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The conversion of CO2 and H2O into ethanol with high selectivity via photocatalysis is greatly desired for effective CO2 resource utilization. However, the sluggish and challenging C-C coupling hinders this goal, with the behavior of *CO holding the key. Here, a nanoconfined and tandem three-phase reaction system is established to simultaneously enhance the *CO concentration and interaction time, achieving an outstanding ethanol selectively of 94.15%. This system utilizes a tandem catalyst comprising an Ag core and a hydrophobic Cu2O shell. The hydrophobic Cu2O shell acts as a CO2 reservoir, effectively overcoming the CO2 mass-transfer limitation, while the Ag core facilitates the conversion of CO2 to CO. Subsequently, CO undergoes continuous reduction within the nanoconfined mesoporous channels of Cu2O. The synergy of enhanced mass transfer, nanoconfinement, and tandem reaction leads to elevated *CO concentrations and prolonged interaction time within the Cu2O shell, significantly reducing the energy barrier for *CO-*CO coupling compared to the formation of *CHO from *CO, as determined by density functional theory calculations. Consequently, C-C coupling preferentially occurs over *CHO formation, producing excellent ethanol selectivity. These findings provide valuable insights into the efficient production of C2+ compounds.

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So as to extend the application of upper bound limit analysis for slope stability in open-pit mine, this paper analyzed failure mechanism of rock mass when shear failure occurred based on plastic mechanics principles, and combined with discrete mathematical theory and least square principle to propose a visualization method of logarithmic spiral. At the same time, the visualization method was applied to engineering practice for slope stability in open-pit mine, and cycle algorithm of stability analysis for open-pit mine slope was proposed through energy balance conditions, then stability analysis results were evaluated reasonably through uniting with limit equilibrium method. The results show that visualization method of logarithmic spiral proposed in this paper is highly consistent with original curve, and can ensure correlation coefficient square is greater than 0.9995. What is more, upper bound limit analysis method has a superhigh accuracy in slope engineering. At the same time, the most dangerous sliding surface obtained by this method can satisfy the requirements of velocity separation, which solved velocity problems during the process of slope evolution. Therefore, the method proposed in this paper has a stronger application in the field of open-pit mining.

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Skin identity is controlled by intrinsic features of the epidermis and dermis and their interactions. Modifying skin identity has clinical potential, such as the conversion of residual limb and stump (nonvolar) skin of amputees to pressure-responsive palmoplantar (volar) skin to enhance prosthesis use and minimize skin breakdown. Greater keratin 9 (KRT9) expression, higher epidermal thickness, keratinocyte cytoplasmic size, collagen length, and elastin are markers of volar skin and likely contribute to volar skin resiliency. Given fibroblasts' capacity to modify keratinocyte differentiation, we hypothesized that volar fibroblasts influence these features. Bioprinted skin constructs confirmed the capacity of volar fibroblasts to induce volar keratinocyte features. A clinical trial of healthy volunteers demonstrated that injecting volar fibroblasts into nonvolar skin increased volar features that lasted up to 5 months, highlighting a potential cellular therapy.

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PURPOSE: Performance status (PS), an essential indicator of patients' functional abilities, is often documented in clinical notes of patients with cancer. The use of natural language processing (NLP) in extracting PS from electronic medical records (EMRs) has shown promise in enhancing clinical decision-making, patient monitoring, and research studies. We designed and validated a multi-institute NLP pipeline to automatically extract performance status from free-text patient notes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We collected data from 19,481 patients in Harris Health System (HHS) and 333,862 patients from veteran affair's corporate data warehouse (VA-CDW) and randomly selected 400 patients from each data source to train and validate (50%) and test (50%) the proposed pipeline. We designed an NLP pipeline using an expert-derived rule-based approach in conjunction with extensive post-processing to solidify its proficiency. To demonstrate the pipeline's application, we tested the compliance of PS documentation suggested by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Quality Metric and investigated the potential disparity in PS reporting for stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We used a logistic regression test, considering patients in terms of race/ethnicity, conversing language, marital status, and gender. RESULTS: The test results on the HHS cohort showed 92% accuracy, and on VA data demonstrated 98.5% accuracy. For stage IV NSCLC patients, the proposed pipeline achieved an accuracy of 98.5%. Furthermore, our analysis revealed a documentation rate of over 85% for PS among NSCLC patients, surpassing the ASCO Quality Metrics. No disparities were observed in the documentation of PS. CONCLUSION: Our proposed NLP pipeline shows promising results in extracting PS from free-text notes from various health institutions. It may be used in longitudinal cancer data registries.

