Recent advances in two-photon imaging: technology developments and biomedical applications

In the past two decades, two-photon microscopy (TPM) transforms biomedicalresearch, allowing nondestructive high-resolution fluorescent molecular imaging and label-free imaging in vivo and in real time. Here we review the recent advances of TPM technologyincluding novel laser sources, new image acquisition paradiams, and microendoscopicimaging systems. Then, we survey the capabilities of TPM imagingof biological relevant molecules such as nicotinamideadenine dinucleotide (NADH), flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD),and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Biomedical applications of TPM in neuroscience and cancer detection are demonstrated.     

A Convenient Dediazoniation of Arenediazonium Tetrafluoroborates: Triethylamine Effects on Competitive Ionic and Radical Dediazoniation

Triethylamine was very efficient in the dediazoniation of arenediazonium salt. The major product depended on the comparative molar ratio (r) of triethylamine to benzenediazonium salt. When r<0.5, anisole (ionic product) was a major, while benzene (radical product) was a major when r>1.     

Machine Learning Approaches to Predict Hepatotoxicity Risk in Patients Receiving Nilotinib

Background: Although nilotinib hepatotoxicity can cause severe clinical conditions and may alter treatment plans, risk factors affecting nilotinib-induced hepatotoxicity have not been investigated. This study aimed to elucidate the factors affecting nilotinib-induced hepatotoxicity. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was performed on patients using nilotinib from July of 2015 to June of 2020. We estimated the odds ratio and adjusted odds ratio from univariate and multivariate analyses, respectively. Several machine learning models were developed to predict risk factors of hepatotoxicity occurrence. The area under the curve (AUC) was analyzed to assess clinical performance. Results: Among 353 patients, the rate of patients with grade I or higher hepatotoxicity after nilotinib administration was 40.8%. Male patients and patients who received nilotinib at a dose of ≥300 mg had a 2.3-fold and a 3.5-fold increased risk for hepatotoxicity compared to female patients and compared with those who received <300 mg, respectively. H2 blocker use decreased hepatotoxicity by 11.6-fold. The area under the curve (AUC) values of machine learning methods ranged between 0.61–0.65 in this study. Conclusion: This study suggests that the use of H2 blockers was a reduced risk of nilotinib-induced hepatotoxicity, whereas male gender and a high dose were associated with increased hepatotoxicity.     

Iodine- and Bromine-Based Dry Etching of LaCaMnO3

Two novel plasma chemistries, BI ₃ and BBr ₃ , have been employed for dry etching of LaCaMnO ₃ thin films. For both mixtures there is some chemical enhancement of etch rates at low halide compositions in the discharge, and the rates are a strong function of ion/neutral ratio. Maximum rates are obtained at ratios near 0.02. Etch yields are typically low (<0.3) under inductively-coupled plasma (CICP) conditions. Smooth _d surface morphologies are obtained over a wide range of conditions, with high-fidelity pattern transfer using SiO ₂ or SiN _x masks.     

Asymmetry in electrical properties of Al‐doped TiO2 film with respect to bias voltage

The energy diagram of RuO₂/Al‐doped TiO₂/RuO₂ structures was estimated from the capacitance–voltage and leakage current density–voltage curves. The Al‐doping profile in TiO₂ film was varied by changing position of the atomic layer deposition cycle of Al₂O₃ during the atomic layer deposition of 9 nm‐thick TiO₂ film. The interface between the TiO₂ film and the RuO₂ electrode containing Al‐doping layer showed a higher Schottky barrier by 0.1 eV compared with the opposite interface without the doping layer. The evolution of various leakage current profiles upon increasing the bias with opposite polarity could be well explained by the asymmetric Schottky barrier. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Heat/Mass transfer in a two-pass rotating rectangular duct with and without 70°-angled ribs

The present study investigates convective heat/mass transfer and flow characteristics inside a cooling passage of rotating gas-turbine blades. The rotating duct with and without rib turbulators are used. The ribs of 70° attack angle are attached on leading and trailing surfaces in a staggered arrangement. A naphthalene sublimation technique is employed to determine detailed local heat transfer coefficients using the heat and mass transfer analogy. Additional numerical calculations are conducted to analyze the flow patterns in the cooling. The local heat/mass transfer and the flow pattern in the passage are changed significantly according to rib configurations, duct turning geometry and duct rotation speed. The results show that the duct rotation generates the heat transfer discrepancy between the leading and trailing walls due to the secondary flows induced by the Coriolis force. The heat/mass transfer on the ribbed duct shows 80% higher than the smooth duct because the ribs attached on the walls disturb the mainflow resulting in recirculation and secondary flows near the rib with the secondary flow generated by rotation. The overall heat transfer pattern on the leading and trailing walls for the first and second passes depend on the rotating speed and the turning geometry, but the local heat transfer trend is affected mainly by the rib arrangeements.     

Boundary Value Problems for Parabolic Operators in a Time-Varying Domain

We prove the existence of unique solutions to Dirichlet boundary value problems for linear second-order uniformly parabolic operators in either divergence or non-divergence form with boundary blowup low-order coefficients. The domain is possibly time varying, non-smooth, and satisfies an exterior measure condition.     

Macroeconomic labour productivity and its impact on firm's profitability

The construction industry is one of the largest sectors in the US economy, yet little is known about the key macroeconomic parameters that affect its industry’s structure and performance. The main objectives of this research are (1) to analyse the macroeconomic performance of construction industry as a whole and at 14 of its sub-sectors in terms of labour productivity, gross margin, and worker's wages; and (2) to develop a quantitative model that predicts a firm's profitability by analysing various levels of labour productivity. The results of a non-linear regression analysis based on the comprehensive US Economic Census data show that the construction industry’s sub-sectors with the highest productivity are the most profitable with regard to the gross margins that they are able to generate. This study and its model will help decision makers better assess macroeconomic performance and conduct trend analysis of the construction industry to serve as a basis for developing strategic roadmap for the future.     

Boundary Integrals and Approximations of Harmonic Functions

Steklov expansions for a harmonic function on a rectangle are derived and studied with a view to determining an analog of the mean value theorem for harmonic functions. It is found that the value of a harmonic function at the center of a rectangle is well approximated by the mean value of the function on the boundary plus a very small number (often 3 or fewer) of specific further boundary integrals. These integrals are coefficients in the Steklov representation of the function. Similar approximations are found for the central values of solutions of Robin and Neumann boundary value problems. The results follow from analyses of the explicit expressions for the Steklov eigenvalues and eigenfunctions.