AIMS: To identify the optimal transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) approach in patients with large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; >5 cm) by comparing conventional TACE (cTACE) and drug-eluting-bead (DEB)-TACE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 63 consecutive HCC patients who received TACE at a single medical centre from September 2009 to October 2015. Primary endpoints were 3-year overall survival (OS) rate and time-to-progression (TTP). Hazard ratios (HRs) from Kaplan-Meier curves were calculated to compare survival estimates. RESULTS: The median OS was shorter in the cTACE group, but was not significantly different from the DEB-TACE group (33.9 versus 35.6 months, respectively; p=0.52). The mean TTP was shorter in the cTACE group than in the DEB-TACE group (13.9 versus 17.5 months, respectively; p=0.01). There was no difference in 3-year survival (HR=0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51-1.78; p=0.880) and TTP (HR=0.70, 95% CI: 0.42-1.16; p=0.147) between the groups; however, patients treated with DEB-TACE were more likely to have longer TTP in the first 2 years following treatment (HR=0.51, 95% CI: 0.29-0.88; p=0.009). CONCLUSION: Although DEB-TACE is not superior in terms of TTP or OS in patients with large HCC, it may have greater efficacy in the first 24 months following therapy. (C) 2019 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fe55Co19Ga26 alloy was made in an induction furnace, and then slowly cooled to room temperature (RT). The structural property of the as-cast alloy was examined by an x-ray diffractometer. From the diffraction pattern, we conclude that the alloy contains the A2 and D03 phases at room temperature. The magnetic hysteresis loop was measured by the vibration sample magnetometer: saturation magnetization MS=105emu/g, and coercivity HC=22Oe. The mechanical properties, such as Young's modulus (E) and shear modulus (G), were measured as a function of magnetic field (H) up to H=3kOe, respectively, by the impulse excitation of vibration (IEV) method. The magnetic ΔE or ΔG effect is defined as ΔE/E=[ES−E0]/E0, or ΔG/G=[GS−G0]/G0, where subscript “s” means the saturation state, and the subscript “0” means the zero-field state. Moreover, the flexural magneto-mechanical coupling coefficient (KE) and the torsional magneto-mechanical coupling coefficient (KG) were calculated from: (KE)2/[1−(KE)2]=ΔE/E0 and (KG)2/[1−(KG)2]=ΔG/G0. Thus, KE=22% and KG=19% for the slowly-cooled Fe55Co17Ga28 alloy.

Knowing the temporal features of soil moisture dynamics is essential for proper water resource management, fertilization management, and crop production. This paper proposes a recurrent dynamic learning neural network (RDLNN) to estimate soil moisture evolution by rainfall forcing. Long-term measurements of rainfall and soil moisture content were gathered. Soil moisture contents estimated from daily and/or hourly precipitation by RDLNN, were compared with ground measurements. Experimental results suggested that RDLNN is a promising tool for estimating soil moisture from hourly precipitation.

Four methods of selection for net merit comprising 2 correlated traits were compared in this study: 1) EBV-only index (I₁), which consists of the EBV of both traits (i.e., traditional 2-trait BLUP selection); 2) GEBV-only index (I₂), which comprises the genomic EBV (GEBV) of both traits; 3) GEBV-assisted index (I₃), which combines both the EBV and the GEBV of both traits; and 4) GBV-assisted index (I₄), which combines both the EBV and the true genomic breeding value (GBV) of both traits. Comparisons of these indices were based on 3 evaluation criteria [selection accuracy, genetic response (ΔH), and relative efficiency] under 64 scenarios that arise from combining 2 levels of genetic correlation (r(G)), 2 ratios of genetic variances between traits, 2 ratios of the genomic variance to total genetic variances for trait 1, 4 accuracies of EBV, and 2 proportions of r(G) explained by the GBV. Both selection accuracy and genetic responses of the indices I₁, I₃, and I₄ increased as the accuracy of EBV increased, but the efficiency of the indices I₃ and I₄ relative to I₁ decreased as the accuracy of EBV increased. The relative efficiency of both I₃ and I₄ was generally greater when the accuracy of EBV was 0.6 than when it was 0.9, suggesting that the genomic markers are most useful to assist selection when the accuracy of EBV is low. The GBV-assisted index I₄ was superior to the GEBV-assisted I₃ in all 64 cases examined, indicating the importance of improving the accuracy of prediction of genomic breeding values. Other parameters being identical, increasing the genetic variance of a high heritability trait would increase the genetic response of the genomic indices (I₂, I₃, and I₄). The genetic responses to I₂, I₃, and I(4) was greater when the genetic correlation between traits was positive (r(G) = 0.5) than when it was negative (r(G) = -0.5). The results of this study indicate that the effectiveness of the GEBV-assisted index I₃ is affected by heritability of and genetic correlation between traits, the ratio of genetic variances between traits, the genomic-genetic variance ratio of each index trait, the proportion of genetic correlation accounted for by the genomic markers, and the accuracy of predictions of both EBV and GBV. However, most of these affecting factors are genetic characteristics of a population that is beyond the control of the breeders. The key factor subject to manipulation is to maximize both the proportion of the genetic variance explained by GEBV and the accuracy of both GEBV and EBV. The developed procedures provide means to investigate the efficiency of various genomic indices for any given combination of the genetic factors studied.

