Present and future of new systemic therapies for early and intermediate stages of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a high mortality neoplasm which usually appears on a cirrhotic liver.The therapeutic arsenal and subsequent prognostic outlook are intrinsically linked to the HCC stage at diagnosis.Notwithstanding the current deployment of treatments with curative intent(liver resection/local ablation and liver transplantation)in early and intermediate stages,a high rate of HCC recurrence persists,underscoring a pivotal clinical challenge.Emergent systemic therapies(ST),particularly immunotherapy,have demonstrate promising outcomes in terms of increase overall survival,but they are currently bound to the advanced stage of HCC.This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the literature,encompassing studies up to March 10,2024,evaluating the impact of novel ST in the early and intermediate HCC stages,specially focusing on the findings of neoadjuvant and adjuvant regimens,aimed at increasing significantly overall survival and recurrence-free survival after a treatment with curative intent.We also investigate the potential role of ST in enhancing the downstaging rate for the intermediate-stage HCC initially deemed ineligible for treatment with curative intent.Finally,we critically discuss about the current relevance of the results of these studies and the encouraging future implications of ST in the treatment schedules of early and intermediate HCC stages.

Coexistence of Dirac and Weyl points in non-centrosymmetric semimetal NbIrTe_(4)

Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations methods,we investigate the electronic structures and topological properties of ternary tellurides NbIrTe_(4),a candidate for type-II Weyl semimetal.We demonstrate the presence of several Fermi arcs connecting their corresponding Weyl points on both termination surfaces of the topological material.Our analysis reveals the existence of Dirac points,in addition to Weyl points,giving both theoretical and experimental evidences of the coexistence of Dirac and Weyl points in a single material.These findings not only confirm NbIrTe_(4) as a unique topological semimetal but also open avenues for exploring novel electronic devices based on its coexisting Dirac and Weyl fermions.

Enhanced anomalous Hall effect in kagome magnet YbMn_(6)Sn_(6)with intermediate-valence ytterbium

We report on the magnetization and anomalous Hall effect(AHE)in the high-quality single crystals of the kagome magnet YbMn_(6)Sn_(6),where the spins of the Mn atoms in the kagome lattice order ferromagnetically and the intermediate-valence Yb atoms are nonmagnetic.The intrinsic mechanism plays a crucial role in the AHE,leading to an enhanced anomalous Hall conductivity(AHC)compared with the other rare-earth RMn_(6)Sn_(6)compounds.Our band structure calculation reveals a strong hybridization between the 4f electrons of Yb and conduction electrons.

Exceptional points and quantum dynamics in a non-Hermitian two-qubit system

We study the exceptional-point(EP) structure and the associated quantum dynamics in a system consisting of a non-Hermitian qubit and a Hermitian qubit. We find that the system possesses two sets of EPs, which divide the systemparameter space into PT-symmetry unbroken, partially broken and fully broken regimes, each with distinct quantumdynamics characteristics. Particularly, in the partially broken regime, while the PT-symmetry is generally broken in the whole four-dimensional Hilbert space, it is preserved in a two-dimensional subspace such that the quantum dynamics in the subspace are similar to those in the PT-symmetry unbroken regime. In addition, we reveal that the competition between the inter-qubit coupling and the intra-qubit driving gives rise to a complex pattern in the EP variation with system parameters.

Pixelated non-volatile programmable photonic integrated circuits with 20-level intermediate states

Multi-level programmable photonic integrated circuits(PICs)and optical metasurfaces have gained widespread attention in many fields,such as neuromorphic photonics,opticalcommunications,and quantum information.In this paper,we propose pixelated programmable Si_(3)N_(4)PICs with record-high 20-level intermediate states at 785 nm wavelength.Such flexibility in phase or amplitude modulation is achieved by a programmable Sb_(2)S_(3)matrix,the footprint of whose elements can be as small as 1.2μm,limited only by the optical diffraction limit of anin-house developed pulsed laser writing system.We believe our work lays the foundation for laser-writing ultra-high-level(20 levels and even more)programmable photonic systems and metasurfaces based on phase change materials,which could catalyze diverse applications such as programmable neuromorphic photonics,biosensing,optical computing,photonic quantum computing,and reconfigurable metasurfaces.