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KEY MESSAGE: Transcription factor PpMYB5 promotes lignin synthesis by directly binding to the Pp4CL1/Pp4CL2 promoter and affecting their expression, which may be related to nectarine russeting formation. Nectarine russeting is usually considered to be a non-invasive physiological disease that usually occurs on late-maturing cultivars and seriously affects their appearance quality and commercial value. The cause of nectarine fruit rust is currently unknown. In this study, we compared two flat nectarine cultivars, 'zhongyoupanweidi' (HD; russeting-free cultivar) and 'zhongyoupanweihou' (TH; russeting-prone cultivar), with respect to nectarine russeting by means of microscopy, transcriptomics, and hormone analysis. Compared to HD fruits, TH fruits had a broken cuticle, missing wax layer, and heavy lignin deposition. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed significant alternations in the expression of genes related to lignin synthesis. Moreover, structure genes Pp4CL1 and Pp4CL2, MYB transcription factor (TF) gene PpMYB5 were identified through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Molecular experiments and transgenic evidence suggested that PpMYB5 regulates Pp4CL1/Pp4CL2 expression to promote lignin synthesis. Overall, in addition to providing new insights into the formation of mechanisms for nectarine russeting, our study also establishes a foundation for nectarine russeting prevention.

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In recent decades, China's rapid development has led to significant environmental pollution from the widespread use of chemical products. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are among the most concerning pollutants due to their persistence and bioaccumulation. This article assesses PFAS exposure levels, distribution, and health risks in Chinese blood, environment, and food. Out of 4037 papers retrieved from November 2022 to December 31, 2023, 351 articles met the criteria. Findings show perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) as the main PFAS in both Chinese populations and the environment. The highest PFOA levels in Chinese populations were in Shandong (53.868 ng/mL), while Hubei had the highest PFOS levels (43.874 ng/mL). Similarly, water samples from Sichuan (2115.204 ng/L) and Jiangsu (368.134 ng/L) had the highest PFOA and PFOS levels, respectively. Although localized areas showed high PFAS concentrations. Additionally, developed areas had higher PFAS contamination. The researches conducted in areas such as Qinghai and Hainan remain limited, underscoring the imperative for further investigation. Temporal analysis indicates declining levels of some PFAS, but emerging alternatives require more research. Limited studies on PFAS concentrations in soil, atmosphere, and food emphasize the need for comprehensive research to mitigate human exposure.

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Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF), a member of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) family, is a multifunctional cytokine. The maturation-to-ovulation process of poultry follicles is determined by granulosa cell proliferation and differentiation. Granulosa cell apoptosis and degeneration lead to follicular atresia, which reduces the number of normally developing follicles and leads to a decrease in the poultry egg production rate, thus affecting the large-scale development of poultry breeding. In this study, the LIF gene overexpression vector pCDH-CMV-LIF and a siRNA that inhibits LIF gene expression were transfected into primary granulosa cells from white Muscovy duck ovaries for functional study. Compared with that in the control group, LIF gene expression was confirmed to be significantly decreased or increased in the transfection groups (P < 0.01). After LIF overexpression, the expression of the cell cycle-related genes CCND1, CDK-1 and PCNA was decreased (P < 0.05); apoptosis was promoted; the proapoptotic genes Bax and caspase-3 were significantly upregulated (P < 0.01); and the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2 was significantly downregulated (P < 0.01). After LIF interference, the expression of the cell cycle-related genes CCND1, CCNE1, CDK-1 and PCNA and the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2 significantly increased (P < 0.01), whereas the expression of the proapoptotic genes Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9 significantly decreased (P < 0.01). In summary, the LIF gene is involved in regulating the biological function of ovarian granulosa cells in white Muscovy ducks. LIF gene expression promotes granulosa cell apoptosis and inhibits cell cycle progression. These experimental results provide insights into the follicular development mechanism of white Muscovy ducks.

