Wide Scan Research Articles

Optical frequency synthesizer for wide range frequency scan and its application to high-resolution molecular spectroscopy

Optical frequency synthesizer for wide range frequency scan and its application to high-resolution molecular spectroscopy

Phenotypic evidence of deltamethrin resistance and identification of selective sweeps in Anopheles mosquitoes on the Bijagós Archipelago, Guinea-Bissau

Vector control in the Bijagós Archipelago of Guinea-Bissau currently relies on pyrethroid insecticide-treated nets. However, data on insecticide resistance in Guinea-Bissau is limited. This study identified deltamethrin resistance in the Anopheles gambiae sensu lato complex on Bubaque island using WHO tube tests in November 2022. Whole genome sequencing of An. gambiae sensu stricto mosquitoes identified six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously associated with, or putatively associated with, insecticide resistance: T791M, L995F, N1570Y, A1746S and P1874L in the vgsc gene, and L119V in the gste2 gene. Twenty additional non-synonymous SNPs were identified in insecticide-resistance associated genes. Four of these SNPs were present at frequencies over 5% in the population: T154S, I126F and G26S in the vgsc gene and A65S in ace1. Genome wide selection scans using Garud’s H12 statistic identified two selective sweeps: one in chromosome X and one in chromosome 2R. Both selective sweeps overlap with metabolic genes previously associated with insecticide resistance, including cyp9k1 and the cyp6aa/cyp6p gene cluster. This study presents the first phenotypic testing for deltamethrin resistance and the first whole genome sequence data for Anophelesgambiae mosquitoes from the Bijagós, contributing data of significance for vector control policy in this region.

Evaluation of imaging dose for the cone beam computed tomography system of the ring-shaped radiotherapy unit using the different International Electrotechnical Commission approaches

PurposeDaily imaging is mandatory for the Halcyon and Ethos, which are the new ring-shaped radiotherapy units. This study quantified the imaging dose of the cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) system of the new ring-shaped radiotherapy units using the latest International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) measurement approach. Furthermore, we investigated the influence of collimation width on the imaging dose and compared the imaging dose values obtained using three IEC measurement approaches. MethodsThe IEC has proposed three approaches for measuring CTDI100: traditional, transition, and the latest measurement approach. In addition to the dose measured on the CTDI phantom, the latest IEC approach uses correction factors measured in free air for CTDI100 measurement. The imaging dose was measured for all scanning protocols using the latest IEC approach. To investigate the influence of the collimation width on the imaging dose, the associated dose metric values were evaluated and compared using different IEC approaches to increase the collimation width (2–28 cm). Furthermore, the imaging system output stability was evaluated by repeated measurements. ResultsIn the repeated measurements, the standard deviation of CTDIw value for the pelvis and head protocol was 0.05 mGy and 0.01 mGy, respectively. And the coefficient of variation was 0.21% and 0.23%, respectively. The measured CTDIw values of the clinical protocols were higher than the vendor-provided value, except for the pelvis protocol. The value of CTDIw changes little with increasing collimation width using the latest IEC approach. The traditional and transition approaches either underestimated or overestimated the value of CTDIw, as measured by the latest IEC approach, with increasing collimation width. ConclusionsThe new ring-shaped radiotherapy units imaging system has good output stability. The CTDIw values measured for clinical scanning protocols generally exceeded the vendor-provided values. Compared with the latest IEC CTDI100 measurement approach, the traditional and transition measurement approaches were more influenced by beam width. For wide CBCT scans, rationalizing the choice of imaging dose measurement approach is important.

