The incidence of thyroid cancer is rising steadily because of overdiagnosis and overtreatment conferred by widespread use of sensitive imaging techniques for screening. This overall incidence growth ...is especially driven by increased diagnosis of indolent and well-differentiated papillary subtype and early-stage thyroid cancer, whereas the incidence of advanced-stage thyroid cancer has increased marginally. Thyroid ultrasound is frequently used to diagnose thyroid cancer. The aim of this study was to use deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) models to improve the diagnostic accuracy of thyroid cancer by analysing sonographic imaging data from clinical ultrasounds.
We did a retrospective, multicohort, diagnostic study using ultrasound images sets from three hospitals in China. We developed and trained the DCNN model on the training set, 131 731 ultrasound images from 17 627 patients with thyroid cancer and 180 668 images from 25 325 controls from the thyroid imaging database at Tianjin Cancer Hospital. Clinical diagnosis of the training set was made by 16 radiologists from Tianjin Cancer Hospital. Images from anatomical sites that were judged as not having cancer were excluded from the training set and only individuals with suspected thyroid cancer underwent pathological examination to confirm diagnosis. The model's diagnostic performance was validated in an internal validation set from Tianjin Cancer Hospital (8606 images from 1118 patients) and two external datasets in China (the Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, Jilin, 741 images from 154 patients; and the Weihai Municipal Hospital, Shandong, 11 039 images from 1420 patients). All individuals with suspected thyroid cancer after clinical examination in the validation sets had pathological examination. We also compared the specificity and sensitivity of the DCNN model with the performance of six skilled thyroid ultrasound radiologists on the three validation sets.
Between Jan 1, 2012, and March 28, 2018, ultrasound images for the four study cohorts were obtained. The model achieved high performance in identifying thyroid cancer patients in the validation sets tested, with area under the curve values of 0·947 (95% CI 0·935–0·959) for the Tianjin internal validation set, 0·912 (95% CI 0·865–0·958) for the Jilin external validation set, and 0·908 (95% CI 0·891–0·925) for the Weihai external validation set. The DCNN model also showed improved performance in identifying thyroid cancer patients versus skilled radiologists. For the Tianjin internal validation set, sensitivity was 93·4% (95% CI 89·6–96·1) versus 96·9% (93·9–98·6; p=0·003) and specificity was 86·1% (81·1–90·2) versus 59·4% (53·0–65·6; p<0·0001). For the Jilin external validation set, sensitivity was 84·3% (95% CI 73·6–91·9) versus 92·9% (84·1–97·6; p=0·048) and specificity was 86·9% (95% CI 77·8–93·3) versus 57·1% (45·9–67·9; p<0·0001). For the Weihai external validation set, sensitivity was 84·7% (95% CI 77·0–90·7) versus 89·0% (81·9–94·0; p=0·25) and specificity was 87·8% (95% CI 81·6–92·5) versus 68·6% (60·7–75·8; p<0·0001).
The DCNN model showed similar sensitivity and improved specificity in identifying patients with thyroid cancer compared with a group of skilled radiologists. The improved technical performance of the DCNN model warrants further investigation as part of randomised clinical trials.
The Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University in China, and National Natural Science Foundation of China.
Nano-particle planer laser scattering and particle image velocimetry technology are employed to observe the flow field of scramjet combustors based on cavity and cavity–strut flameholder. Density ...field and velocity distribution inside combustors are obtained. Mainstream fluid enters into cavity nearby side wall in experimental observation because side wall shock waves interact with bottom wall boundary layer. Cavity fluid is entrained into mainstream in the middle of combustor meanwhile. Flow past cavity displays obvious three dimensional characteristics in both combustors. But cavity–strut combustor displays asymmetrical flow field because of strut configuration. Mass exchange between mainstream and cavity fluid is evaluated by statistic mass flow rate into cavity. Mass flow rate near side wall is raised to 6.62 times of the value in the middle of cavity combustor while it is 5.1 times in cavity–strut combustor. Further study is needed to injection strategies and realistic flow characteristics on condition of combustion.
•The water released from ground ice melting is quantified from surface deformation.•Ground ice melting released water accounts for 19.3% of the lake volume increase.•The loss of cryospheric storage ...has largely (80%) offset the water gain in the lake.
