Prostate cancer with elevated free prostate-specific antigen density:A case report

BACKGROUND Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men worldwide,and prostate-specific antigen(PSA)is often used in clinical practice to screen for prostate cancer.Normal total PSA(tPSA)level initially excludes prostate cancer.Here,we report a case of prostate cancer with elevated free PSA density(fPSAD).CASE SUMMARY A patient diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia underwent prostatectomy,and the postoperative pathological results showed acinar adenocarcinoma of the prostate.The patient is currently undergoing endocrine chemotherapy.CONCLUSION We provide a clinical reference for diagnosis and treatment of patients with normal tPSA but elevated fPSAD.

Dual-Ion Co-Regulation System Enabling High-Performance Electrochemical Artificial Yarn Muscles with Energy-Free Catch States

Artificial yarn muscles show great potential in applications requiring low-energy consumption while maintaining high performance. However, conventional designs have been limited by weak ion-yarn muscle interactions and inefficient “rocking-chair” ion migration. To address these limitations, we present an electrochemical artificial yarn muscle design driven by a dual-ion co-regulation system. By utilizing two reaction channels, this system shortens ion migration pathways, leading to faster and more efficient actuation. During the charging/discharging process, PF_6~- ions react with carbon nanotube yarn, while Li~+ ions react with an Al foil. The intercalation reaction between PF_6~- and collapsed carbon nanotubes allows the yarn muscle to achieve an energy-free high-tension catch state. The dual-ion coordinated yarn muscles exhibit superior contractile stroke, maximum contractile rate, and maximum power densities, exceeding those of “rocking-chair” type ion migration yarn muscles. The dual-ion co-regulation system enhances the ion migration rate during actuation, resulting in improved performance. Moreover, the yarn muscles can withstand high levels of isometric stress, displaying a stress of 61 times that of skeletal muscles and 8 times that of “rocking-chair” type yarn muscles at higher frequencies. This technology holds significant potential for various applications, including prosthetics and robotics.

The Prisoner of“Freedom”:Cultural Displacement of Santosh in Naipaul’s In a Free State

In a Free State is a post-colonial novel written by Naipaul.“One out of Many”is one of the stories in this novel to explore the freedom of the culturally rootless.The protagonist,Santosh,lives under the collision between the Indian culture and American culture.In the“crevice”of two different cultures,he is deeply involved in the tumultuous and painful process of cultural displacement.His behaviors in cultural displacement can be divided into three stages.Firstly,he has experienced a“cultural shock”after his arrival in Washington,D.C.as a new comer.Secondly,after being fully exposed to the host culture and American style,he has experienced assimilation and absorption to be like an American.Finally when he escapes from his employer and chooses his own way of living,he finds that he is not free at all because he is confronted with an awkward cultural dilemma:he can neither return to his past life;nor can he aspire to a better future.The anxiety about the dislocation causes misery for his fate.As a result,he becomes a prisoner in an unfamiliar culture,and his“freedom”can only be a rootless“freedom”.

GLOBAL SOLUTIONS TO 1D COMPRESSIBLE NAVIER-STOKES/ALLEN-CAHN SYSTEM WITH DENSITY-DEPENDENT VISCOSITY AND FREE-BOUNDARY

This paper is concerned with the Navier-Stokes/Allen-Cahn system,which is used to model the dynamics of immiscible two-phase flows.We consider a 1D free boundary problem and assume that the viscosity coefficient depends on the density in the form ofη(ρ)=ρ^(α).The existence of unique global H^(2m)-solutions(m∈N)to the free boundary problem is proven for when 0<α<1/4.Furthermore,we obtain the global C^(∞)-solutions if the initial data is smooth.

Evaluation of freezing state of sandstone using ultrasonic time-frequency characteristics