Wide scan angle multibeam conformal antenna array with novel feeding for mm-wave 5G applications

This paper presents a low-profile wide scan angle multibeam conformal antenna array system with a novel feeding network for 28 GHz mm-wave 5G applications. The proposed antenna system utilizes two conventional branch-line couplers as its beamforming network. A novel feeding technique is applied to generate 7 beams with these couplers that are usually capable of generating 2 beams. The proposed solution provides a wide scanning range with a minimum realized gain of 5 dBi from −90° to 90° owing to this feeding approach and the peculiar placement of the array elements on a 0.15 mm thick R-F775 bendable substrate. The generated beams at their steer direction have the minimum and maximum gain values of 6.5 dBi and 9.7 dBi, respectively. A low-cost PCB manufacturing technique based on soft lithography and wet etching is used. The system dimensions excluding extra connector sections are 67×15×3mm3. The proposed flexible design is suitable for lightweight 5G communication systems and handsets with its compact low-complexity beamforming network, and wide 180° continuous covering angle.

Electron cyclotron emission calibration with Thomson scattering using a wide scan of toroidal magnetic field of KSTAR.

The Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) tokamak is capable of operating at a wide range of toroidal magnetic fields up to 3.5T at the major radius. The electron cyclotron emission (ECE) diagnostic on KSTAR is required to cover a broad frequency range for electron temperature profile measurements in both the low and high field sides. To meet these broadband requirements, the ECE system consists of W-band (78-110GHz) and D-band (110-162GHz) heterodyne radiometers. The two radiometers are connected to 28 and 48 detection channels, respectively. However, since the absolute ECE calibration based on the hot-cold calibration has been very challenging, an alternative method of calibration was performed using Thomson scattering measurements and varying toroidal magnetic fields. As the toroidal magnetic field is scanned from 1.6 to 3.2T in steps of 0.2T, most of the 76 ECE channels are calibrated relatively by the electron temperature values of Thomson scattering in a narrow region (0.2 < r/a <0.6). In this article, the methodological details of the ECE calibration are described. In addition, to demonstrate the robustness of the ECE calibration factors, the calibrated electron temperature profiles from ECE measurements are compared with the ion temperature profiles in terms of the plasma position as the plasma positon shifts outward.

Dual-potential ratiometric electrochemiluminescence based on single emitter and single coreactant for the sensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen

Dual-potential ratiometric electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is in favor of resistance to environmental interference. However, two kinds of emitters or coreactants, and a wide scan potential range (>2 V) are mandatory. This work developed a new dual-potential ratiometric ECL sensor for detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) using single emitter (luminol) and single coreactant (H2O2) with a mild potential range from −0.1 to 0.6 V. Luminol could produce a strong cathodic ECL (Ec) induced by hydroxyl radicals (HO‧) from the reduction of H2O2, and a relatively weak anodic ECL (Ea). After the ferrocene modified CEA aptamer (Apt-Fc) was attached, Fc could promote Ea by catalyzing the oxidation of H2O2, and reduce Ec by consuming HO‧. With the cycling amplification of the exonuclease I, CEA could substantially reduce the amount of Apt-Fc, resulting in the decrease of Ea and the rise of Ec. So, the ratio of Ec to Ea (Ec/Ea) was used as the detection signal, realizing the sensitive determination of CEA from 0.1 pg mL−1 to 10 ng mL−1 with a LOD of 41.85 fg mL−1 (S/N = 3). The developed sensor demonstrated excellent specificity, stability and reproducibility, with satisfactory results in practical detection.

Comparison of computed tomography perfusion and magnetic resonance dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion-weighted imaging in canine brain.

