Viable Component Research Articles

Natural Organic Honey-CNT Memristor Based Artificial Synaptic Devices for Sustainable Neuromorphic System

Neuromorphic computing is considered to have the potential to overcome the limitations of traditional von Neumann architecture due to its high efficiency, low energy consumption, and fault-tolerance. Hardware components that can emulate the synaptic plasticity of neurons, i.e. artificial synaptic devices, are required by neuromorphic systems. New devices have been examined for such components, such as phase-change artificial synapse, ferroelectric artificial synapse, and memristor synapses. Among them, memristor, a two-terminal metal-insulator-metal structure that are analogous to a biological synapse with presynaptic neuron (top electrode), postsynapticneuron (bottom electrode), and synaptic cleft (memristive film), is a promising device technology because of its tunable resistance, scalability, 3D integration compatibility, low power consumption, and relatively high speed. In contrary to inorganic materials such as metal oxides, natural organic materials have attracted interest to form the memristive layer because they are renewable, biodegradable, sustainable, biocompatible, and environmentally friendly. In this paper, honey solution embedded with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was processed into the memristive layer by a low cost solution-based process, with synaptic plasticity of the final honey-CNT memristors characterized, including forget and relearn, spike-rate-dependent plasticity, spike-voltage-dependent plasticity, short-term to long-term memory transition, paired pulse facilitation, and spatial supra-linear summation behaviors. The successful emulation of these essential biological synaptic behaviors demonstrates the potential of honey-CNT memristors as a viable hardware component in neuromorphic computing systems.

Effect of Relaxation, Lumbopelvic Stabilization, and Strengthening on Pain, Quality of Life, and Lumbopelvic Impairments in Women With Endometriosis

Background: Endometriosis, a chronic gynecological disorder characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus, significantly impacts the quality of life and physical functioning of affected women. Conventional treatments involve pharmacological interventions and surgery, which may not always provide long-term relief and are often associated with side effects. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of relaxation, lumbopelvic stabilization, and strengthening exercises on pain, quality of life, and lumbopelvic impairments in women with endometriosis in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 40 women diagnosed with endometriosis, recruited from local hospitals and fitness centers. Participants underwent a structured intervention consisting of relaxation techniques, lumbopelvic stabilization, and strengthening exercises, conducted three times per week for seven weeks. Data were collected using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain, the Endometriosis Health Profile-30 (EHP-30) for quality of life, and specific physical performance tests for lumbopelvic impairments. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25, employing repeated measures ANOVA to assess changes from baseline to post-intervention. Results: The intervention resulted in significant reductions in pain (VAS scores decreased, p<0.001), improvements in quality of life (EHP-30 scores improved in all domains, p<0.001 for most domains), and enhanced lumbopelvic function (endurance test scores increased, p<0.001). Conclusion: The study findings suggest that structured physical therapy interventions can significantly improve pain, quality of life, and physical functioning in women with endometriosis. These results support the inclusion of physical therapy as a viable component of comprehensive endometriosis management. Keywords: Endometriosis, Physical Therapy, Quality of Life, Pelvic Pain, Lumbopelvic Stabilization, Strengthening Exercises, Non-Pharmacological Treatment.

The Central Role of the Relativistic Velocity Transformation in Modern Physics Theory

The Relativistic Velocity Transformation (RVT) is a very valuable tool for understanding the results of experiments. It was first used in 1907 by von Laue to explain the Fresnel-Fizeau light-damping phenomenon associated with the passage of light through a tube filled with a non-dispersive liquid. It is also essential for the prediction of characteristics of modern-day high-energy collision and decay processes. The purpose of the present work is to show that the RVT successes are in no way attributable to the Lorentz Transformation (LT), which is the cornerstone of Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity (SR) published in 1905. It is shown instead that the space-time transformation (VT) introduced in 1887 by Voigt can be used directly to derive the RVT. This is an important observation since it easily proven the LT is not internally consistent and therefore is not a viable component of relativity theory. There are nonetheless experiments which cannot be understood on the basis of the RVT, but rather require the use of the classical (Galilean) velocity transformation (GVT). It is pointed out the ranges of applicability for the GVT and RVT are mutually exclusive, and that it is a straightforward manner to distinguish between them on the basis of the specific characteristics of the experiments being carried out. The “distance rephrasing procedure” is introduced to prove that the GVT can be used successfully in examples involving light pulses, contrary to what is claimed in SR. Finally, the Law of Causality is shown to lead to a strict proportionality between the timing results of two observers in relative motion to one another. This relationship is referred to as “Newtonian Simultaneity” since it requires that events which are simultaneous for one observer will also be simultaneous for the other, unlike the prediction of remote non-simultaneity (RNS) which follows from the LT. The Newton-Voigt space-time transformation (NVT) employs the Newtonian Simultaneity proportional relationship explicitly and is also consistent with Galileo’s Relativity Principle (RP). It therefore serves as a viable replacement for the LT. Newtonian Simultaneity is also a key element of the Uniform Scaling Method discussed in previous work.