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This study investigates the underlying mechanism through which dietary supplementation of pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium (PQQ) alleviates intestinal inflammation and cell apoptosis in piglets challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Seventy-two barrows were divided into three groups: control (CTRL), LPS challenged (LPS), and LPS challenged with PQQ supplementation (PQQ + LPS). On d 7, 11, and 14, piglets received intraperitoneal injections of LPS or 0.9% of NaCl (80 µg/kg). After a 4 h interval following the final LPS injection on d 14, blood samples were obtained, and all piglets were euthanized for harvesting jejunal samples. The results showed that dietary supplementation of PQQ improved the damage of intestinal morphology, increased the down-regulated tight junction proteins, and reduced the increase of serum diamine oxidase activity, the intestinal fatty acid binding protein, and TNF-α levels in piglets challenged with LPS (p < 0.05). The proteomics analysis revealed a total of 141 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), consisting of 64 up-regulated DEPs and 77 down-regulated DEPs in the PQQ + LPS group compared to the LPS group. The KEGG pathway analysis indicated enrichment of the tight junction pathway and the apoptosis pathway (p < 0.05). Compared to the LPS group, the piglets in the PQQ + LPS group had increased levels of Bcl-2 protein, reduced positive apoptosis signals, and a decrease in the abundance of MKK 3/6 and p-p38 proteins (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of PQQ could alleviate jejunal inflammatory damage and cell apoptosis in piglets challenged with LPS through the MKK3/6-p38 signaling pathway.

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Multifunctional targeted drug delivery systems have been explored as a novel cancer treatment strategy to overcome limitations of traditional chemotherapy. The combination of photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy has been shown to enhance efficacy, but the phototoxicity of traditional photosensitizers is a challenge. In this study, we prepared a multi-sensitive composite hydrogel containing gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) and the temperature-sensitive antitumor drug 5-fluorourac il (5-FU) using carboxymethyl cellulose (Carr) as a dual-functional template. Au NCs were synthesized using sodium borohydride as a reducing agent and potassium as a promoter. The resulting Au NCs were embedded in the Carr hydrogel, which was then conjugated with lactobionic acid (LA) as a targeting ligand. The resulting Au NCs/5-FU@Carr-LA composite hydrogel was used for synergistic photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), and chemotherapy. Au NCs/5-FU@Carr-LA releases the drug faster at pH 5.0 due to the acid sensitivity of the Carr polymer chain. In addition, at 50 °C, the release rate of Au NCs/5-FU@Carr-LA is 78.2%, indicating that the higher temperature generated by the photothermal effect is conducive to the degradation of Carr polymer chains. The Carr hydrogel stabilized the Au NCs and acted as a matrix for drug loading, and the LA ligand facilitated targeted delivery to tumor cells. The composite hydrogel exhibited excellent biocompatibility and synergistic antitumor efficacy, as demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. In addition, the hydrogel had thermal imaging capabilities, making it a promising multifunctional platform for targeted cancer therapy.

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BACKGROUND: The fat-to-muscle mass ratio (FMR), integrating the antagonistic effects of fat and muscle mass, has been suggested as a valuable indicator to assess cardiometabolic health independent of overall adiposity. However, the specific associations of total and regional FMR with cardiometabolic risk are poorly understood. We aimed to examine sex-specific associations of total and regional FMR with single and clustered cardiometabolic risk factors (CRFs). METHODS: 13,505 participants aged 20 years and above were included in the cross-sectional study. Fat mass and muscle mass were assessed using a bioelectrical impedance analysis device. FMR was estimated as fat mass divided by muscle mass in corresponding body parts (whole body, arm, leg, and trunk). Clustered CRFs was defined as the presence of two or more risk factors, including hypertension, elevated blood glucose, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance (IR), and hyperuricemia. IR was assessed by the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to explore the associations of FMR in the whole body and body parts with single and clustered CRFs. RESULTS: The odds ratios (ORs) increased significantly for all single and clustered CRFs with the per quartile increase of total and regional FMR in both sexes (P for trend < 0.001), following adjustment for confounders. Among the regional parts, FMRs of the legs presented the strongest associations for clustered CRFs in both men and women, with adjusted OR of 8.54 (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.12-10.24) and 4.92 (95% CI: 4.24-5.71), respectively. Significant interactions (P for interaction < 0.05) were identified between age and FMRs across different body parts, as well as between BMI status and FMRs in different regions for clustered CRFs. Restricted cubic splines revealed significant non-linear relationships between FMRs of different body parts and clustered CRFs in both sexes (P for nonlinear < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: FMRs in the whole body and different regions were significantly associated with single and clustered CRFs in the general Chinese population. The association between FMR and clustered CRFs was more pronounced in youngers than in the elderly.