Common problems in engineering projects that involve artificial ground freezing of soil or rock include inadequate thickness,strength and continuity of artificial frozen walls.It is difficult to evaluate the freezing state using only a few thermometer holes at fixed positions or with other existing approaches.Here we report a novel experimental design that investigates changes in ultrasonic properties(received waveform,wave velocity V_(p),wave amplitude,frequency spectrum,centroid frequency f_(c),kurtosis of the frequency spectrum KFS,and quality factor Q)measured during upward freezing,compared with those during uniform freezing,in order to determine the freezing state in 150 mm cubic blocks of Ardingly sandstone.Water content,porosity and density were estimated during upward freezing to ascertain water migration and changes of porosity and density at different stages.The period of receiving the wave increased substantially and coda waves changed from loose to compact during both upward and uniform freezing.The trend of increasing V_(p) can be divided into three stages during uniform freezing.During upward freezing,V_(p) increased more or less uniformly.The frequency spectrum could be used as a convenient and rapid method to identify different freezing states of sandstone(unfrozen,upward frozen,and uniformly frozen).The continuous changes in reflection coefficient r_(φ),refraction coefficient t_(φ) and acoustic impedance field are the major reason for larger reflection and refraction during upward freezing compared with uniform freezing.Wave velocity V_(p),wave amplitude A_(h),centroid frequency f_(c) and quality factor Q were adopted as ultrasonic parameters to evaluate quantitatively the temperature T of uniformly frozen sandstone,and their application within a radar chart is recommended.Determination of V_(p) provides a convenient method to evaluate the freezing state and calculate the cryofront height and frozen section thickness of upward frozen sandstone,with accuracies of 73.37%-99.23%.

Event-triggered model-free adaptive control for a class of surface vessels with time-delay and external disturbance via state observer

This paper provides an improved model-free adaptive control(IMFAC)strategy for solving the surface vessel trajectory tracking issue with time delay and restricted disturbance.Firstly,the original nonlinear time-delay system is transformed into a structure consisting of an unknown residual term and a parameter term with control inputs using a local compact form dynamic linearization(local-CFDL).To take advantage of the resulting structure,use a discrete-time extended state observer(DESO)to estimate the unknown residual factor.Then,according to the study,the inclusion of a time delay has no effect on the linearization structure,and an improved control approach is provided,in which DESO is used to adjust for uncertainties.Furthermore,a DESO-based event-triggered model-free adaptive control(ET-DESO-MFAC)is established by designing event-triggered conditions to assure Lyapunov stability.Only when the system’s indicator fulfills the provided event-triggered condition will the control input signal be updated;otherwise,the control input will stay the same as it is at the last trigger moment.A coordinate compensation approach is developed to reduce the steady-state inaccuracy of trajectory tracking.Finally,simulation experiments are used to assess the effectiveness of the proposed technique for trajectory tracking.

Target layer state estimation in multi-layer complex dynamical networks considering nonlinear node dynamics

In many engineering networks, only a part of target state variables are required to be estimated.On the other hand,multi-layer complex network exists widely in practical situations.In this paper, the state estimation of target state variables in multi-layer complex dynamical networks with nonlinear node dynamics is studied.A suitable functional state observer is constructed with the limited measurement.The parameters of the designed functional observer are obtained from the algebraic method and the stability of the functional observer is proven by the Lyapunov theorem.Some necessary conditions that need to be satisfied for the design of the functional state observer are obtained.Different from previous studies, in the multi-layer complex dynamical network with nonlinear node dynamics, the proposed method can estimate the state of target variables on some layers directly instead of estimating all the individual states.Thus, it can greatly reduce the placement of observers and computational cost.Numerical simulations with the three-layer complex dynamical network composed of three-dimensional nonlinear dynamical nodes are developed to verify the effectiveness of the method.

Topological edge and corner states of valley photonic crystals with zipper-like boundary conditions

We present a stable valley photonic crystal(VPC)unit cell with C_(3v)symmetric quasi-ring-shaped dielectric columns and realize its topological phase transition by breaking mirror symmetry.Based on this unit cell structure,topological edge states(TESs)and topological corner states(TCSs)are realized.We obtain a new type of wave transmission mode based on photonic crystal zipper-like boundaries and apply it to a beam splitter assembled from rectangular photonic crystals(PCs).The constructed beam splitter structure is compact and possesses frequency separation functions.In addition,we construct a box-shaped triangular PC structures with zipper-like boundaries and discover phenomena of TCSs in the corners,comparing its corner states with those formed by other boundaries.Based on this,we explore the regularities of the electric field patterns of TESs and TCSs,explain the connection between the characteristic frequencies and locality of TCSs,which helps better control photons and ensures low power consumption of the system.