Recent Progress on Metal Organic Framework and Covalent Organic Framework Based Solid‐State Electrolyte Membranes for Lithium Battery Applications

AbstractLithium batteries have been widely utilized in wide‐ranging electronic devices, from smartphones to electric vehicles. This review explores a new area of advanced materials for energy storage application, especially focusing on solid electrolyte membranes for lithium battery. To enhance the overall performance of lithium batteries, researchers are studying solid electrolyte membranes, aiming to overcome the limitations of liquid electrolytes and other traditional membranes. Recently, metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent‐organic frameworks (COFs) exhibit promising characteristics due to their highly organized porous nature and structural properties. These frameworks hold significant potential as a viable component for lithium battery systems, especially in advanced separator/electrolyte setups. Because of their adjustable structural design, MOFs and COFs have the capacity to enhance battery performance by facilitating ion movement, providing superior mechanical stability, and safety. This review provides insight into the recent progress achieved by integrating MOFs and COFs into solid electrolyte membranes for lithium batteries, highlighting their potential advantages, associated challenges, and future research avenues.

HLPerf: Demystifying the Performance of HLS-based Graph Neural Networks with Dataflow Architectures

The development of FPGA-based applications using HLS is fraught with performance pitfalls and large design space exploration times. These issues are exacerbated when the application is complicated and its performance is dependent on the input data set, as is often the case with graph neural network approaches to machine learning. Here, we introduce HLPerf, an open-source, simulation-based performance evaluation framework for dataflow architectures that both supports early exploration of the design space and shortens the performance evaluation cycle. We apply the methodology to GNNHLS, an HLS-based graph neural network benchmark containing 6 commonly used graph neural network models and 4 datasets with distinct topologies and scales. The results show that HLPerf achieves over 10 000 × average simulation acceleration relative to RTL simulation and over 400 × acceleration relative to state-of-the-art cycle-accurate tools at the cost of 7% mean error rate relative to actual FPGA implementation performance. This acceleration positions HLPerf as a viable component in the design cycle.

Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Neem Cake and Bio-Agents on Early Blight (Alternaria solani) of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.)

Early blight is the important disease of tomato because it causes huge economic loss to the farmer every year. Alternaria solani cause early blight of tomato and it is considered weed of field because of its wide adaptability under different environment. Use of fungicides for the management of disease in crop puts a large number of negative health and environmental effects therefore, the urgent need for a more sustainable and ecological approach to manage disease without fungicides. To avoid relying solely on chemicals and to identify a viable alternative component,this experiment was conducted to conclude the Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of Neem cake and bio-agents on early blight (Alternaria solani) of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) by soil application with Neem cake @ 250kg/ha and seedling treatment with bio agents in single and combination viz Pseudomonas fluorescens @10g/lit, Bacillu thuringiensis @10g/lit, Trichoderma viride @10g/lit, Pseudomonas fluorescens@5g/lit +Bacillus thuringiensis @5g/lit, Pseudomonas fluorescens@5g/lit + Trichoderma viride @5g/lit and Trichoderma viride @ 5g/lit + Bacillus thuringiensis @5g/lit both in-vivo and in-vitro for their effectiveness to manage early blight of tomato caused by Alternaria solani .All the treatments were found significantly reduced the severity of the disease and increased growth parameters, Among all the treatments Neem cake@250kg/ha+ Pseudomonas fluorescens @5g/lit + Trichoderma viride @ 5g/lit followed by Neem cake@250kg/ha + Trichoderma viride @5g/lit + Bacillus thuringiensis @5g/lit were significantly superior over other treatments in reducing early blight infection and also in increasing growth parameters of the crop. For in-vitro studies only bio agents were selected among the treatments Pseudomonas fluorescens + Trichoderma viride showed highest mycelia inhibition (89.3%) followed by Trichoderma viride + Bacillus thuringiensis (86.6%). The highest cost benefit ratio was obtained with Neem cake 250kg/ha + Pseudomonas fluorescens @5g/lit + Trichoderma viride @5g/lit treatment (1:3.85). while other treatments also showed significantly effective for the checking of disease intensity and yield over control in the field condition.