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OBJECTIVE: To provide guidance for clinical endotypes by constructing a risk-predictive model of eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (ECRSwNP). DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Single-centre trial at tertiary medical institutions. PARTICIPANTS: A cross-sectional study included 343 CRSwNP patients divided into ECRSwNP (n = 237) and non-ECRSwNP (n = 106) groups using surgical pathology. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Single-factor and multivariate analysis were used to identify statistically significant variables for constructing a nomogram, including the history of AR, hyposmia score, ethmoid sinus score, BEP and BEC. The model's performance was evaluated based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: Allergic rhinitis, hyposmia score, ethmoid sinus score, peripheral blood eosinophil percentage (BEP) and eosinophil count (BEC) were retained for the construction nomogram of ECRSwNP. The nomogram exhibited a certain accuracy, with an AUC of 0.897 (95% CI: 0.864-0.930), good agreement in the calibration curve and a 0.891 C-index of internal validation. Moreover, the DCA with a threshold probability between 0.0167 and 1.00 indicated a higher net benefit and greater clinical utility. CONCLUSION: The construction of a predictive risk model of ECRSwNP based on easily accessible factors could assist clinicians in more conveniently defining endotypes to make optimal diagnoses and treatment choices.

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The vertical tube indirect evaporative cooler (VTIEC) could be preferred one to air-conditioning buildings if its water film quality could be improved. This paper proposed a new VTIEC with inner grooved tubes to improve the water film quality and obtained its performance by experimental method. The results indicated that inner grooved tubes have positive effects on the water film and performance of the new VTIEC. A low working air enthalpy at inlet can significantly improve the total cooling capacity from evaporation, and then VTIEC performance. In this paper conditions, the velocity ratio of 1.52 of the produced air to the working air is better one condition compared to 1.01 and 2.28. The produced air velocity is positive effect on the cooling capacity per unit area until the produced air velocity of about 4.05 m/s and is negative effect on COP. The maximum unit cooling capacity, wet-bulb efficiency and COP are 307.74W/m2, 81.7% and 44.97.The results will promote the application of the new VTIEC.

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Treatment options for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) often result in poor prognosis and declining health-related quality of life. Screening FDA-approved drugs for cancer chemoprevention is a promising and cost-efficient strategy. Here, we found that dronedarone, an antiarrhythmic drug, could inhibit the proliferation of ESCC cells. Moreover, we conducted phosphorylomics analysis to investigate the mechanism of dronedarone-treated ESCC cells. Through computational docking models and pull-down assays, we demonstrated that dronedarone could directly bind to CDK4 and CDK6 kinases. We also proved that dronedarone effectively inhibited ESCC proliferation by targeting CDK4/CDK6 and blocking the G0/G1 phase through RB1 phosphorylation inhibition by in vitro kinase assays and cell cycle assays. Subsequently, we found that knocking out CDK4 and CDK6 decreased the susceptibility of ESCC cells to dronedarone. Furthermore, dronedarone suppressed the growth of ESCC in patient-derived tumor xenograft models in vivo. Thus, our study demonstrated that dronedarone could be repurposed as a CDK4/6 inhibitor for ESCC chemoprevention.

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Mule ducks accumulate a large amount of fat in their livers when fed high-energy feed, which is predominantly used for producing fatty livers. Nevertheless, there is limited research on the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of fatty liver in mule ducks. Fatty acid translocase (CD36) is a sensor for fatty acids and lipid metabolism regulator, which may play a crucial role in the accumulation of fat in the liver of mule ducks. In this study, Overexpression and CD36 gene interference for 24 h was followed by induction of liver cells with 400 µmol/L palmitic acid (PA) for 24 h. The results demonstrated that CD36 overexpression increased hepatic triglyceride content, lipid droplet deposition, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis. However, interference with CD36 had the opposite effect. CD36 overexpression suppressed the expression of AMPK and CPT-1A genes but enhanced the expression of ACC1 and LKB1 genes, with interference yielding contrasting results. Additionally, the expression of CD36 inhibited the AMPK pathway, reduced AMPK phosphorylation, downregulated AMPK protein expression, and upregulated SREBP1 protein expression. This promoted palmitic acid-induced hepatocyte fat accumulation. In summary, CD36 promotes palmitic acid-induced fat accumulation in primary mule duck liver cells through the AMPK signaling pathway.