Brain perfusion allows for the evaluation of cerebral hemodynamics, particularly in brain infarcts and tumors. Computed tomography (CT) perfusion (CTP) provides reliable data; however, it has a limited scan field of view and radiation exposure. Magnetic resonance (MR) perfusion provides detailed imaging of small structures and a wide scan field of view. However, no study has compared CTP and MR perfusion and assessed the correlation between the perfusion parameters measured using CTP and MR perfusion. The aim of the present study was to assess the correlation and agreement of the cerebral perfusion derived from dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC)-MRI and CTP in dogs. In this crossover design study, the cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF), mean transit time, and time to peak were measured in the temporal cerebral cortex, caudate nucleus, thalamus, piriform lobe, and hippocampus using CTP and DSC-MRI in six healthy beagle dogs and a dog with a pituitary tumor. On the color map of healthy beagles, blood vessels and the perivascular brain parenchyma appeared as red-green, indicating high perfusion, and the areas distant from the vessels appeared as green-blue, indicating low perfusion levels in CTP and DSC-MRI. CTP parameters were highest in the piriform lobe (CBF = 121.11 ± 12.78 mL/100 g/min and CBV = 8.70 ± 2.04 mL/100 g) and lowest in the thalamus (CBF = 63.75 ± 25.24 mL/100 g/min and CBV = 4.02 ± 0.55 mL/100 g). DSC-MRI parameters were also highest in the piriform lobe (CBF = 102.31 ± 14.73 mL/100 g/min and CBV = 3.17 ± 1.23 mL/100 g) and lowest in the thalamus (CBF = 37.73 ± 25.11 mL/100 g/min and CBV = 0.81 ± 0.44 mL/100 g) although there was no statistical correlation in the quantitative perfusion parameters between CTP and DSC-MRI. In a dog with a pituitary tumor, the color map of the tumor appeared as a red scale, indicating high perfusion and higher CBF and CBV on CTP (149 mL/100 g and 20 mL/100 g/min) and on DSC-MRI (116.3 mL/100 g and 15.32 mL/100 g/min) compared to those measured in healthy dogs. These findings indicate that DSC-MRI and CTP maps exhibit comparability and interchangeability in the assessment of canine brain perfusion.

Design of a novel wide-angle Rotman lens beamformer for 5G mmWave applications

The attachment of 5G with millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies offers massive capacity and low latency to reveal the full 5G experiences. High directive gain and beamforming are considered essential for mmWave 5G systems. The main requirements of the beamforming network for 5G mmWave applications are the scanning coverage of ± 60° and SLL > 10 dB in a wide operational bandwidth over the standard 5G frequency bands. In this paper, a novel PCB-based wide-angle Rotman lens beamformer is designed, simulated, and successfully measured to meet the mentioned requirements for 5G mmWave applications. A comprehensive improved design methodology is provided for all components of the Rotman lens to reach a wide scanning angle, enhanced sidelobe level, and low scan loss. The end-fire Vivaldi antenna is selected as an array element for easy integration to the beamforming network as well as its capability to use in dual-polarization configuration. The proposed Rotman lens is operational in the 24–30 GHz frequency band covering 5G n257, n258, and n261 frequency bands. The results show a nearly constant 8 beams across the whole bandwidth steering from − 53° to 53° in 15° increments to provide ± 60° coverage with the SLL > 10 dB and scan loss < 1.9 dB. The retrieved novelties from this work contain an effective design methodology for an optimized Rotman lens with wide-scan angle and low phase and amplitude error, non-uniform distribution based array ports, and integration with end-fire antenna for possible dual polarization and 2-D beamforming capabilities. The comparison of the proposed beamformer with the most recent works shows several advantages in terms of integrated structure and performances including bandwidth, wide scanning angle, SLL, and scan loss. With such performances, this beamformer can be used for various mmWave and 5G applications such as advanced antenna systems, massive MIMO systems, and hybrid beamforming systems.

Aperture Fed Microstrip Dual Polarization Wide Scan Phased Array Antenna With Mutual Coupling Reduction

Aperture Fed Microstrip Dual Polarization Wide Scan Phased Array Antenna With Mutual Coupling Reduction

Agreement, repeatability, and reproducibility of quantitative retinal layer assessment using swept-source and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in eyes with retinal diseases.