Dynamics of chiral domain walls in bent cylindrical magnetic nanowires

Cylindrical magnetic nanowires (NWs) constitute a viable component of 3D nanoscale magnetic devices and engineering their response to external stimuli is necessary for their future functionalization. Here, by means of micromagnetic simulations, we study the dynamical response of vortex–antivortex and Bloch point domain walls under the action of an applied magnetic field in curved arc-shaped NWs varying the saturation magnetization value. Our results provide evidence that, in the range considered in this work, the curvature has no influence on the critical diameters, delimiting different domain wall types. However, it has a relevant effect on the domain wall dynamics. Specifically, the vortex–antivortex domain wall oscillates back and forth while rotating around the nanowire, and the frequency and amplitude can be tuned by curvature and applied field. On the contrary, Bloch point domain wall dynamics does not show any oscillatory behavior, and the domain wall is rapidly expelled from the nanowire with velocities similar to that of the straight cylindrical nanowires. These results allow engineering magnetic response of cylindrical nanowires with curvature.

An assessment of the role of geophysics in future U.S. geologic carbon storage projects

Geologic carbon storage (GCS) is ramping up worldwide as a viable component of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) projects aimed at reducing greenhouse pollution to limit climate change. GCS may be a growth opportunity for the application of geophysics in reservoir characterization and monitoring. Federal and state government financial incentives are the economic motivators of the CCUS business in the United States, and recent increases in these incentives have triggered a large number of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Class VI permit applications to inject CO2 for GCS. The applications indicate that almost all such projects propose using geophysical technology for monitoring. We assessed the GCS geophysical market in the United States based on an intensive analysis of recently filed Class VI permit applications. The analysis shows that reprocessing of existing seismic data will be the primary geophysical activity for reservoir characterization prior to CO2 injection. For monitoring, verification, and recording of CO2 injection, time-lapse vertical seismic profiling and 3D seismic imaging will be the dominant technologies followed by 2D time-lapse seismic imaging and some nonseismic methods. Passive seismic monitoring is planned for the majority of CCUS projects to reduce the risk of induced seismicity. If assumptions related to the United States meeting its current climate goals by 2050 are met, then geophysical activity will increase over the next 30 years. An estimate of the seismic crew count needed to support the projects suggests that the scale of GCS-related seismic acquisition by 2050 may reach the current level of onshore oil and gas geophysics crews in the United States. While the economic incentives of a regulation-driven market will press for the minimization of geophysical sensing in GCS, there is also the potential for growth in geophysical activity with the development of advanced processing and analysis tools, multiphysics data interpretation, and cost-effective continuous monitoring.

A guide on transnasal endoscopy: setting up a pediatric unsedated endoscopy program.

Unsedated transnasal endoscopy is becoming an increasingly popular option for the evaluation of upper gastrointestinal tract disorders in adults and children worldwide. This innovative technology has transformative potential as it provides for a more efficient, safe, and cost-effective method for endoscopy and reduces the risks associated with anesthesia, which is particularly relevant in pediatrics as endoscopy is commonly done under general anesthesia or conscious sedation. The aim is to address knowledge gaps amongst pediatric gastroenterologists who may be considering the development of a TNE program, detailing how to implement sedation-free TNE into practice for pediatric patients and current and forthcoming technologies. We conducted a comprehensive review of current literature and collection of data from experts and clinicians in the field on how sedation-free programs were started and being conducted. We aimed to collate the data to provide a guide to address knowledge gaps with a focus on setting up and starting a sedation-free endoscopy program. Here in, we provide a detailed guide for implementing a sedation-free endoscopy program in pediatrics including design and layout of a TNE unit, special staffing needs, equipment, current and forthcoming technologies, financial considerations and training considerations. We highlight special considerations that are relevant in pediatrics incorporating distraction or dissociation techniques such as Virtual Reality Systems, developmentally appropriate preparation for children, and topical analgesia. Sedation-free endoscopy is a rapidly growing option for pediatric patients. Development of an unsedated pediatric endoscopy program will improve patient care, decrease the need for anesthesia, provide a lower cost and safe alternative to traditional sedated endoscopy, and is a viable component to a pediatric gastroenterology practice.