Steam reforming of acetic acid over Ni/biochar of low metal-loading:Involvement of biochar in tailoring reaction intermediates renders superior catalytic performance

Biochar is a reactive carrier as it may be partially gasified with steam in steam reforming,which could influence the formation of reaction intermediates and modify catalytic behaviors.Herein,the Ni/biochar as well as two comparative catalysts,Ni/Al_(2)O_(3) and Ni/SiO_(2),with low nickel loading(2%(mass))was conducted to probe involvement of the varied carriers in the steam reforming.The results indicated that the Ni/biochar performed excellent catalytic activity than Ni/SiO_(2) and Ni/Al_(2)O_(3),as the biochar carrier facilitated quick conversion of the -OH from dissociation of steam to gasify the oxygen-rich carbonaceous intermediates like C=O and C-O-C,resulting in low coverage while high exposure of nickel species for maintaining the superior catalytic performance.In converse,strong adsorption of aliphatic intermediates over Ni/Al_(2)O_(3) and Ni/SiO_(2) induced serious coking with polymeric coke as the main type(21.5%and 32.1%,respectively),which was significantly higher than that over Ni/biochar(3.9%).The coke over Ni/biochar was mainly aromatic or catalytic type with nanotube morphology and high crystallinity.The high resistivity of Ni/biochar towards coking was due to the balance between formation of coke and gasification of coke and partially biochar with steam,which created developed mesopores in spent Ni/biochar while the coke blocked pores in Ni/Al_(2)O_(3) and Ni/SiO_(2) catalysts.

Prediction of collapse process and tipping points for mutualistic and competitive networks with k-core method

Ecosystems generally have the self-adapting ability to resist various external pressures or disturbances,which is always called resilience.However,once the external disturbances exceed the tipping points of the system resilience,the consequences would be catastrophic,and eventually lead the ecosystem to complete collapse.We capture the collapse process of ecosystems represented by plant-pollinator networks with the k-core nested structural method,and find that a sufficiently weak interaction strength or a sufficiently large competition weight can cause the structure of the ecosystem to collapse from its smallest k-core towards its largest k-core.Then we give the tipping points of structure and dynamic collapse of the entire system from the one-dimensional dynamic function of the ecosystem.Our work provides an intuitive and precise description of the dynamic process of ecosystem collapse under multiple interactions,and provides theoretical insights into further avoiding the occurrence of ecosystem collapse.

Strategic regulation of nitrogen-containing intermediates for enhanced nitrate reduction over Co_(3)O_(4)/SiC catalyst having multiple active centers

Regulating the intermediates involved in the electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction(NO_(3)RR)is crucial for the enhancement of reaction efficiency.However,it remains a great challenge to regulate the reaction intermediates through active site manipulation on the surface of the catalyst.Here,a family of n%-Co_(3)O_(4)/SiC(n=5,8,12,20)catalysts with a delicate percentage of Co^(2+)and Co^(3+)were prepared for NO_(3)RR.We found that Co^(3+)primarily acts as the active site for NO_(3)^(−)reduction to NO_(2)^(−),while Co^(2+)is responsible for the conversion of NO_(2)^(−)to NH_(3).Moreover,the conversion of these intermediates over the active sites is autonomous and separately controllable.Both processes synergistically accomplish the reduction of nitrate ions to synthesize ammonia.Combining the experimental studies and density functional theory(DFT)calculations,it is discovered the pathway(^(*)NHO→^(*)NHOH→^(*)NH_(2)OH→^(*)NH_(2)→^(*)NH_(3))is more favorable due to the lowerΔG value(0.25 eV)for the rate-limiting step(^(*)NO→^(*)NHO).The NH_(3)yield rate of 8%-Co_(3)O_(4)/SiC reached 1.08 mmol/(cm^(2)h)with a Faradaic efficiency of 96.4%at−0.89 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE),surpassing those of most reported non-noble NO_(3)RR catalysts.This strategy not only provides an efficient catalyst for NO_(3)RR but also serves as an illustrative model for the regulation of multi-step reaction intermediates through the design of distinct active sites,thereby presenting a new approach to enhance the efficiency of intricate reactions.