To evaluate the agreement and precision of retinal thickness measurements obtained using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and spectral-domain OCT (SD-OCT) in healthy eyes and eyes with retinopathy. This cross-sectional prospective study involved three DRI-OCT Triton (SS-OCT) and three 3D-OCT-1 Maestro (SD-OCT) devices. One of each device (Maestro and Triton) was paired with a single operator. Healthy subjects and patients with retinal diseases were recruited, with study eye and testing order randomized. At least 3 scans per eye were captured for wide scan (12 mm × 9 mm-Triton and Maestro) and macular cube scan (7 mm × 7 mm-Triton, 6 mm × 6 mm-Maestro). Thickness of the full retina, ganglion cell layer + inner plexiform layer (GCL+), and ganglion cell complex (GCL++) were obtained from wide scan and cube scans. Agreement of the measurements between the Triton and Maestro was evaluated by Bland-Altman analysis and Deming regression for each group. Repeatability and reproducibility were assessed using a two-way random effect analysis of variance (ANOVA) model for each parameter by group. Twenty-five healthy subjects (25 eyes) and 26 patients with retinal diseases (26 eyes), including, but not limited to, age-related macular degeneration, macular hole, and diabetic retinopathy were recruited. Overall, the measurement differences between Triton and Maestro were <6 μm (mean differences of full retina, GCL++, and GCL+ thickness were ≤5.5 μm, 1.3 μm, and 2.8 μm, respectively) and not statistically significant across the parameters. The repeatability and reproducibility estimates indicate high precision in both devices and groups. Across all the parameters, the repeatability limit was ≤7.6 μm for Triton and ≤12.7 μm for Maestro; reproducibility limit was ≤9.2 μm for Triton and ≤14.4 μm for Maestro. In eyes with retinal pathology, the repeatability coefficient of variation (CV)% was ≤2.6% for Triton and ≤3.4% for Maestro; reproducibility CV% was ≤3.3% for Triton and ≤3.5% for Maestro. Both Triton SS-OCT and Maestro SD-OCT provide reliable measurements of retinal thickness in healthy eyes and eyes with retinal diseases. Excellent agreement between the two devices indicates interoperability when testing healthy eyes or eyes with retinal pathology. These findings support the use of thickness measurements from Triton SS-OCT and Maestro SD-OCT in clinical practice.

XPS study of NiO thin films obtained by chemical vapor deposition

Nickel oxide (NiO) thin films are of great importance for a variety of technological applications, especially in (photo)electrocatalysis for clean energy production and pollutant degradation. In this field, various research efforts are devoted to the preparation of thin films with controllable chemicophysical properties. In the framework of our research activities, we have recently fabricated NiO thin films by means of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using a series of closely related Ni(II) β-diketonate-diamine molecular precursors. In the present work, the attention is focused on the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of a representative NiO film grown at 400 °C in an O2 + H2O reaction atmosphere. Besides the wide scan spectrum, high resolution spectra for C 1s, O 1s, and, in particular, Ni 2p are reported and discussed in detail.

Genetic Markers Regulating Blood Pressure in Extreme Discordant Sib Pairs.

Genome-wide scans performed in affected sib pairs have revealed small and often inconsistent clues to the loci responsible for the inherited components of hypertension. Since blood pressure is a quantitative trait regulated by many loci, two siblings at opposite extremes of the blood pressure distribution are more likely to have inherited different alleles at any given locus. Hence, we investigated an extreme discordant sib pair strategy to analyse markers from two previous loci of interest: (1) the Gordons syndrome locus that includes the WNK4 gene and (2) the ROMK locus identified in our first genome-wide scan. For this study, 24 sib pairs with strong family histories of essential hypertension were selected from the top and bottom 10% of the blood pressure distribution and genotyped for highly polymorphic microsatellite markers on chromosomes 11 and 17. The mean age of the population was 39.8 ± 7.8 years. A significant inverse correlation was found between the squared difference in pulse pressure and the number of alleles shared by IBD between the siblings for the DS11925 marker (r = -0.44, p = 0.031), systolic pressure and chromosome 17 markers (D17S250: r = -0.42, p = 0.040; D17S799 (r = -0.51, p = 0.011), and this relationship persisted after correcting for age and gender. Markers on chromosome 17 (D17S250, D17S928 and D17S1301) and 11 (D11S1999) also correlated with diastolic pressure. These results illustrate the successful use of discordant sib pair analysis to detect linkage within relatively small numbers of pedigrees with hypertension. Further analysis of this cohort may be valuable in complementing findings from the large genome wide scans in affected sib pairs.