Predicted Critical State Based on Invariance of the Lyapunov Exponent in Dual Spaces

Critical states in disordered systems,fascinating and subtle eigenstates,have attracted a lot of research interests.However,the nature of critical states is difficult to describe quantitatively,and in general,it cannot predict a system that hosts the critical state.We propose an explicit criterion whereby the Lyapunov exponent of the critical state should be 0 simultaneously in dual spaces,namely the Lyapunov exponent remains invariant under the Fourier transform.With this criterion,we can exactly predict a one-dimensional quasiperiodic model which is not of self-duality,but hosts a large number of critical states.Then,we perform numerical verification of the theoretical prediction and display the self-similarity of the critical state.Due to computational complexity,calculations are not performed for higher dimensional models.However,since the description of extended and localized states by the Lyapunov exponent is universal and dimensionless,utilizing the Lyapunov exponent of dual spaces to describe critical states should also be universal.Finally,we conjecture that some kind of connection exists between the invariance of the Lyapunov exponent and conformal invariance,which can promote the research of critical phenomena.

The 5αcondensate state in 20Ne

Theclustering phenomenon,in which nucleons are arranged intoparticles(4 He nuclei)within a nuclear system,is one of the most intriguing aspects of nuclear structure.It has been observed in various light nuclei,such as^(8)Be,^(12)C,^(16)O,and^(20)Ne,and is responsible for many exotic and fascinating phenomena,such as the Hoyle state in^(12)C,which plays an essential role in stellar nucleosynthesis[1-6]as well as in heavy-ion collisions[7-9].

Comparative Study of the Socioeconomic Characteristics and Digital Literacy Level of Agricultural Extension Personnel in Imo and Ebonyi States, South-East, Nigeria

The study comparatively analysed the socioeconomic characteristics and digital literacy level of Agricultural Extension personnel (AEP) in Ebonyi and Imo States, South-East, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of agricultural extension personnel in Ebonyi and Imo States, and to ascertain the digital literacy level of AEP in the studied states. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 312 Agricultural Extension personnel (132 from Ebonyi State Agricultural Development Program and 180 from Imo State Agricultural Development Program) for the study. Data were collected through the use of validated and structured questionnaire, and administered through the help of well-trained enumerators. Data were analysed using simple descriptive statistical tools such as percentages mean score, standard deviation and weighted mean. Findings indicated that they were more male in the both States (55.3% and 57.8%) for Ebonyi and Imo State respectively and that the average age of AEP in Ebonyi and Imo States were 44.7 years and 49.2 years respectively. It was further revealed that the majority (77.3% and 82.8%) had B.Sc./HND as their highest academic qualifications, belonged to professional organisations (62.1% and 75%), and were earning an average monthly income of N58,798 and N62,648 for Ebonyi and Imo State respectively. Also, it was revealed that their mean years of service were 12.4 years and 13.4 years for Ebonyi and Imo State respectively. Almost all of them (87.9% and 95.0%) own a smartphone, had access to the internet (80.3% and 90.0%), but do not own a laptop/ipad (82.6% and 72.8%) for Ebon-yi and Imo State respectively. Results further revealed that Agricultural extension personnel in both Ebonyi and Imo State respectively had low digital literacy level ( = 2.41 and 2.32). The study concluded that AEP in Ebonyi and Imo State respectively had similar socioeconomic characteristics and low level of digital literacy. The study recommended that the management of ADPs in both Ebonyi and Imo State should ensure the training of AEP in digital skills to enhance their digital literacy level to enable them use digital technologies in their work.

CONVEXITY OF THE FREE BOUNDARY FOR AN AXISYMMETRIC INCOMPRESSIBLE IMPINGING JET

This paper is devoted to the study of the shape of the free boundary for a threedimensional axisymmetric incompressible impinging jet.To be more precise,we will show that the free boundary is convex to the fluid,provided that the uneven ground is concave to the fluid.

Deep learning for determining pure isotropic proton spectra from solidstate spectra

Recently,an article on ^(1)H solid-state NMR spectra was published,in which the authors proposed a deep learning approach to infer the pure isotropic proton NMR spectra obtained at an infinite magic angle spinning(MAS)rate.This approach even allowed to obtain,by far,the best resolved ^(1)H spectra of molecular solids[1](https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202216607).Deep learning based artificial intelligence is developing rapidly,and its application is deepening.Currently,there are many applications of deep learning in the field of magnetic resonance,such as the reconstruction of the under-sampled multidimensional spectra[2-4],the deconvolution of two-dimensional NMR spectra[5]and noise suppression and weak peak retrial[6],etc.