In recent years, the position location applications have increasingly. In this paper, we will use multiple Back-Propagation neural networks with genetic algorithm GA for a radio frequency identification RFID indoor location system to provide location services named indoor location with multiple neural networks and genetic algorithms ILMNGA. In Section 1, we collect received signal strength RSS information from reference points to train the neural network models. In Section 2, genetic algorithm GA is used to find the weight of each neural network based on the performance of each neural network. Finally, we input the RSS information of each tracking object into the model that will provide the location of tracking objects based on the RSS information. The location will be integrated using the weights produced by the GA. The experiment conducted our methodology can provide better accuracy than a single neural network.

The effectiveness of five selection methods for genetic improvement of net merit comprising trait 1 of low heritability (h(2) = 0.1) and trait 2 of high heritability (h(2) = 0.4) was examined: (i) two-trait quantitative trait loci (QTL)-assisted selection; (ii) partial QTL-assisted selection based on trait 1; (iii) partial QTL-assisted selection based on trait 2; (iv) QTL-only selection; and (v) conventional selection index without QTL information. These selection methods were compared under 72 scenarios with different combinations of the relative economic weights, the genetic correlations between traits, the ratio of QTL variance to total genetic variance of the trait, and the ratio of genetic variances between traits. The results suggest that the detection of QTL for multiple-trait QTL-assisted selection is more important when the index traits are negatively correlated than when they are positively correlated. In contrast to literature reports that single-trait marker-assisted selection (MAS) is the most efficient for low heritability traits, this study found that the identified QTL of the low heritability trait contributed negligibly to total response in net merit. This is because multiple-trait QTL-assisted selection is designed to maximize total net merit rather than the genetic response of the individual index trait as in the case of single-trait MAS. Therefore, it is not economical to identify the QTL of the low heritability traits for the improvement of total net merit. The efficient, cost-effective selection strategy is to identify the QTL of the moderate or high heritability traits of the QTL-assisted selection index to facilitate total economic returns. Detection of the QTL of the low h(2) traits for the QTL-assisted index selection is justified when the low h(2) traits have high negative genetic correlation with the other index traits and/or when both economic weights and genetic variances of the low h(2) traits are larger as compared to the other index traits of higher h(2). This study deals with theoretical efficiency of QTL-assisted selection, but the same principle applies to SNP-based genomic selection when the proportion of the genetic variance 'explained by the identified QTLs' in this study is replaced by 'explained by SNPs'.

This study aimed to establish a criterion for measuring the relative weight of lactation persistency (the ratio of yield at 280 d in milk to peak yield) in restricted selection index for the improvement of net merit comprising 3-parity total yield and total lactation persistency. The restricted selection index was compared with selection based on first-lactation total milk yield (I1), the first-two-lactation total yield (I2), and first-three-lactation total yield (I3). Results show that genetic response in net merit due to selection on restricted selection index could be greater than, equal to, or less than that due to the unrestricted index depending upon the relative weight of lactation persistency and the restriction level imposed. When the relative weight of total lactation persistency is equal to the criterion, the restricted selection index is equal to the selection method compared (I1, I2, or I3). The restricted selection index yielded a greater response when the relative weight of total lactation persistency was above the criterion, but a lower response when it was below the criterion. The criterion varied depending upon the restriction level (c) imposed and the selection criteria compared. A curvilinear relationship (concave curve) exists between the criterion and the restricted level. The criterion increases as the restriction level deviates in either direction from 1.5. Without prior information of the economic weight of lactation persistency, the imposition of the restriction level of 1.5 on lactation persistency would maximize change in net merit. The procedure presented allows for simultaneous modification of multi-parity lactation curves.

