conducted during rabi and kharif seasons of 2015-16 and 2016-17, respectively in seven years old plantations of kinnow with five treatments viz (i) kinnow + wheat - groundnut, (ii) kinnow + fenugreek - cluster bean, (iii) sole wheat -groundnut, (iv) sole fenugreek - cluster bean and (v) sole kinnow. Intercropping showed positive effect on growth and yield of kinnow with highest yield in kinnow + wheat -groundnut followed by kinnow + fenugreek - cluster bean. However, the yield of intercrops decreased by 37-42 % when grown in association with kinnow as compared to their sole cropping. The annual system productivity in terms of cluster bean equivalent yield (CEY) was minimum in sole kinnow (1.15 t ha-1) and increased when kinnow was intercropped with fenugreek-cluster bean (2.95 t ha-1) and wheat-groundnut (4.97 t ha-1). There were 2.56 and 4.33 times higher annual system productivity of kinnow + fenugreek-cluster bean and kinnow + wheat - groundnut intercropping system as compared to sole kinnow. The share of kinnow in system productivity was 42.0 and 24.4% and in net return was 43.5 and 18.0% in kinnow + fenugreek-cluster bean and kinnow + wheat - groundnut intercropping system, respectively. Intercropping systems of kinnow + fenugreek - cluster bean and kinnow + wheat - groundnut showed higher physical as well as economic water productivity as compared to sole kinnow. The water productivity in terms of gross return (WPGR) increased from Rs. 4.99 m-3 in sole kinnow to Rs.7.94 and 9.89 m-3 in kinnow + fenugreek - cluster bean and kinnow + wheat -groundnut intercropping systems, respectively. Net return and BCR of intercropping systems were more as compared to sole kinnow which indicated that the intercropping systems of kinnow provides higher economic benefits through additional return from crop produce

Type 2 vomeronasal receptor expression in the olfactory organ of African lungfish, Protopterus annectens.

The olfactory organ of tetrapods, with few exceptions, comprises the main and accessory organs: olfactory epithelium (OE) and vomeronasal organ (VNO). Unlike tetrapods, teleost fish lack a VNO. However, lungfish, a type of sarcopterygian fish closely related to tetrapods, possesses a lamellar OE similar to the OE of teleosts and a recess epithelium (RecE) resembling the amphibian VNO. The RecE has been hypothesized as a primordial VNO. Olfactory receptors in tetrapods are distinctively expressed in the OE and VNO. For instance, type 2 vomeronasal receptors (V2Rs) in Xenopus are categorized into those exclusively expressed in the OE and those solely expressed in the VNO. It remains unclear whether V2Rs are differentially expressed between the lamellar OE and RecE in lungfish. This study investigated V2R expression in the lamellar OE and RecE of the African lungfish, Protopterus annectens. P. annectens V2Rs were categorized into three groups: those exclusively expressed in the lamellar OE, those exclusively expressed in the RecE, and those expressed in both the lamellar OE and RecE. V2Rs exclusively expressed in the RecE and those expressed in both the lamellar OE and RecE formed a distinct clade in the phylogenetic tree, whereas others were solely expressed in the lamellar OE. These findings suggest that lungfish V2R expression represents an intermediate stage toward complete segregation between V2Rs expressed in the OE and those expressed in the VNO.

Unraveling the adsorption-limited hydrogen oxidation reaction at palladium surface via in situ electron microscopy

Palladium (Pd) catalysts have been extensively studied for the direct synthesis of H2O through the hydrogen oxidation reaction at ambient conditions. This heterogeneous catalytic reaction not only holds considerable practical significance but also serves as a classical model for investigating fundamental mechanisms, including adsorption and reactions between adsorbates. Nonetheless, the governing mechanisms and kinetics of its intermediate reaction stages under varying gas conditions remain elusive. This is attributed to the intricate interplay between adsorption, atomic diffusion, and concurrent phase transformation of catalyst. Herein, the Pd-catalyzed, water-forming hydrogen oxidation is studied in situ, to investigate intermediate reaction stages via gas cell transmission electron microscopy. The dynamic behaviors of water generation, associated with reversible palladium hydride formation, are captured in real time with a nanoscale spatial resolution. Our findings suggest that the hydrogen oxidation rate catalyzed by Pd is significantly affected by the sequence in which gases are introduced. Through direct evidence of electron diffraction and density functional theory calculation, we demonstrate that the hydrogen oxidation rate is limited by precursors' adsorption. These nanoscale insights help identify the optimal reaction conditions for Pd-catalyzed hydrogen oxidation, which has substantial implications for water production technologies. The developed understanding also advocates a broader exploration of analogous mechanisms in other metal-catalyzed reactions.