Numerical simulation for the initial state of avalanche in polydisperse particle systems

Numerical simulation is employed to investigate the initial state of avalanche in polydisperse particle systems.Nucleation and propagation processes are illustrated for pentadisperse and triadisperse particle systems,respectively.In these processes,particles involved in the avalanche grow slowly in the early stage and explosively in the later stage,which is clearly different from the continuous and steady growth trend in the monodisperse system.By examining the avalanche propagation,the number growth of particles involved in the avalanche and the slope of the number growth,the initial state can be divided into three stages:T1(nucleation stage),T2(propagation stage),T3(overall avalanche stage).We focus on the characteristics of the avalanche in the T2 stage,and find that propagation distances increase almost linearly in both axial and radial directions in polydisperse systems.We also consider the distribution characteristics of the average coordination number and average velocity for the moving particles.The results support that the polydisperse particle systems are more stable in the T2 stage.

Morphology and valence state evolution of Cu:Unraveling the impact on nitric oxide electroreduction

Ammonia(NH3)serves as a critical component in the fertilizer industry and fume gas denitrification.However,the conventional NH3production process,namely the Haber-Bosch process,leads to considerable energy consumption and waste gas emissions.To address this,electrocatalytic nitric oxide reduction reaction(NORR)has emerged as a promising strategy to bridge NH3consumption to NH3production,harnessing renewable electricity for a sustainable future.Copper(Cu)stands out as a prominent electrocatalyst for NO reduction,given its exceptional NH3yield and selectivity.However,a crucial aspect that remains insufficiently explored is the effects of morphology and valence states of Cu on the NORR performance.In this investigation,we synthesized CuO nanowires(CuO-NF)and Cu nanocubes(Cu-NF)as cathodes through an in situ growth method.Remarkably,CuO-NF exhibited an impressive NH3yield of 0.50±0.02 mg cm^(-2)h^(-1)at-0.6 V vs.reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE)with faradaic efficiency of29,68%±1,35%,surpassing that of Cu-NF(0.17±0.01 mg cm^(-2)h^(-1),16.18%±1.40%).Throughout the electroreduction process,secondary cubes were generated on the CuO-NF surface,preserving their nanosheet cluster morphology,sustained by an abundant supply of subsurface oxygen(s-O)even after an extended duration of 10 h,until s-O depletion ensued.Conversely,Cu-NF exhibited inadequate s-O content,leading to rapid crystal collapse within the same timeframe.The distinctive current-potential relationship,akin to a volcano-type curve,was attributed to distinct NO hydrogenation mechanisms.Further Tafel analysis revealed the exchange current density(i0)and standard heterogeneous rate constant(k0)for CuO-NF,yielding 3.44×10^(-6)A cm^(-2)and 3.77×10^(-6)cm^(-2)s^(-1)when NORR was driven by overpotentials.These findings revealed the potential of CuO-NF for NO reduction and provided insights into the intricate interplay between crystal morphology,valence states,and electrochemical performance.

Spectroscopy and molecule opacity investigation on excited states of SiS

The SiS molecule,which plays a significant role in space,has attracted a great deal of attention for many years.Due to complex interactions among its low-lying electronic states,precise information regarding the molecular structure of SiS is limited.To obtain accurate information about the structure of its excited states,the high-precision multireference configuration interaction(MRCI)method has been utilized.This method is used to calculate the potential energy curves(PECs)of the 18Λ–S states corresponding to the lowest dissociation limit of SiS.The core–valence correlation effect,Davidson’s correction and the scalar relativistic effect are also included to guarantee the precision of the MRCI calculation.Based on the calculated PECs,the spectroscopic constants of quasi-bound and bound electronic states are calculated and they are in accordance with previous experimental results.The transition dipole moments(TDMs)and dipole moments(DMs)are determined by the MRCI method.In addition,the abrupt variations of the DMs for the 1^(5)Σ^(+)and 2^(5)Σ^(+)states at the avoided crossing point are attributed to the variation of the electronic configuration.The opacity of SiS at a pressure of 100 atms is presented across a series of temperatures.With increasing temperature,the expanding population of excited states blurs the band boundaries.

Observation of flat-band localized state in a one-dimensional diamond momentum lattice of ultracold atoms

We investigated the one-dimensional diamond ladder in the momentum lattice platform. By inducing multiple twoand four-photon Bragg scatterings among specific momentum states, we achieved a flat band system based on the diamond model, precisely controlling the coupling strength and phase between individual lattice sites. Utilizing two lattice sites couplings, we generated a compact localized state associated with the flat band, which remained localized throughout the entire time evolution. We successfully realized the continuous shift of flat bands by adjusting the corresponding nearest neighbor hopping strength, enabling us to observe the complete localization process. This opens avenues for further exploration of more complex properties within flat-band systems, including investigating the robustness of flat-band localized states in disordered flat-band systems and exploring many-body localization in interacting flat-band systems.