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BACKGROUND: Although guidelines recommend risk assessment for hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism (HA-VTE) to inform prophylaxis decisions, studies demonstrate inappropriate utilization of pharmacoprophylaxis in hospitalized medical patients. Predictors of pharmacoprophylaxis initiation in medical inpatients remain largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine factors associated with HA-VTE pharmacoprophylaxis initiation in adults hospitalized on medical services. DESIGN: Cohort study using electronic health record data from adult patients hospitalized on medical services at four academic medical centers between 2016 and 2019. PARTICIPANTS: Among 111,550 admissions not on intermediate or full-dose anticoagulation, 48,520 (43.5%) received HA-VTE pharmacoprophylaxis on the day of or the day after admission. MAIN MEASURES: Candidate predictors of HA-VTE pharmacoprophylaxis initiation, including known HA-VTE risk factors, predicted HA-VTE risk, and bleeding diagnoses present on admission. KEY RESULTS: After adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and study site, the strongest clinical predictors of HA-VTE pharmacoprophylaxis initiation were malnutrition and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Thrombocytopenia and history of gastrointestinal bleeding were associated with decreased odds of HA-VTE pharmacoprophylaxis initiation. Patients in the highest two tertiles of predicted HA-VTE risk were less likely to receive HA-VTE pharmacoprophylaxis than patients in the lowest (1st) tertile (OR 0.84, 95% CI [0.81, 0.86] for 2nd tertile, OR 0.95, 95% CI [0.92, 0.98] for 3rd tertile). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients not already receiving anticoagulants, HA-VTE pharmacoprophylaxis initiation during the first two hospital days was lower in patients with higher predicted HA-VTE risk and those with risk factors for bleeding. Reasons for not initiating pharmacoprophylaxis in those with higher predicted risk could not be assessed.

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Introduction: Diuretics are the mainstay of maintaining and restoring euvolemia in the management of heart failure. Loop diuretics are often preferred, however, combination diuretic therapy (CDT) with a thiazide diuretic is often used to overcome diuretic resistance and increase diuretic effect. We performed an analysis of the GUIDE-IT study to assess all-cause mortality and time to first hospitalizations in patients necessitating CDT. Methods: Patients from the GUIDE-IT dataset were stratified by their requirement for CDT with a thiazide to achieve euvolemia. A total of 894 patients were analyzed, 733 of which were treated with loop diuretics alone vs 161 used either chlorothiazide or metolazone in addition to loop diuretics. Kaplan-Meir curves were derived with log-rank p-values to evaluate for differences between the groups. Results: There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality regardless of CDT utilization status (mean survival of 612.704 days vs 603.326 days, p = 0.083). On subgroup analysis, there was no significant difference in all-cause mortality amongst those using loop diuretics compared to CDT in the BNP-guided therapy group, (mean survival time 576.385 days vs 620.585 days, p = 0.0523), nor the control group (614.1 days vs 588.9 days; p = 0.5728). Time to first hospitalization was reduced in all using CDT compared to loop diuretics alone (280.5 days vs 407.2 days, p < 0.0001). On subgroup analysis, both the BNP-guided group as well as the control group had reduced time to first hospitalization in the CDT group compared to those who did not require CDT (BNP group: 287.503 days vs 402.475 days, p ≤0.0001; control group 248.698 days vs 399.035 days, p = 0.0009). Conclusion: Use of CDT is associated with earlier time to hospitalization, though no association was identified with increased all-cause mortality. Further prospective studies are likely needed to determine the true risk and benefits of combination diuretic therapy.

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Microplastics (MPs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) have recently become ubiquitous and cumulative pollutants in the oceans. Since OPFRs are added to or adsorbed onto MPs as additives, it is necessary to study the composite contamination of OPFRs and MPs, with less focus on bio-based PLA. Therefore, this study focused on the ecotoxicity of the biodegradable MP polylactic acid (PLA) (5 µm, irregular fragments, 102 and 106 particles/L), and a representative OPFRs tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP, 0.5 and 50 µg/L) at environmental and high concentrations. The mussel Mytilus coruscus was used as a standardised bioindicator for exposure experiments. The focus was on examining oxidative stress (catalase, CAT, superoxide dismutase, SOD, malondialdehyde, MDA), immune responses acid (phosphatase, ACP, alkaline phosphatase, AKP, lysozyme, LZM), neurotoxicity (acetylcholinesterase, AChE), energy metabolism (lactate dehydrogenase, LDH, succinate dehydrogenase, SDH, hexokinase, HK), and physiological indices (absorption efficiency, AE, excretion rate, ER, respiration rate, RR, condition index, CI) after 14 days exposure. The results of significantly increased oxidative stress and immune responses, and significantly disturbed energy metabolism and physiological activities, together with an integrated biomarker response (IBR) analysis, indicate that bio-based PLA MPs and TCPP could cause adverse effects on mussels. Meanwhile, TCPP interacted significantly with PLA, especially at environmental concentrations, resulting in more severe negative impacts on oxidative and immune stress, and neurotoxicity. The more severe adverse effects at environmental concentrations indicate higher ecological risks of PLA, TCPP and their combination in the real marine environment. Our study presents reliable data on the complex effects of bio-based MP PLA, TCPP and their combination on marine organisms and the environment.