Novel Pink Pigments Produced by Thermal Interaction of Theaflavins, Theanine, and Glucose: Color Formation, Isolation, and Structural Characterization.

A color-deepening effect of theaflavins on the theanine-glucose thermal reaction model was revealed. Generated chromogenic intermediates in the initial stage and an accelerated browning rate through the promoted degradation of theanine-glucose Amadori rearrangement product in the intermediate and final stages are responsible for the color-deepening effect. Four pink-to-red theaflavin-theanine intermediates were verified as theaflavinies referencing the nuclear magnetic resonance and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry information on theaflavins and l-theanine, including one accurately identified as theaflavinie 4. Theaflavinie 4 showed two maximum absorption peaks at 401 and 506 nm with parallel intensities, which resulted in a significant dichromic color change from pale pink to orange and red. Theaflavinies also could undergo further thermal reactions to yield brown polymers under higher temperatures (130 and 140 °C). This research provided new insight into realizing thermally formed polymers during black tea processing, which may be formed by oxidation products and amino acids or proteins through non-enzymatic thermal reactions.

Bimetallic AgCo Nanoparticle Synthesis via Combinatorial Nanosecond Laser‐Induced Dewetting of Thin Films

Herein, a combinatorial approach is developed to conduct high‐throughput studies on the nanosecond pulsed laser‐induced dewetting phenomenon of bilayer Ag–Co metallic thin films. Laser irradiation results in the spontaneous rupture of these films in nanosecond timescale, forming bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) through intermediate stages of hole formation and bicontinuous nanostructures. This approach utilizes bilayer thin films with thickness gradients in both Ag and Co layers (referred to as bigradient samples) while maintaining a constant overall thickness. The laser irradiation on such bigradient bilayer films facilitates control on Ag and Co ratio in the thin films, thus enabling material libraries of Ag–Co NPs covering a large compositional variation. The evolution of NPs with a correlation between NP diameter and interparticle spacings is further studied. The study reveals monotonic increase in NP size and interparticle spacing in Co/Ag bilayer arrangement, while an increase and subsequent decrease in the NP size is observed at 50% Ag in Ag/Co bigradient films. A transition from intermediate stage hole formation to bicontinuous nanostructures with changing composition is also observed. These changes in intermediate stage morphologies and dewetting mechanism are attributed to variation of the free energy of the bilayer system dominated by intermolecular interaction forces.

New advances in the treatment of intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer, affecting millions of people worldwide. Due to the complexity and variability of the disease, there are major challenges in the treatment of HCC in its intermediate and advanced stages; despite advances in various treatment modalities, there are still gaps in our understanding of effective therapeutic strategies. Key findings from several studies have shown that the combination of immunotherapy and targeted therapy has a synergistic anti-tumor effect, which can significantly enhance efficacy with a favorable safety profile. In addition, other studies have identified potential biomarkers of therapeutic response, such as tumor protein 53 (TP53) and CTNNB1 (encoding β-conjugated proteins), thus providing personalized treatment options for patients with intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this article is to review the recent advances in the treatment of intermediate and advanced HCC, especially targeted immune-combination therapy, chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CAR-T cell therapy), and gene therapy for these therapeutic options that fill in the gaps in our knowledge of effective treatment strategies, providing important insights for further research and clinical practice.

Integrated nutritional and functional components analyses reveal insights into the peel and pulp quality at different harvest times of ‘Dahongpao’ tangerine (Citrus reticulata Blanco)

The fruit of Citrus reticulata ‘Dahongpao’ (DHP) is typically harvested when fully ripe, exhibiting a dark red color, high sweetness, and pleasant taste. However, it remains uncertain whether the optimum harvesting time for its medicinal part (peel) aligns with that of the fruit. The findings of the study indicated that the peel exhibited the highest concentration of total flavonoids (4.018 mg/g) during the middle stage of maturity. Additionally, the total polysaccharide content increased progressively with ripening, reaching its peak (5.36 %) at full maturity. Furthermore, the DHP pulp demonstrated the highest concentration of total polyphenols (11.5 %) and the lowest titrable acid content (0.97 %) during the middle stage of maturity. Furthermore, the peel and pulp of DHP at the middle stage of ripening exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity. Considering the nutritional and functional components at various harvest times of DHP, it is recommended to harvest the peel at the intermediate stage of ripeness. Additionally, during this stage, the pulp also exhibited greater abundance of nutritional components. The findings of this study elucidate the process of accumulation and alteration of nutritional and functional constituents during the ripening of DHP fruit.