The Dogai Coring Lake on the Tibetan Plateau, with widespread permafrost and glaciers in the watershed, has expanded rapidly between 2014 and 2020. However, it remains unclear how much melting water from permafrost and glaciers contributes to the increase in lake volume. This study quantifies the potential amount of water released by the melt of permafrost and glaciers, and assesses the fraction of water storage gains in the lake offset by the loss from the cryosphere (i.e., ground ice and glaciers). The small baseline subset interferometric synthetic aperture radar (SBAS-InSAR) method was used to derive the spatiotemporal changes in surface deformation, which then assisted the estimation of the potential water release from ground ice melting. The glacier mass balance was estimated using a geodetic method with ASTER DEMs. Results show that 51.3 % of the region experienced subsidence with rates in the range of 5–20 mm∙a−1 during 2014–2020. Ground ice melting released water at a rate of 35.1 × 106 m3∙a−1, accounting for ∼19.3 % of the increase in lake volume. The glacier mass loss rate was estimated to be − 0.69 ± 0.04 m w.e. yr−1 (113.6 ± 7.3 × 106 m3∙a−1), contributing ∼62.5 % to the lake volume increase. Our results show that the water storage loss in the cryosphere has largely (∼80 %) offset the water storage gain in the lake, suggesting that cryospheric meltwater is an important factor regulating water budget change of the lake watershed.
•Properties and functions of periphytic biofilms affected by light and temperature were studied.•Periphytic biofilms developed under higher irradiance had higher biomass.•Higher temperature supports ...thicker periphytic biofilms with higher Chl.a, EPS and TP contents.•Higher irradiance resulted in periphytic biofilms with lower denitrification capacity.
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Periphytic biofilms are microbial aggregates commonly present in submerged aquatic environments and play a significant role in nutrient cycling. In recent years, utilization of natural periphytic biofilms in wastewater treatment and water restoration attracts growing research interests. Light and temperature are two important environmental factors known to affect the development of periphytic biofilms and can be manipulated for the regulation of the biofilm properties. In this work, effects of light and temperature on the development and function (denitrification potential) of periphytic biofilms were investigated using a microcosm experiment. Results showed that thicker periphytic biofilms with higher Chlorophyll a, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and total phosphorus contents were developed under higher temperature. Whereas, biomass accumulation was more rapid for periphytic biofilms under higher irradiance. The denitrification potential rate was negatively associated with irradiance, which can be linked to the influence of irradiance on biofilm structure and microbial composition. A relatively lower irradiance is recommended when using periphytic biofilms in nitrogen removal from wastewater.
Shoot branching is among the most crucial morphological traits in rice (
Oryza sativa
L.) and is physiologically modulated by auxins, cytokinins (CKs), and strigolactones (SLs) cumulatively in rice. ...A number of studies focused on the interplay of these three hormones in regulating rice tiller extension. The present study primarily aimed at determining the impact of different treatments, which were used to regulate rice tiller and axillary bud development on node 2 at the tillering stage and full heading stage, respectively. Transcription levels of several genes were quantified through qRT-PCR analysis, and an endogenous auxin and four types of CKs were determined through LC-MS/MS. Both nutrient deficiency and exogenous SL supply were found to inhibit rice tiller outgrowth by reducing the CK content in the tiller buds. Furthermore, supplying the inhibitor of both exogenous SLs and endogenous SL synthesis could also affect the expression level of
OsCKX
genes but not the
OsIPT
genes. Comparison of
OsCKX
gene expression pattern under exogenous SL and CK supply suggested that the induction of
OsCKX
expression was most likely via a CK-induced independent pathway. These results combined with the expression of CK type-A
RR
genes in bud support a role for SLs in regulating bud outgrowth through the regulation of local CK levels. SL functioned antagonistically with CK in regulating the outgrowth of buds on node 2, by promoting the
OsCKX
gene expression in buds.
We present a theoretical analysis and experimental demonstration of particle trapping and manipulation around optothermally generated bubbles. We show that a particle located within 500 μm of a ...surface bubble can be attracted towards a bubble by drag force resulting from a convective flow. Once the particle comes in contact with the bubble's surface, a balance between surface tension forces and pressure forces traps the particle on the bubble surface, allowing the particle to move with the bubble without detaching. The proposed mechanism is confirmed by computational fluid dynamics simulations, force calculations, and experiments. Based on this mechanism, we experimentally demonstrated a novel approach for manipulating microparticles via optothermally generated bubbles. Using this approach, randomly distributed microparticles were effectively collected and carried to predefined locations. Single particles were also manipulated along prescribed trajectories. This bubble-based particle trapping and manipulation technique can be useful in applications such as micro assembly, particle concentration, and high-precision particle separation.