Nonylphenol polybenzoxazines-derived nitrogen-rich porous carbon (NRPC)-supported g-C3N4/Fe3O4 nanocomposite for efficient high-performance supercapacitor application.

In this work, a straightforward and scalable method was used to generate nitrogen-rich porous carbon (NRPC), which was then incorporated with a graphitic carbon nitride and magnetite (g-C3N4/Fe3O4) nanocomposite, fabricated with Fe3O4 nanoparticles as an eco-friendly and economically viable component. The fabricated NRPC/g-C3N4/Fe3O4 nanocomposite was applied as an electrode in supercapacitor applications. The synthesized NRPC/g-C3N4/Fe3O4 nanocomposite, NRPC, g-C3N4, and Fe3O4 were characterized by analytical and morphological analyses. The spherically shaped Fe3O4 nanoparticles were analyzed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The specific surface area of NRPC/g-C3N4/Fe3O4 was determined to be 479 m2 g-1. All the crosslinked composites showed exceptional electrochemical performance and exhibited a pseudo-capacitance behaviour. In comparison to the Fe3O4 and g-C3N4/Fe3O4 electrodes, the NRPC/g-C3N4/Fe3O4 electrode showed a lower charge-transfer resistance and higher capacitance. The prepared NRPC/g-C3N4/Fe3O4 electrode exhibited the highest specific capacitance of 385 F g-1 at 1 A g-1 compared to Fe3O4 (112 F g-1) and g-C3N4/Fe3O4 (150 F g-1). Furthermore, the cycling efficiency of NRPC/g-C3N4/Fe3O4 remained at 94.3% even after 2000 cycles. The introduction of NRPC to g-C3N4/Fe3O4 improved its suitability for application in high-performance supercapacitors.

Application of Memory Natural Killer Cells in HIV Vaccine

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a formidable infection targeting the intricate defense mechanisms of the human body, primarily focusing its assault on the vital white blood cells known as CD4 cells. HIV impairs these CD4 cells, reducing resistance to opportunistic infections. In 2022, 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes globally due to the lack of preventative vaccines and effective treatment. The pursuit of an effective HIV vaccine remains a critical endeavor in global health, necessitating innovative strategies that can elicit robust and durable immune responses. Natural killer (NK) cells, renowned for their swift and inherent cytotoxic prowess, constitute a critical element of innate immunity, typically thought to be deficient in memory abilities. Fascinatingly, NK cells have now become the focal point of scientific research due to emerging evidence suggesting the presence of memory-like characteristics within their functional repertoire. Through a comprehensive exploration of NK cell subpopulations and the strategic application of cytokines or other stimuli to induce the development of memory-generating NK cell subpopulations, the potential for enhancing the efficacy of HIV vaccines emerges. This approach holds promise in bolstering the creation of adaptive immunity and advancing the quest for effective HIV immunization strategies. The study offers valuable insights into the potential of NK memory cells as a viable component of future HIV vaccine regimens, suggesting avenues for further research and development in the quest to mitigate the global burden of HIV.

In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy and Soft X-Ray Spectro-Microscopy to Understand Electrochemical Processes

Electrochemical CO2 conversion offers a route to use renewable sources of electricity to convert CO2 into valuable carbon-based fuels and chemicals, including carbon monoxide, ethanol and ethylene. For electrochemical CO2 conversion technologies to become a viable component of future sustainable energy infrastructures, improved performance materials (catalysts, electrodes, membrane electrode assemblies) are needed to achieve high conversion rates, selectivity and single-pass utilization of CO2. This talk will focus on the development of techniques to characterize the properties of electrochemical CO2 conversion materials under reaction conditions. These in-situ methods are producing results which will guide the design of next generation materials and reactors. The talk will focus primarily on in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and related spectroscopic techniques (energy dispersive X-ray analysis and selected area electron diffraction), along with synchrotron-based methods including in-situ soft X-ray scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM).