Agreement and precision of wide and cube scan measurements between swept-source and spectral-domain OCT in normal and glaucoma eyes

This study aimed to evaluate agreement of Wide scan measurements from swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) Triton and spectral-domain OCT (SD-OCT) Maestro in normal/glaucoma eyes, and to assess the precision of measurements from Wide and Cube scans of both devices. Three Triton and three Maestro operator/device configurations were created by pairing three operators, with study eye and testing order randomized. Three scans were captured for Wide (12 mm × 9 mm), Macular Cube (7 mm × 7 mm–Triton; 6 mm × 6 mm-Maestro), and Optic Disc Cube (6 mm × 6 mm) scans for 25 normal eyes and 25 glaucoma eyes. Parameter measurements included circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer(cpRNFL), ganglion cell layer + inner plexiform layer (GCL+), and ganglion cell complex (GCL++). A two-way random effect analysis of variance model was used to estimate the repeatability and reproducibility; agreement was evaluated by Bland–Altman analysis and Deming regression. The precision estimates were low, indicating high precision, for all thickness measurements with the majority of the limits < 5 µm for the macula and < 10 µm for the optic disc. Precision of the Wide and Cube scans were comparable. Excellent agreement between the two devices was found for Wide scans, with the mean difference < 3 µm across all measurements (cpRNFL < 3 µm, GCL+ < 2 µm, GCL ++ < 1 µm), indicating interoperability. A single Wide scan covering the peripapillary and macular regions may be useful for glaucoma diagnosis and management.

Wide Scan, Active K-Band, Direct-Integrated Phased Array for Efficient High-Power Tx-Generation

In this paper, we propose a new wide-scan active directintegrated 1×5 phased array antenna (AIPAA) for mm-Wave applications. The AIPAA’s unit-cell comprises three K-band miniaturized tapered slot elements, a GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) as a power amplifier (PA), a stability circuit, an input matching network, and biasing components. The tapered slot antenna element is reshaped so that its input impedance closely matches the optimal load impedance of the HEMT (Z <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><i>opt</i></sub> =6+j38Ω at 22 GHz), which enhances the system efficiency. The peak integrated PAs’ Power-Added Efficiency (PAE <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><i>p</i></sub> ) is ≥ 56% with ≤ 9% variation over scan coverage (±50°) at 1.5dB power backoff from P1dB. The peak AIPAA system Power-Added Efficiency (PAE <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><i>s</i></sub> ) is 51% with a peak array radiation efficiency of 92%. The relative frequency bandwidth with PAE <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><i>p</i></sub> above 25% is between 9%-13% over the scan range. The proposed AIPAA demonstrates less than 0.9dB and 1dB scanloss over the scan coverage in terms of antenna array gain and PAs’ power gain (G <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><i>p</i></sub> ), respectively. The peak PA-integrated array gain and EIRP at P1dB of 24dBi and 51dBm are achieved, respectively. The proposed AIPAA’s size is 18 × 58 × 17mm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sup> with a cell of 9.2 × 6.5 × 1.8mm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sup> . The measurements are in good agreement with electromagnetic and circuit co-simulation results.

Multimodal Deep Learning Classifier for Primary Open-angle Glaucoma Diagnosis Using Wide-field Optic Nerve Head Cube Scans in Eyes With and Without High Myopia.