Enhancing Private Healthcare Effectiveness in Lagos State, Nigeria: An Overview of the Effect of Quality Improvement Initiatives and Implications for Sustainable Healthcare Delivery

Background: Nigeria, a nation grappling with rapid population growth, economic intricacies, and complex healthcare challenges, particularly in Lagos State, the economic hub and most populous state, faces the challenge of ensuring quality healthcare access. The overview of the effect of quality improvement initiatives in this paper focuses on private healthcare providers in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study assesses the impact of donor-funded quality improvement projects on these private healthcare facilities. It explores the level of participation, perceived support, and tangible effects of the initiatives on healthcare delivery within private healthcare facilities. It also examines how these initiatives influence patient inflow and facility ratings, and bring about additional benefits and improvements, provides insights into the challenges faced by private healthcare providers in implementing quality improvement projects and elicits recommendations for improving the effectiveness of such initiatives. Methods: Qualitative research design was employed for in-depth exploration, utilizing semi-structured interviews. Private healthcare providers in Lagos involved in the SP4FP Quality Improvement Project were purposively sampled for diversity. Face-to-face interviews elicited insights into participation, perceived support, and project effects. Questions covered participation levels, support perception, changes observed, challenges faced, and recommendations. Thematic analysis identified recurring themes from interview transcripts. Adherence to ethical guidelines ensured participant confidentiality and informed consent. Results: Respondents affirmed active involvement in the SP4FP Quality Improvement Project, echoing literature emphasizing private-sector collaboration with the public sector. While acknowledging positive influences on facility ratings, respondents highlighted challenges within the broader Nigerian healthcare landscape affecting patient numbers. Respondents cited tangible improvements, particularly in staff management and patient care processes, validating the positive influence of quality improvement projects. Financial constraints emerged as a significant challenge, aligning with existing literature emphasizing the pragmatic difficulties faced by private healthcare providers. Conclusions: This study illuminates the complex landscape of private healthcare provision in Lagos State, emphasizing the positive impact of donor-funded quality improvement projects. The findings provide nuanced insights, guiding policymakers, healthcare managers, and practitioners toward collaborative, sustainable improvements. As Nigeria progresses, these lessons will be crucial in shaping healthcare policies prioritizing population well-being.

Recent progress on valley polarization and valley-polarized topological states in two-dimensional materials

Valleytronics, using valley degree of freedom to encode, process, and store information, may find practical applications in low-power-consumption devices. Recent theoretical and experimental studies have demonstrated that twodimensional(2D) honeycomb lattice systems with inversion symmetry breaking, such as transition-metal dichalcogenides(TMDs), are ideal candidates for realizing valley polarization. In addition to the optical field, lifting the valley degeneracy of TMDs by introducing magnetism is an efficient way to manipulate the valley degree of freedom. In this paper, we first review the recent progress on valley polarization in various TMD-based systems, including magnetically doped TMDs,intrinsic TMDs with both inversion and time-reversal symmetry broken, and magnetic TMD heterostructures. When topologically nontrivial bands are empowered into valley-polarized systems, valley-polarized topological states, namely valleypolarized quantum anomalous Hall effect can be realized. Therefore, we have also reviewed the theoretical proposals for realizing valley-polarized topological states in 2D honeycomb lattices. Our paper can help readers quickly grasp the latest research developments in this field.

Chiral bound states in a staggered array of coupled resonators

We study the chiral bound states in a coupled-resonator array with staggered hopping strengths,which interacts with a two-level small atom through a single coupling point or two adjacent ones.In addition to the two typical bound states found above and below the energy bands,this system presents an extraordinary chiral bound state located within the energy gap.We use the chirality to quantify the breaking of the mirror symmetry.We find that the chirality value undergoes continuous changes by tuning the coupling strengths.The preferred direction of the chirality is controlled not only by the competition between the intracell and the intercell hoppings in the coupled-resonator array,but also by the coherence between the two coupling points.In the case with one coupling point,the chirality values varies monotonously with difference between the intracell hopping and the intercell hoppings.While in the case with two coupling points,due to the coherence between the two coupling points the perfect chiral states can be obtained.