The DPP4 Dependent Transcriptome Identifies Pathways to Improve Mouse Hematopoietic Cell Function

Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a curative treatment for hematologic disorders wherein healthy donor hematopoietic stem (HSCs) and progenitor cells (HPCs) collected from bone marrow (BM), mobilized peripheral blood (PB) or umbilical cord blood (CB) reconstitute an ablated hematopoietic system. There is a strong need to enhance functional competency of HSCs/HPCs for HCT to prevent complications like graft versus host disease (GVHD), relapse, and graft failure. Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) is a protein that cleaves N-terminal dipeptides from hematopoietic factors, impacting their function. Inhibition of DPP4 improves HSC/HPC competency in mouse models of HCT and clinically speeds neutrophil recovery after CB transplantation and reduces incidences of GVHD after PB transplantation. Thus, DPP4 inhibition is a viable component of a multi-pronged strategy to improve engraftment and prevent GVHD. While DPP4 inhibition improved early neutrophil recovery in clinical trials, the effects were modest, required high dose treatment, and effects on platelet recovery were unclear. Examining mechanisms by which DPP4 inhibition drives HSC/HPC functional competency may yield insight into targets that can enhance DPP4 driven improvements to HCT. We harvested BM from mice treated with the DPP4 inhibitor Diprotin A (DPA) and sorted immunophenotypically defined HSCs, multipotent progenitors (MPPs), common myeloid progenitors (CMPs), and granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (GMPs) for transcriptomic analysis. Linear modeling to examine differential gene expression controlling for cell type revealed that DPP4 inhibition gave strong enrichment of gene programs associated with mitochondrial function. Using a mitochondrial stress test and the Seahorse metabolic flux analyzer, we found that lineage depleted mouse BM cells treated ex vivo with DPA had lower basal oxygen consumption rates and spare respiratory capacity. These seemingly paradoxical data are consistent with reports that highly functional HSCs have higher mitochondrial mass but exhibit less mitochondrial activity. Thus, DPP4 inhibition may preserve high levels of functional competency by reducing cellular dependence on oxidative phosphorylation. To examine DPP4 inhibition effects on individual subpopulations of HSCs/HPCs, we modeled each cell type separately for differential gene expression. We found that gene programs associated with neutrophil development were significantly enriched in HSCs and MPPs from mice treated with DPA, including genes Elane, Lcn2, Prtn3 and Ctsg/h, concomitant with downregulation of platelet development programs in HSCs and GMPs from mice treated with DPA, including genes Gp6/9, P2ry12 and Clec1b. This suggests that DPP4 drives improved engraftment in part by priming HSCs/HPCs for neutrophil recovery but does not enhance platelet development. We then sought to target a platelet activating pathway in combination with DPP4 inhibition to improve HCT. Recipient mice were treated on days -2, -1, and 0 with 75 mg/kg DPA and day 0 with 50 µg/kg and days 1, 3, 5, and 7 with 25 µg/kg recombinant human Thrombopoietin (TPO), a platelet activating agonist. On day -1 mice were lethally irradiated and transplanted via tail vein with 2.5x10 5 whole BM donor cells on day 0. Complete blood counts 2 weeks following transplantation showed that mice treated with DPA alone exhibited worse platelet recovery, in line with our transcriptomic data. However, mice treated with the combination of DPA and TPO exhibited significantly better platelet recovery than vehicle controls and DPA alone. Further, neutrophil recovery trended towards improved recovery in the combination treatment compared to the single agent treatments. Flow cytometry of the PB revealed no differences in BM homing or in donor PB chimerism one month following HCT in the combination treatment compared to single agents (though all treatments showed improved homing over vehicle controls), suggesting the primary effects were on early recovery and not on initial or long-term engraftment. These data elucidate the DPP4 dependent transcriptome in the hematopoietic compartment, providing molecular insights into genes that drive enhanced functional competency of HSCs/HPCs. We also demonstrate that the DPP4 dependent transcriptome can reveal gene programs that can be targeted in combination to provide additive improvement on transplantation recovery.

The Enhanced Performance of Neuromorphic Computing Hardware in an ITO/ZnO/HfOx/W Bilayer-Structured Memory Device.

This study discusses the potential application of ITO/ZnO/HfOx/W bilayer-structured memory devices in neuromorphic systems. These devices exhibit uniform resistive switching characteristics and demonstrate favorable endurance (>102) and stable retention (>104 s). Notably, the formation and rupture of filaments at the interface of ZnO and HfOx contribute to a higher ON/OFF ratio and improve cycle uniformity compared to RRAM devices without the HfOx layer. Additionally, the linearity of potentiation and depression responses validates their applicability in neural network pattern recognition, and spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) behavior is observed. These findings collectively suggest that the ITO/ZnO/HfOx/W structure holds the potential to be a viable memory component for integration into neuromorphic systems.