An OCT-based multimodal deep learning classification model including texture information is introduced that outperforms single-modal models and multimodal models without texture information for glaucoma diagnosis in eyes with and without high myopia. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a multimodal deep learning (DL) classifier using wide optical coherence tomography (OCT) optic nerve head cube scans in eyes with and without axial high myopia. 371 primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes and 86 healthy eyes, all without axial high myopia (axial length AL≤26mm) and 92 POAG eyes and 44 healthy eyes, all with axial high myopia (AL>26mm) were included. The multimodal DL classifier combined features of 3 individual VGG-16 models: 1) texture-based en face image, 2) retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness map image and 3) confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO) image. Age, AL, and disc area adjusted area under the receiver operating curves (AUROC) were used to compare model accuracy. Adjusted AUROC for the multimodal DL model was 0.91 (95% CI = 0.87, 0.95). This value was significantly higher than the values of individual models (0.83 [0.79, 0.86] for texture based en face image; 0.84 [0.81, 0.87] for RNFL thickness map; and 0.68 [0.61, 0.74] for cSLO image; all P≤0.05). Using only highly myopic eyes, the multimodal DL model showed significantly higher diagnostic accuracy (0.89 [0.86 , 0.92]) compared to texture en face image (0.83 [0.78 , 0.85]), RNFL (0.85 [0.81 , 0.86]) and cSLO image models (0.69 [0.63 , 0.76]) (all P≤0.05). Combining OCT-based RNFL thickness maps with texture based en face images showed better ability to discriminate between healthy and POAG than thickness maps alone, particularly in high axial myopic eyes.

Ultra‐wideband frequency selective surface based tightly coupled dipole array with integrated balun

AbstractAn ultra‐wideband and wide‐scan tightly coupled dipoles array based on frequency selective surface (FSS) is proposed, and the traditional wide‐angle scan impedance matching dielectric layer is replaced by FSS with printed metal strips to achieve the tuning of the scanning impedance of the array. Additionally, the metal strip FSS, dipole radiating elements and feeding structure are all printed on the same printed circuit board, and the whole design is highly integrated. Finally, a low‐cost lightweight single‐polarization tightly coupled antenna array with ultra‐wide band and wide scan performance is presented. Subject to the criterion of active Voltage standing Wave ratio(VSWR) &lt; 3, beam scanning coverage of ±45° along E plane, H plane and D plane can be accomplished within the frequency band range across 0.4–2 GHz. An array prototype was produced and tested, and the results showed that the effectiveness of the design was well validated.

Therapeutic outcomes wide association scan of different antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia: Randomized clinical trials and multi-ancestry validation.

This study identified discrepant therapeutic outcomes of antipsychotics. A total of 5191 patients with schizophrenia were enrolled, 3030 as discovery cohort, 1395 as validation cohort, and 766 as multi-ancestry validation cohort. Therapeutic Outcomes Wide Association Scan was conducted. Types of antipsychotics (one antipsychotic vs other antipsychotics) were dependent variables, therapeutic outcomes including efficacy and safety were independent variables. In discovery cohort, olanzapine related to higher risk of weight gain (AIWG, OR: 2.21-2.86), liver dysfunction (OR: 1.75-2.33), sedation (OR: 1.76-2.86), increased lipid level (OR: 2.04-2.12), and lower risk of extrapyramidal syndrome (EPS, OR: 0.14-0.46); risperidone related to higher risk of hyperprolactinemia (OR: 12.45-20.53); quetiapine related to higher risk of sedation (OR = 1.73), palpitation (OR = 2.87), increased lipid level (OR = 1.69), lower risk of hyperprolactinemia (OR: 0.09-0.11), and EPS (OR: 0.15-0.44); aripiprazole related to lower risk of hyperprolactinemia (OR: 0.09-0.14), AIWG (OR = 0.44), sedation (OR: 0.33-0.47), and QTc prolongation (β = -2.17); ziprasidone related to higher risk of increased QT interval (β range: 3.11-3.22), nausea (OR: 3.22-3.91), lower risk of AIWG (OR: 0.27-0.46), liver dysfunction (OR: 0.41-0.38), and increased lipid level (OR: 0.41-0.55); haloperidol related to higher risk of EPS (OR: 2.64-6.29), hyperprolactinemia (OR: 5.45-9.44), and increased salivation (OR: 3.50-3.68). Perphenazine related to higher risk of EPS (OR: 1.89-2.54). Higher risk of liver dysfunction in olanzapine and lower risk of hyperprolactinemia in aripiprazole were confirmed in validation cohort, and higher risk of AIWG in olanzapine and hyperprolactinemia in risperidone were confirmed in multi-ancestry validation cohort. Future precision medicine should focus on personalized side-effects.