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Children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) frequently experience chronic low-grade systemic inflammation, with the inflammasome playing a central role in OSA. This cross-sectional study evaluated the relationship between weight status, autonomic function, and systemic inflammation in a cohort of 55 children with OSA, predominantly boys (78%) with an average age of 7.4 ± 2.2 years and an apnea-hypopnea index of 14.12 ± 17.05 events/hour. Measurements were taken of body mass index (BMI), sleep heart-rate variability, morning circulatory levels of interleukin-1ß, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, and interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, anthropometry, and polysomnography. Multiple linear regression modeling showed that an apnea-hypopnea index was significantly associated with BMI, the standard deviation of successive differences between normal-to-normal intervals during N3 sleep, and the proportion of normal-to-normal interval pairs differing by more than 50 ms during rapid-eye-movement sleep. A moderated mediation model revealed that interleukin-1 receptor antagonist levels mediated the association between BMI and interleukin-6 levels, with sympathovagal balance during N3 sleep and minimum blood oxygen saturation further moderating these relationships. This study highlights the complex relationships between BMI, polysomnographic parameters, sleep heart-rate-variability metrics, and inflammatory markers in children with OSA, underlining the importance of weight management in this context.

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Defects occurring during the welding process of metal structural components directly affect their overall strength, which is crucial to the load-bearing capacity and durability of the components. This signifies the importance of accurate measurement and assessment of weld strength. However, traditional non-destructive testing methods such as ultrasonic and non-contact camera inspection have certain technical limitations. In response to these issues, this paper analyzes the detection principle of weld strength, revealing that weld defects reduce the effective area of the structural bearing section and cause stress concentration around them. Through repeated experimental data analysis of samples, strain distribution data along the one-dimensional direction caused by defects such as slag inclusion and porosity were obtained. Experimental results show that this method can identify defect types in welds, including slag inclusion, porosity, and unevenness, and accurately measure the location and size of defects with a precision of 0.64 mm, achieving qualitative analysis of weld defects. Additionally, by deploying distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS) at different vertical distances along the weld direction, the propagation law of stress induced by different types of weld defects on samples was thoroughly analyzed. This further validates the advantages of this method in weld strength detection, including high spatial resolution, high sensitivity, and non-destructive measurement.

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Background. Accurate timing offset calibration is crucial for time-of-flight (TOF) positron emission tomography (PET) to mitigate image artifacts and improve quantitative accuracy. However, existing methods are often time-consuming, complex, or costly.Objective. This paper presents a method for TOF PET timing offset calibration that eliminates the need for costly equipment, phantoms, short-half-life sources, and precise source positioning.Approach. We estimate channel timing offsets using stationary scans of a68Ge line source, typically used for routine quality control, at a minimum of three non-coplanar positions, with each position scanned for two minutes. The line source positions are accurately determined by applying a simple algorithm to their reconstructed images, allowing precise calculation of arrival time differences. Channel timing offsets are estimated by solving a least squares problem. This method is assessed through analyses of phantoms and patient images using a RAYSOLUTION DigitMI 930 scanner.Main results. The estimated timing offsets ranged from -500 ps to 500 ps across all channels. Calibration with a minimum of three scanned positions was sufficient to correct these offsets, achieving less than a 1% discrepancy across various metrics of the image quality (IQ) phantom compared to 12 positions. This calibration significantly reduced edge artifacts in TOF reconstruction of both phantoms and patients. Furthermore, the IQ phantom displayed a 14% increase in average contrast recovery, a 61% reduction in average background variability across all spheres, and a 90% reduction in average residual error. Consistent with the phantom results, patient data revealed enhancements in maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) from 14% to 55% for lesions measuring 6 mm to 14 mm. The calibration also improved lesion-to-background contrast and eliminated artifacts caused by the spillover effect of the kidneys and bladder.Significance. The proposed method is fast, user-friendly, and cost-effective, effectively improving lesion detection and diagnostic accuracy.

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