Characterization of starch biofilm reinforced with cellulose microfibers isolated from Musa Saba' midrib residue and its application as an active packaging film

AbstractTwo main disadvantages of starch‐based biofilms are their low mechanical strength and high hydrophobicity. This work investigated incorporation of cellulose microfibers (CMF) with a range of CMF loading (i.e., 0, 0.5, and 1.0 wt% of CMF) as fillers to improve the mechanical properties of starch‐based biofilm. CMFs (average diameter = 75 μm) were isolated from midrib of Musa Saba' banana residue using chemical treatments of steam explosion alkaline treatment, acid‐chlorite treatment, and acid hydrolysis. The starch‐based biofilm showed improved tensile strength (32.5%), Young's Modulus (55.4%), opacity (23.7%), crystallinity (54.2%), and reduction in elongation (27%) with 1.0 wt% CMF loading compared with biofilm without CMF. The film's mechanical properties improvement is further supported by the even filler dispersion within the film matrix shown in field emission scanning electron microscope micrographs. Active packaging containing the antimicrobial compound of myricetin was incorporated into the 1.0 wt% CMF reinforced film to produce SC1M, which showed the fastest release of myricetin in 95% ethanol (fatty acid simulant), followed by 3% acetic acid (acidic simulant) and slowest in distilled water (aqueous simulant). CMF derived from banana midrib residue can be a viable bioreinforcement component for developing biofilms for fatty food packaging, which protects against humidity, oxygen, temperature, and light‐induced deterioration.

Development of a Machine Learning Model to Evaluate Changes during Radiotherapy in Cervical Cancer Tumor Cells.

Radiotherapy is considered the standard treatment for advanced cervical cancer. It is known that irradiation changes the morphology of tumor cells during the treatment, though its clinical significance is unknown. Recently, the usefulness of machine learning using medical images has been reported, as also as pathological images. The purpose of this study is to create a classification model for cervical tumor biopsy treated with radiotherapy, visualized on whole slide images using machine learning, in an attempt to explore the clinical significance of morphology changes during radiotherapy. Cervical cancer patients who underwent radical irradiation with both pre- and mid-treatment biopsy from April 1, 2013, to December 1, 2020, were retrospectively analyzed. Tumor biopsies were Hematoxylin and eosin stained and digitized to whole slide images (WSIs). WSI s were divided into tiles of 224 × 224 pixels and converted into feature vectors using a pre-trained convolutional neural network (densenet121). A training and test dataset were divided 1:1 on a patient basis, and the model was trained to classify "pre-treatment" and "mid-treatment", and its accuracy was evaluated. The probability obtained from the classification model was defined as the radiation change index (RCI), and its color map was projected on the WSI for visualization. Survival analysis was performed to examine the clinical significance of the RCI values. A total of eighty-four patients were analyzed, and the median observation period was 3.2 years. 184 WSIs were obtained, and 2203407 tiles were generated. The classification model was trained using 2500 tiles for each "pre-treatment" and "mid-treatment". The accuracy of the classification model was 70.8 %, with an AUC of 0.77 for the ROC curve. The probability obtained from the classification model was defined as RCI, with 0 being "pre-treatment" and 1 being "mid-treatment", and the mean RCI of "pre-treatment" and "mid-treatment" were 0.38 and 0.61, respectively. When the RCIs were visualized with a color map, the areas considered to be "pre-treatment" were consistent with a viable tumor component, and the areas considered to be "mid-treatment" were consistent with fibrosis supposed to cause by irradiation. To evaluate the clinical significance of RCI, we divide the clinical cohort into two groups with a threshold mean RCI of 0.4 in the pre-treatment biopsy. The disease-free survival was 91 months and 47 months in the RCI<0.4 and RCI≥0.4 groups, respectively. We created a model to classify tissues before and during radiotherapy and successfully visualized it on slide images. The low RCI group before treatment had a better prognosis than the high RCI group, suggesting that the tumor morphologic features obtained by machine learning may be useful for prognosis prediction. Further studies are planned to develop a model that can accurately predict prognosis.