Genetic improvement of economic traits in Murrah buffalo using significant SNPs from genome-wide association study.

GWAS helps to identify QTL and candidate genes of specific traits. Buffalo breeding has primarilyfocused on milk production, but its negative correlation with reproduction traits resulted in unfavorable declineof reproductive performance among buffaloes. A genome wide scan was performed on a total of 120 Murrah buffaloes genotyped by ddRAD sequencing for 13 traits related to female fertility, production, and growth.The identified 25 significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (P <1×106) are associated with age at first calving (AFC), age at first service (AFS), period from calving to 1st Artifical Insemination (AI), service period (SP) and 6 month body weight (6M). Fifteen genetic variants overlapped with different QTL regions of reported studies. Among the associated loci, outstanding candidate genes for fertility, including AQP1, TRNAE-CUC, NRIP1, CPNE4, and VOPP1, have effect in different fertility traits. AQP1 gene is expressed inovulatory phaseand variousstages of pregnancy. TRNAE-CUC gene is associatedwith AFC and number. of calvings after 4 years of age. Glycogen content-associated geneCPNE4 regulates muscle glycogen and isupregulated during early pregnancy. NRIP1 generegulatesovulation, corpus luteum at pregnancy, and mammary gland development.The objectiveis to identify potential genomic regions and genetic variants associated with economic traits and to selectthe most significant SNP which have positive effect on all the traits.

Transverse impedance studies of 2D azimuthally symmetric devices of finite length

The accurate calculation of the beam coupling impedance for particle accelerators is necessary to carefully assess the machine stability against impedance-driven collective effects. A first order evaluation of the beam coupling impedance is often done by means of analytical formulas and/or 2D numerical codes. The infinite length approximation is often used to simplify the calculation of the beam coupling impedance of accelerator elements. This is expected to be a reasonable assumption for devices whose length is greater than the transverse dimension but may be a less accurate approximation for segmented devices. In this work, we present the application of the mode matching method to the calculation of the transverse dipolar impedance of a cylindrical cavity loaded with a toroidal insert. By choosing different insert electromagnetic properties (permittivity, permeability, and conductivity) and dimensions, the model can represent a beam pipe, a thin insert, a lossy cavity, or a collimator for which the effect of the finite length is investigated. The method is successfully benchmarked against available analytical formulas, field-matching codes, and 3D commercial solvers. The proposed model allows for performing wide parametric scans and reaching accurate results, therefore becoming an essential tool for the impedance evaluation of accelerator devices.

A wide scan of plasma proteins demonstrates thioredoxin reductase 1 as a potential new diagnostic biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma

Background Patients with liver cirrhosis are recommended ultrasonography screening for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma to increase the chances of curative treatment. However, ultrasonography alone lacks in sensitivity. Adding plasma biomarkers may increase the detection rate. We performed a broad exploratory analysis to find new plasma proteins with potential applicability for HCC screening in patients with cirrhosis. Methods In a protein discovery cohort of 172 patients with cirrhosis or HCC, we screened for 481 proteins with suspension bead array or proximity extension assay. From these, 24 proteins were selected for further analysis in a protein verification cohort (n = 160), using ELISA, Luminex or an electrochemiluminescence platform. A cut-off model and a stepwise logistic regression model were used to find combinations of proteins with the best discriminatory performance between HCC and cirrhosis. Results Stepwise logistic regression revealed alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), decarboxy-prothrombin (DCP), thioredoxin reductase 1 (TXNRD1), and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) as the proteins with the best discriminatory performance between HCC and cirrhosis. Adding TXNRD1 to DCP and AFP increased the AUC from 0.844 to 0.878, and combining AFP, DCP and TXNRD1 with age and sex resulted in an AUC of 0.920. FGF21, however, did not further increase the performance when including age and sex. Conclusion In the present study, TXNRD1 improves the sensitivity and specificity of AFP and DCP as HCC screening tools in patients with cirrhosis. We suggest that TXNRD1 should be validated in prospective settings as a new complementary HCC biomarker together with AFP and DCP.