The systematic toxicological mechanism of cigarette smoke (CS) on ovarian reserve has not been extensively investigated. Female 8-week-old C57BL/6 mice at peak fertility were exposed to CS or indoor ...air only for 30 days (100 mice per group) and the effects of CS on ovarian reserve were assessed using Single-Nucleus RNA Sequencing (snRNA-seq). In addition, further biochemical experiments, including immunohistochemical staining, ELISA, immunofluorescence staining, transmission electron microscopy, cell counting kit-8 assay, flow cytometry analysis, senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining, and western blotting, were accomplished to confirm the snRNA-seq results. We identified nine main cell types in adult ovaries and the cell-type-specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs) induced by CS exposure. Western blot results verified that down-regulation of antioxidant genes (Gpx1 and Wnt10b) and the steroid biosynthesis gene (Fdx1) occurred in both ovarian tissue and human granulosa cell-like tumor cell line (KGN cells) after CS exposure. Five percent cigarette smoke extract (CSE) effectively stimulated the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA damage, cellular senescence and markedly inhibited KGN cell proliferation by inducing G1-phase cell cycle arrest. Moreover, down-regulation of Gja1, Lama1 and the Ferroptosis indicator (Gpx4) in granulosa cells plays a significant role in ultrastructural changes in the ovary induced by CS exposure. These observations suggest that CS exposure impaired ovarian follicle reserve might be caused by REDOX imbalance in granulosa cells. The current study systematically determined the damage caused by CS in mouse ovaries and provides a theoretical basis for early clinical prediction, diagnosis and intervention of CS exposure-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), and is of great significance in improving female reproductive health.
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•CS exposure resulted in diminished ovarian reserve in mice.•Cell-type-specific gene expression induced by CS exposure were revealed by snRNA-seq.•REDOX imbalance might play a central role in POI induced by CS exposure.
We study the coupling between photonic molecules and waveguides in photonic crystal slab structures using finite-difference time-domain method and coupled mode theory. In a photonic molecule with two ...cavities, the coupling of cavity modes results in two super-modes with symmetric and anti-symmetric field distributions. When two super-modes are excited simultaneously, the energy of electric field oscillates between the two cavities. To excite and probe the energy oscillation, we integrate photonic molecule with two photonic crystal waveguides. In coupled structure, we find that the quality factors of two super-modes might be different because of different field distributions of super-modes. After optimizing the radii of air holes between two cavities of photonic molecule, nearly equal quality factors of two super-modes are achieved, and coupling strengths between the waveguide modes and two super-modes are almost the same. In this case, complete energy oscillations between two cavities can be obtained with a pumping source in one waveguide, which can be read out by another waveguide. Finally, we demonstrate that the designed structure can be used for ultrafast optical switching with a time scale of a few picoseconds.
Plasmofluidics is the synergistic integration of plasmonics and micro/nanofluidics in devices and applications in order to enhance performance. There has been significant progress in the emerging ...field of plasmofluidics in recent years. By utilizing the capability of plasmonics to manipulate light at the nanoscale, combined with the unique optical properties of fluids and precise manipulation via micro/nanofluidics, plasmofluidic technologies enable innovations in lab‐on‐a‐chip systems, reconfigurable photonic devices, optical sensing, imaging, and spectroscopy. In this review article, the most recent advances in plasmofluidics are examined and categorized into plasmon‐enhanced functionalities in microfluidics and microfluidics‐enhanced plasmonic devices. The former focuses on plasmonic manipulations of fluids, bubbles, particles, biological cells, and molecules at the micro/nanoscale. The latter includes technological advances that apply microfluidic principles to enable reconfigurable plasmonic devices and performance‐enhanced plasmonic sensors. The article is concluded with perspectives on the upcoming challenges, opportunities, and possible future directions of the emerging field of plasmofluidics.
The most recent advances in the emerging field of plasmofluidics, which seeks the synergistic integration of plasmonics and micro/nanofluidics in devices and applications in order to enhance performance, are discussed in this review.
Liquid crystals are a promising candidate for development of active plasmonics due to their large birefringence, low driving threshold, and versatile driving methods. We review recent progress on the ...interdisciplinary research field of liquid crystal based plasmonics. The research scope of this field is to build the next generation of reconfigurable plasmonic devices by combining liquid crystals with plasmonic nanostructures. Various active plasmonic devices, such as switches, modulators, color filters, absorbers, have been demonstrated. This review is structured to cover active plasmonic devices from two aspects: functionalities and driven methods. We hope this review would provide basic knowledge for a new researcher to get familiar with the field, and serve as a reference for experienced researchers to keep up the current research trends.
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