European Defence Planning: Concorde, Franco-British Politico-Military Relations and the Cold War, 1956–68

Cold War tensions between the superpowers marked the years 1956 to 1966, where the United States, Britain and France prioritised European defence against Soviet aggression. Despite being envisaged for civil aviation purposes, the Concorde aircraft was the Franco-British alternative to US proposals concerning the introduction of a supersonic bomber within the Inter-Allied Nuclear Force (IANF) to protect against Soviet attack during the Cold War technological race. This offers a unique case study for the examination of Franco-British bi-lateral partnership in the context of European defence. This article will concentrate on three main themes. The first investigates how Concorde was considered as a viable component for the IANF. Subsequently, the loci of US, British and French policy decisions will be explored with regards to constructing supersonic aircrafts. Lastly, the article considers how foreign policies influenced the shift from a military-use Concorde to a more commercial option. The historiography on Concorde focuses on its commercial impact, and how it affected the Franco-British partnership. Considering Concorde from the defence perspective allows us to analyse the divisions between the US and French grand design ideas – the IANF and Europe puissance – and how they provoked further friction in the Franco-British military relationship.

Chemo-prospecting Cleistanthus collinus, Lantana camara and Strychnos nux-vomica for rice pest management under laboratory conditions

Cleistanthus collinus Roxb., Lantana camara L. and Strychnos nux-vomica L. are abundantly available in tropical countries and are being used for pest management as an Indigenous Technical Knowledge. The present study decoded the biochemical constituents of these species and tested the efficacy of these plant products against major rice insect pests and diseases. Significantly higher phenol content and antioxidant activity (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-Azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assay) were found in C. collinus water extract, whereas S. nux-vomica extract had higher flavonoids. The major chemical constituents of C. collinus, L. camara and S. nux-vomica were 1,2,3-Benzenetriol, β- Phellandrene and Phytol, respectively. Water extract of C. collinus had significantly reduced the insect pests (brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål and gall midge, Orseolia oryzae Wood-Mason) and diseases (brown spot, Helminthosporium oryzae and bacterial leaf blight, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae). In contrast, S. nux-vomica water extract was most effective against the pathogens causing blast, Magnaporthe oryzae and sheath blight disease, Rhizoctonia solani in rice. The secondary metabolites, namely, 1,2,3-Benzenetriol, Neophytadiene, n-Hexadecanoic acid, Phytol etc. present in C. collinus extract reported to have biocidal activities against number of crop pests. As C. collinus has been listed as ‘vulnerable’ in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, it can be promoted as a viable component in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of rice for its conservation and economic utilization.

Exploitation and the Desirability of Unenforced Law

Many business transactions and employment contracts are wrongfully exploitative despite being consensual and beneficial to both parties, compared with a nontransaction baseline. This form of exploitation can present governments with a dilemma. Legally permitting exploitation may send the message that the public condones it. In some economic conditions, coercively enforced antiexploitation law may harm the people it is intended to help. Under these conditions, a way out of the dilemma is to enact laws with provisions that lack coercive enforcement. Noncoercive law would convey the state’s condemnation of wrongful exploitation without risking the harmful effects of coercively enforced law. It would also give firms and their agents a way of explaining nonexploitative pricing decisions to investors, and it may help give precise content to the moral duty to set prices and wages fairly. Governments should thus consider noncoercive law a viable component of their responses to exploitation.

Analysis and optimization on partition-based caching and delivery in satellite-terrestrial edge computing networks

As a viable component of 6G wireless communication architecture, satellite-terrestrial networks support efficient file delivery by leveraging the innate broadcast ability of satellite and the enhanced powerful file transmission approaches of multi-tier terrestrial networks. In the paper, we introduce edge computing technology into the satellite-terrestrial network and propose a partition-based cache and delivery strategy to make full use of the integrated resources and reducing the backhaul load. Focusing on the interference effect from varied nodes in different geographical distances, we derive the file successful transmission probability of the typical user and by utilizing the tool of stochastic geometry. Considering the constraint of nodes cache space and file sets parameters, we propose a near-optimal partition-based cache and delivery strategy by optimizing the asymptotic successful transmission probability of the typical user. The complex nonlinear programming problem is settled by jointly utilizing standard particle-based swarm optimization (PSO) method and greedy based multiple knapsack choice problem (MKCP) optimization method. Numerical results show that compared with the terrestrial only cache strategy, Ground Popular Strategy, Satellite Popular Strategy, and Independent and identically distributed popularity strategy, the performance of the proposed scheme improve by 30.5%, 9.3%, 12.5% and 13.7%.