Developing a Multimedia Program to Enhance Concepts on Physics and Problem-Solving Skills among Students with Disabilities in the Intermediate Stage

This investigation explored the effect of a multimedia program on developing physics concepts and physics problem-solving skills among ninth-grade students with learning disabilities. The study implemented the experimental method and built a multimedia program to develop concepts and physics problem-solving skills among ninth-grade students. The experiment was applied to 37 students from the ninth grade, who were selected from 5 different schools in Irbid, Jordan. The findings showed that the size of the effect of the program was large, as using the multimedia program helped students develop physics concepts properly because the program was designed according to organized and easy steps. It is clear from the results the effective impact of using multimedia in developing concepts and physics problem-solving skills, as the results indicated the superiority of the experimental group over the control group, even though the two groups were originally equal. The study recommends frequent use of multimedia effectively during the educational process because of its effective impact on students’ academic achievement and the creation of multimedia programs in all curricula, provided that these programs address the student, motivate him, and arouse his motivation to learn.

Factors influencing the coupled and coordinated development of cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt: A focus on carbon reduction, pollution control, greening, and growth

Atmospheric pollutants PM2.5 and CO2 share similar sources and impact mechanisms. Green innovations and urban greening significantly reduce these pollutants while promoting economic growth. However, the synergies and trade-offs between carbon reduction, pollution control, green expansion, and economic growth remain understudied. This paper examines 110 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB), China's premier green development site, as a unified system. Using fractional-order synthesis analysis, this paper constructs an assessment indicator system and measures synergy with a coupled coordination degree model. The driving factors are explored using a system-generalized method of moments estimation. The findings indicate that most cities in the YREB are at an intermediate coordination stage. The coupling of greening with carbon reduction, pollution control, and growth has a low degree, highlighting an urgent need to strengthen greening efforts. Key drivers include the digital economy, advanced industrial structure, innovative talent aggregation, infrastructure construction, financial investment, and marketization. The digital economy significantly influences all regions of the Yangtze River. Notable heterogeneity exists in the impact of other drivers across different regions. These results offer valuable policy insights for managing carbon emissions and pollutants, contributing to sustainable urban development.

Bistable perception of symbolic numbers.

Numerals, that is, semantic expressions of numbers, enable us to have an exact representation of the amount of things. Visual processing of numerals plays an indispensable role in the recognition and interpretation of numbers. Here, we investigate how visual information from numerals is processed to achieve semantic understanding. We first found that partial occlusion of some digital numerals introduces bistable interpretations. Next, by using the visual adaptation method, we investigated the origin of this bistability in human participants. We showed that adaptation to digital and normal Arabic numerals, as well as homologous shapes, but not Chinese numerals, biases the interpretation of a partially occluded digital numeral. We suggest that this bistable interpretation is driven by intermediate shape processing stages of vision, that is, by features more complex than local visual orientations, but more basic than the abstract concepts of numerals.

Error is a number, parameter or probability distribution

The problem of the format (the form of representation by difference, scattering parameter, distribution) of the characteristics of the accuracy of the results in solving measurement problems in terms of the theory of errors and the concept of uncertainty is considered. It is shown that for the error as a difference, the key question is the uncertainty of the so-called true value. For measurement uncertainty, when switching to estimating the scattering parameter based on a set of repeated measurements and getting rid of the adjective true, a number of key issues of a different plan arise – the lack of logic of statistical inference, the inconsistency of the term “confidence level” with the term “confidence probability” in state verification schemes and the practical uselessness of measurement uncertainty characteristics in risk analysis tasks. However, the endless improvement of measurement methods and tools in the theory of errors and an unlimited amount of information for a complete description of the measured value in the concept of uncertainty is a common defect of both approaches, only in other words. Conceptually, the transition from error to uncertainty is an intermediate stage to the representation of accuracy characteristics by probability distributions. A brief overview of the transformation of the point of view of international metrology on this issue is given. The evaluation of the accuracy of the results is presented as a structural-parametric identification of the drift of metrological characteristics of measuring instruments and standards, as well as metrological certification of methods for solving measurement problems in the cross-observation scheme in terms of probability distributions. This allows you to get rid of the problems of incompleteness of other formats for representing accuracy characteristics. The most complete characterization of accuracy for the theory of errors and the concept of uncertainty is the format of the probability distribution. However, the endless improvement of measurement methods and tools in the theory of errors and an unlimited amount of information for a complete description of the measured value in the concept of uncertainty is a common defect of both approaches, only in other words. Conceptually, the transition from error to uncertainty is an intermediate stage to the representation of accuracy characteristics by probability distributions. A brief overview of the transformation of the point of view of international metrology on this issue is given. The evaluation of the accuracy of the results is presented as a structural-parametric identification of the drift of metrological characteristics of measuring instruments and standards, as well as metrological certification of methods for solving measurement problems in the cross-observation scheme in terms of probability distributions. This allows you to get rid of the problems of incompleteness of other formats for representing accuracy characteristics. The most complete characteristic of accuracy for the theory of errors and the concept of uncertainty is the format of the probability distribution.