Triple points and phase transitions of D-dimensional dyonic Ad S black holes with quasitopological electromagnetism in Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet gravity

By considering the negative cosmological constant Λ as a thermodynamic pressure, we study the thermodynamics and phase transitions of the D-dimensional dyonic Ad S black holes(BHs) with quasitopological electromagnetism in Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet(EGB) gravity. The results indicate that the small/large BH phase transition that is similar to the van der Waals(vdW) liquid/gas phase transition always exists for any spacetime dimensions. Interestingly, we then find that this BH system exhibits a more complex phase structure in 6-dimensional case that is missed in other dimensions.Specifically, it shows for D = 6 that we observed the small/intermediate/large BH phase transitions in a specific parameter region with the triple point naturally appeared. Moreover, when the magnetic charge turned off, we still observed the small/intermediate/large BH phase transitions and triple point only in 6-dimensional spacetime, which is consistent with the previous results. However, for the dyonic Ad S BHs with quasitopological electromagnetism in Einstein–Born–Infeld(EBI) gravity, the novel phase structure composed of two separate coexistence curves observed by Li et al. [Phys. Rev. D105 104048(2022)] disappeared in EGB gravity. This implies that this novel phase structure is closely related to gravity theories, and seems to have nothing to do with the effect of quasitopological electromagnetism. In addition, it is also true that the critical exponents calculated near the critical points possess identical values as mean field theory. Finally, we conclude that these findings shall provide some deep insights into the intriguing thermodynamic properties of the dyonic Ad S BHs with quasitopological electromagnetism in EGB gravity.

Petrophysical Evaluation of Cape Three Points Reservoirs

The findings of a study to ascertain and assess the petrophysical characteristics of Cape Three Points reservoirs in the Western basin with a view to describe the reservoir quantitatively using Well Logs, Petrel and Techlog. The investigated characteristics, which were all deduced from geophysical wire-line logs, include lithology, porosity, permeability, fluid saturation, and net to gross thickness. To characterise the reservoir on the field, a suite of wire-line logs including gamma ray, resistivity, spontaneous potential, and density logs for three wells (WELL_1X, WELL_2X, and WELL_3X) from the Tano Cape Three Point basin were studied. The analyses that were done included lithology delineation, reservoir identification, and petrophysical parameter determination for the identified reservoirs. The tops and bases of the three wells analysed were marked at a depth of 1203.06 - 2015.64 m, 3863.03 - 4253.85 m and 2497.38 - 2560.32 m respectively. There were no hydrocarbons in the reservoirs from the studies. The petrophysical parameters computed for each reservoir provided porosities of 13%, 3% and 11% respectively. The water saturation also determined for these three wells (WELL_1X, WELL_2X and WELL_3X) were 94%, 95% and 89% respectively. These results together with the behaviour of the density and neutron logs suggested that these wells are wildcat wells.

Regulating^(*)COOH intermediate via amino alkylation engineering for exceptionally effective photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction

Photocatalytic reduction of CO_(2) into fuel represents a promising approach for achieving carbon neutrality,while realizing high selectivity in this process is challenging due to uncontrollable reaction intermediate and retarded desorption of target products.Engineering the interface microenvironment of catalysts has been proposed as a strategy to exert a significant influence on reaction outcomes,yet it remains a significant challenge.In this study,amino alkylation was successfully integrated into the melem unit of polymeric carbon nitrides(PCN),which could efficiently drive the photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction.Experimental characterization and theoretical calculations revealed that the introduction of amino alkylation lowers the energy barrier for CO_(2) reduction into^(*)COOH intermediate,transforming the adsorption of^(*)COOH intermediate from the endothermic to an exothermic process.Notably,the as-prepared materials demonstrated outstanding performance in photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction,yielding CO_(2)at a rate of 152.8μmol h^(-1) with a high selectivity of 95.4%and a quantum efficiency of 6.6%.

The study of intelligent algorithm in particle identification of heavy-ion collisions at low and intermediate energies

Traditional particle identification methods face timeconsuming,experience-dependent,and poor repeatability challenges in heavy-ion collisions at low and intermediate energies.Researchers urgently need solutions to the dilemma of traditional particle identification methods.This study explores the possibility of applying intelligent learning algorithms to the particle identification of heavy-ion collisions at low and intermediate energies.Multiple intelligent algorithms,including XgBoost and TabNet,were selected to test datasets from the neutron ion multi-detector for reaction-oriented dynamics(NIMROD-ISiS)and Geant4 simulation.Tree-based machine learning algorithms and deep learning algorithms e.g.TabNet show excellent performance and generalization ability.Adding additional data features besides energy deposition can improve the algorithm’s performance when the data distribution is nonuniform.Intelligent learning algorithms can be applied to solve the particle identification problem in heavy-ion collisions at low and intermediate energies.