Relationship Between Pre-Diabetes and Gum Disease

Background: Pre-diabetes is a condition characterized by elevated blood glucose levels that are not yet high enough to be classified as diabetes. This intermediary stage increases the risk of progression to type 2 diabetes and is associated with various complications, including periodontal disease. Understanding the relationship between pre-diabetes and periodontal health is critical for developing effective prevention and management strategies.Objective: To explore the relationship between pre-diabetes and gum disease, evaluating the prevalence and types of periodontal complications in pre-diabetic patients.Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical records of 150 patients diagnosed with pre-diabetes from 2018 to 2022. Data were collected on periodontal conditions, including gingivitis, periodontitis, bleeding gums, and tooth loss. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and logistic regression, were performed using SPSS version 25 to evaluate the association between periodontal complications and demographic factors.Results: Gingivitis was present in 12% of patients, periodontitis in 15%, bleeding gums in 8%, and tooth loss in 5%. Significant associations were found between periodontal complications, older age, and longer duration of pre-diabetes (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Pre-diabetic patients exhibited a high prevalence of periodontal complications, highlighting the need for early periodontal assessment and management to prevent disease progression

Defending against fluorine corrosion: Insights from FeCoNiCrMo high-entropy alloy behavior in hydrofluoric acid solutions

The surging demand for advanced fluorine corrosion-resistant materials underscores their significance in ensuring operational safety and reliability across various industries. This study investigates the corrosion behavior of the FeCoNiCrMo high-entropy alloy (HEA) via a series of 28-day immersion tests in hydrofluoric acid (HF) solutions. The results demonstrate the FeCoNiCrMo HEA's superior corrosion-resistant performance in HF environments, exhibiting remarkably low corrosion rates of 0.179 mm/y, 0.276 mm/y, and 0.352 mm/y in 20 vol%, 30 vol%, and 40 vol% HF solutions, respectively. Comprehensive phase and microstructural characterizations were conducted on samples exposed to the 40 vol% HF solution to elucidate the corrosion mechanisms. The study revealed that localized pitting corrosion preferentially initiates within the interdendritic regions of the HEA matrix upon HF exposure. During the intermediate stage, micro-galvanic corrosion occurs between the dendritic arms and interdendritic regions, leading to the formation of a uniform and compact corrosion product film on the alloy surface. This film, enriched with Mo, Cr, and O, provides temporary protection. However, as corrosion progresses, the partial detachment of particulate corrosion products compromises the integrity of the film, resulting in increased dissolution within the interdendritic regions and the formation of irregular corrosion grooves in the later stage. These insights significantly enhance the understanding of the corrosion mechanisms of FeCoNiCrMo HEA in HF environments and provide valuable guidance for developing innovative protective materials designed for fluorine-rich engineering applications.

Alcoholysis-induced changes in cell wall surfaces: Structural insights for the effective delignification of lignocellulosic biomass

Alcoholysis (organosolv delignification)-induced changes in cell wall surfaces were investigated to verify whether structural assessments are required for effective delignification. Softwood blocks of Cryptomeria japonica were subjected to alcoholysis at 100–150 °C, which gradually decreased their lignin content. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the emergence of amorphous mesh structures on the intercellular side and their transformation into spherical particles with increasing temperature. In addition, warty layers changed from uneven structures into spherical particles on the lumen side of tracheids. These particles produced in cell walls under harsh alcoholysis conditions, damaging the cell wall layers on both sides. Confocal laser scanning microscopy identified that they were mainly lignin eluted by alcoholysis. Alcoholysis at 130 °C providing the largest specific surface area showed intermediate stages of growth into spherical particles but allowed complete delignification when combined with NaClO2 bleaching. Therefore, the role of the spherical particles, which has so far been debatable, was clarified as causing damage rather than a bleaching accelerant. Focusing only on compositional changes while ignoring structural ones leads to the incorrect identification of optimal conditions that remove lignin but damage the cell walls. Our findings demonstrate that structural considerations are required for effective and noninvasive delignification.