Freshening of the Intermediate Waters in the Northern South China Sea over the Past Six Decades

The properties of salinity in the South China Sea(SCS),a significant marginal sea connecting the Pacific and Indian Oceans,are greatly influenced by the transport of fresh water flux between the two oceans.However,the long-term changes in the intermediate water in the SCS have not been thoroughly studied due to limited data,particularly in relation to its thermodynamic variations.This study utilized reanalysis data products to identify a 60-year trend of freshening in the intermediate waters of the northern South China Sea(NSCS),accompanied by an expansion of low-salinity water.The study also constructed salinity budget terms,including advection and entrainment processes,and conducted an analysis of the salinity budget to understand the impacts of external and internal dynamic processes on the freshening trend of the intermediate water in the NSCS.The analysis revealed that the freshening in the northwest Pacific Ocean and the intensification of intrusion through the Luzon Strait at intermediate levels are the primary drivers of the salinity changes in the NSCS.Additionally,a weakened trend in the intensity of vertical entrainment also contributes to the freshening in the NSCS.This study offers new insights into the understanding of regional deep sea changes in response to variations in both thermodynamics and oceanic dynamic processes.

Clinical study on the treatment of functional constipation in infants and younger children with pediatric Tuina based on Baliao points

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of Tuina(Chinese therapeutic massage),basically Yi Zhi Chan pushing at Baliao points in the treatment of functional constipation in infants and children aged 1-3 years old.Methods:Seventy kids were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group,with 35 cases in each group.The control group was treated with conventional Tuina manipulation,while the observation group was treated with Tuina manipulation based on Yi Zhi Chan pushing at Baliao points.Both groups were treated once every other day,with 10 times as 1 course of treatment.The score on the self-developed constipation rating scale and clinical efficacy were compared after 1 course of treatment.Results:The total effective rate was 90.6%in the observation group and 76.7%in the control group,and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).The degree of defecation difficulty in the children in the observation group was milder than that in the control group(P<0.01).Conclusion:Tuina manipulation based on Yi Zhi Chan pushing at Baliao points can significantly improve the degree of defecation difficulty in children,and the total effective rate is better than that of conventional Tuina manipulation.

Quantitative determination of the critical points of Mott metal–insulator transition in strongly correlated systems

Mottness is at the heart of the essential physics in a strongly correlated system as many novel quantum phenomena occur in the metallic phase near the Mott metal–insulator transition. We investigate the Mott transition in a Hubbard model by using the dynamical mean-field theory and introduce the local quantum state fidelity to depict the Mott metal–insulator transition. The local quantum state fidelity provides a convenient approach to determining the critical point of the Mott transition. Additionally, it presents a consistent description of the two distinct forms of the Mott transition points.

Analysis of the inflection points of height-diameter models

The inflection point is an important feature of sigmoidal height-diameter(H-D)models.It is often cited as one of the properties favoring sigmoidal model forms.However,there are very few studies analyzing the inflection points of H-D models.The goals of this study were to theoretically and empirically examine the behaviors of inflection points of six common H-D models with a regional dataset.The six models were the Wykoff(WYK),Schumacher(SCH),Curtis(CUR),HossfeldⅣ(HOS),von Bertalanffy-Richards(VBR),and Gompertz(GPZ)models.The models were first fitted in their base forms with tree species as random effects and were then expanded to include functional traits and spatial distribution.The distributions of the estimated inflection points were similar between the two-parameter models WYK,SCH,and CUR,but were different between the threeparameter models HOS,VBR,and GPZ.GPZ produced some of the largest inflection points.HOS and VBR produced concave H-D curves without inflection points for 12.7%and 39.7%of the tree species.Evergreen species or decreasing shade tolerance resulted in larger inflection points.The trends in the estimated inflection points of HOS and VBR were entirely opposite across the landscape.Furthermore,HOS could produce concave H-D curves for portions of the landscape.Based on the studied behaviors,the choice between two-parameter models may not matter.We recommend comparing seve ral three-parameter model forms for consistency in estimated inflection points before deciding on one.Believing sigmoidal models to have inflection points does not necessarily mean that they will produce fitted curves with one.Our study highlights the need to integrate analysis of inflection points into modeling H-D relationships.