Severity Scale of Diabetic Macular Ischemia Based on the Distribution of Capillary Nonperfusion in OCT Angiography

To evaluate the severity scales of diabetic macular ischemia (DMI) by analyzing the quantity and distribution of capillary nonperfusion using OCT angiography (OCTA) images. A single-center, prospective case series. Three hundred one eyes from 301 patients with diabetic retinopathy. We acquired 3× 3-mm swept-source OCTA images and created en face images within a central 2.5-mm circle. The circle was divided into 15× 15-pixel squares and nonperfusion squares (NPSs) were defined as those without retinal vessels. Eyes with high-dimensional spatial data were arranged on a 2-dimensional space using the uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) algorithm and classified by clustering into 5 groups: Initial, Mild, Superficial, Moderate, and Severe. Development of a severity scale for DMI. Eyes arranged on a 2-dimensional UMAP space were divided into 5 clusters, based on the similarity of nonperfusion area distribution. Nonperfusion square counts in the deep layer increased in eyes of the Initial, Mild, Moderate, and Severe groups in a stepwise manner. In contrast, there were no significant changes in superficial NPS counts between eyes of the Initial and Mild groups. In the intermediate stage, eyes of the Superficial group exhibited higher NPS counts in the central sector of the superficial layer compared with those of the Moderate group. The foveal avascular zone extended into the temporal subfield of the deep layer in eyes of the Moderate group. Eyes of the Severe group had significantly poorer visual acuity that was more frequently accompanied with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The application of dimensionality reduction and clustering has facilitated the development of a novel severity scale for DMI based on the distribution of capillary nonperfusion in OCTA images. The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Metroticket approach in a retrospective cohort study to predict overall survival after surgical resection for intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma.

Surgical resection is a curative therapy for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients meeting the Milan criteria as well as a widely used therapy in intermediate-stage HCC. However, intermediate-stage HCC encompasses a wide spectrum of disease and there is a lack of good predictive models for the long-term clinical outcome of HCC patients currently. Here, we adopt Mazzaferro's Metroticket 2.0 to create a robust survival prediction model for intermediate-stage HCC patients undergoing surgical resection. Our algorithm considers age, AFP levels, ALBI score, and nodule size/number to generate survival estimates in an accessible graph format. Importantly, our model surpasses the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging model and was validated with independent US patient data. We conducted a retrospective analysis of OS and RFS in early- and intermediate-stage HCC patients treated with liver resection, including a training cohort in Singapore and a validation cohort in North Carolina, USA. We recorded 278 deaths (35.0%) and 428 patients (53.9%) in the first 5-years after surgical resection; higher ALBI score, higher lnAFP, more advanced age and higher tumour burden index were identified as significant parameters. The overall predictive capability of our model, with the inclusion of AFP, is reflected with a UNO's C-statistic of 0.655, which is 1.11 times better than the 0.5895 C-statistic of the 8th AJCC TNM Staging model. Our modified Metroticket model allows for more granular and better-informed prognostication. This will help surgeons and patients make accurate comparisons between the clinical outcomes of surgical resection and other non-surgical treatments.

Визуальная интерпретация парадигмы управления организационной системой c разнородными производственными ресурсами

The object of the study is developing a formalized mechanism for managing an organizational system that implements complex production activities, including different types of industrial production, and applies the corresponding heterogeneous resources. The subject of the article is an important intermediate stage of this development, which is an abstract interpretation of the optimal management paradigm of limited resources of such an organizational system, proposed earlier by the authors. The interpretation will allow reasonably forming a strict mathematical model of objects and control processes. The management mechanism in any subject area, providing for adopting management decisions by people authorized to do so, must have an ergonomic development and appropriate information support for these decisions. The so-called result information plays the role of such support, that is the information on the characteristics of the current and planned states of the management object in the problem being solved which is the productivity of the organizational system resources. It seems advisable to carry out such ergonomic and information development of the designed problem-oriented management mechanism in the form of a visual interpretation of its substantive concept. The prototype of such interpretation tools is graphic images used in modelling and designing technical systems, developed in this work in the field of management in organizational systems with heterogeneous resources. The article provides examples of their application, demonstrating the possibility of visual representation of the current state of the organizational system and the set of its possible controlled states.