Analyzing the Essay Writing Patterns of Iranian Intermediate-Level Korean Language Learners: A Study Based on the TOPIK Exam

This study examines the writing abilities of Iranian intermediate Korean learners,specifically their performance in the compositional writing section of the Test of Proficiency in Korean(TOPIK).By utilizing the many FACETS-Rasch Model,we meticulously analyzed nine writing samples from the 52nd TOPIK.These samples were evaluated using a modified rubric ranging from 0 to 3 based on predefined criteria for written composition.The results underscored that the sections on“appropriateness of spacing and spelling,”“relevance of vocabulary,”and“content diversity”presented the most significant challenges for the learners.On the other hand,“the quantity of writing”emerged as the least challenging aspect.These findings reveal substantial disparities in various aspects of writing proficiency among learners.The study not only pinpoints issue areas in writing skills,but also underscores the necessity of customized teaching strategies within the TOPIK framework to address these weaknesses.Consequently,it offers valuable insights that could bolster the effectiveness of teaching writing to Korean language learners.The findings of this study are not only significant for the field of language education,but also contribute to a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by intermediate learners and provide a roadmap for improving language instruction.

Changes in the Supply of Public Intermediate Goods,Fixed Wage,and the Relative Price in the Harris-Todaro Model

Since the Harris-Todaro model was proposed in 1970,it has played a crucial role in analyzing various environmental and trade issues in developing countries.This paper analyzes the effects of the amount of public intermediate goods provided by the government,the increase in the fixed wage rate in the urban sector,and the changes in the relative international prices of agricultural and manufacturing goods on labor employment,unemployment,and the economic welfare in the context of a small open economy.It also proposes relevant policies to reduce the unemployment rate while improving national welfare.

Analysis of the Significance of Key Points of Patient Interventional Psychological Care and Pain Care

Interventional therapy has become increasingly popular in clinical practice due to advancements in medical technology.However,patients often experience psychological and physiological pressure due to its invasive nature.The management of patient discomfort and tension is crucial to ensure effective treatment.Psychological and pain management are essential components of interventional therapy,as they significantly impact patient recovery and prognosis.This article discussed the importance of interventional psychological and pain care for patients,starting with the development and spread of interventional therapy.The significance of providing high-quality nursing services to patients and improving their quality of life was also discussed.

Experimental study on failure characteristics of single-sided unloading rock under different intermediate principal stress conditions

Investigation of unloading rock failure under differentσ_(2)facilitates the control mechanism of excavation surrounding rock.This study focused on single-sided unloading tests of granite specimens under true triaxial conditions.The strength and failure characteristics were studied with micro-camera and acoustic emission(AE)monitoring.Furthermore,the choice of test path and the effect ofσ_(2)on fracture of unloading rock were discussed.Results show that the increasedσ_(2)can strengthen the stability of single-sided unloading rock.After unloading,the rock’s free surface underwent five phases,namely,inoculation,particle ejection,buckling rupture,stable failure,and unstable rockburst phases.Moreover,atσ_(2)≤30 MPa,the b value shows the following variation tendency:rising,dropping,significant fluctuation,and dropping,with dispersed damages signal.Atσ_(2)≥40 MPa,the tendency shows:a rise,a decrease,a slight fluctuation,and final drop,with concentrated damages signal.After unloading,AE energy is mainly concentrated in the micro-energy range.With the increasedσ_(2),the micro-energy ratio rises.In contrast,low,medium and large energy ratios drop gradually.The increased tensile fractures and decreased shear fractures indicate that the failure mode of the unloading rock gradually changes from tensile-shear mode to tensile-split one.The fractional dimension of the rock fragments first increases and then decreases with an inflection point at 20 MPa.The distribution of SIF on the planes changes asσ_(2)increases,resulting in strengthening and then weakening of the rock bearing capacity.