The objective of this study was to compare 6 selection criteria in terms of 3-parity total milk yield and 9 selection criteria in terms of total net merit (H) comprising 3-parity total milk yield and total lactation persistency. The 6 selection criteria compared were as follows: first-parity milk estimated breeding value (EBV; M1), first 2-parity milk EBV (M2), first 3-parity milk EBV (M3), first-parity eigen index (EI1), first 2-parity eigen index (EI2), and first 3-parity eigen index (EI3). The 9 selection criteria compared in terms of H were M1, M2, M3, EI1, EI2, EI3, and first-parity, first 2-parity, and first 3-parity selection indices (I1, I2, and I3, respectively). In terms of total milk yield, selection on M3 or EI3 achieved the greatest genetic response, whereas selection on EI1 produced the largest genetic progress per day. In terms of total net merit, selection on I3 brought the largest response, whereas selection EI1 yielded the greatest genetic progress per day. A multiple-lactation random regression test-day model simultaneously yields the EBV of the 3 lactations for all animals included in the analysis even though the younger animals do not have the opportunity to complete the first 3 lactations. It is important to use the first 3 lactation EBV for selection decision rather than only the first lactation EBV in spite of the fact that the first-parity selection criteria achieved a faster genetic progress per day than the 3-parity selection criteria. Under a multiple-lactation random regression animal model analysis, the use of the first 3 lactation EBV for selection decision does not prolong the generation interval as compared with the use of only the first lactation EBV. Thus, it is justified to compare genetic response on a lifetime basis rather than on a per-day basis. The results suggest the use of M3 or EI3 for genetic improvement of total milk yield and the use of I3 for genetic improvement of total net merit H. Although this study deals with selection for 3-parity milk production, the same principle applies to selection for lifetime milk production.

The eigenvectors of the additive genetic random regression covariance (K) matrix contribute differentially to different parts of the lactation curve in response to genetic selection. It is, therefore, important to examine the genetic response patterns from the individual eigenvectors of the matrix K for the modification of the shape of the lactation curve. This study demonstrated a general methodology for imposing differential restrictions on different eigenvectors according to their effects on the shape of the lactation curve. A numerical example is given to illustrate the derivation and implementation of this procedure. Theoretically and experimentally, manipulating individual eigenvectors based on their individual effects on the shape of the lactation curve is more important than manipulating the joint effect of all the eigenvectors of K on the lactation curve. This described procedure provides a useful tool for simultaneous improvement of milk production and lactation persistency by modifying the shape of the lactation curve.

Ground water sampling protocols generally require that a well be purged prior to sampling. At present, the stability of conventional field measurements such as electrical conductivity, water temperature, and pH is used as a criterion to determine whether a well has been purged sufficiently to yield “representative” water quality samples. The primary objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate the validity of using the stability of conventional field measurements as a well‐purging criterion for sampling volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in an aquifer region contaminated with free‐phase gasoline and (2) to investigate the possibility of using radon‐222 as a complementary well‐purging indicator. Monitoring wells in a refinery were sampled at locations both upstream and inside an area contaminated with free‐phase gasoline. The variation of conventional field measurements, VOCs, and radon‐222 was evaluated with time and the number of casing volumes flushed. The results indicated that the number of casing volumes required for purging prior to sampling for VOCs is significantly larger in the gasoline‐impacted area than in the uncontaminated aquifer. In addition, the stability of conventional field measurements alone was not sufficient to determine if a well had been purged sufficiently to yield representative VOC water quality samples. Radon‐222 concentrations appeared to follow the temporal variation of dissolved VOCs in the gasoline‐contaminated region of the aquifer, suggesting that radon‐222 might be a complementary well‐purging indicator if a field method were available for rapid assessment of dissolved radon concentrations.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of the eigenvectors of the additive genetic random regression coefficient matrix (K) to selection responses and to determine how many eigenvectors are necessary in the breeding goal to explain the variation. The construction of various eigenvector indexes was based on the K matrix estimated from test-day records of Japanese Holstein cattle. The first (leading) eigenvector index produced constant responses for each day of lactation, indicating that the first eigenvector is responsible for scaling the lactation curve without altering its shape. Daily genetic responses to the second eigenvector index increased linearly as DIM increased. Genetic responses to the third eigenvector index were negative in mid-lactation but were positive in early and late lactation (concave curve). Genetic responses to the fourth and fifth eigenvector indexes hovered around zero across the lactation. The results suggest that both second and third eigenvectors account for the change in the shape of the lactation curve and there is little utility of the fourth and fifth eigenvectors in improving lactation milk or persistency. When the goal is to increase lactation milk yield alone, the index based on the first eigenvector produced a similar response to the index based on all 5 eigenvectors. When the goal is to improve both lactation milk yield and persistency, the index based on the first 3 eigenvectors achieved more than 99.9% of the genetic response to an index based on all 5 eigenvectors. The advantage of an eigenvector index over conventional selection based on total lactation milk yield increases with increasing economic weight assigned to persistency.

First lactation milk production of Japanese Holstein cows was partitioned into ten stages. A quartic Legendre polynomial (k=5) under an animal model was used to estimate the additive genetic covariance matrix between these ten stages. Various selection indexes with or without restrictions were constructed using the eigenvectors of the genetic covariance matrix. These eigen indexes were designed to improve lactation milk and persistency defined as difference in milk between DIM 280 and DIM 55. Two sets of economic weights between lactation milk and persistency and three levels of restriction on the intended gains in persistency were applied. The unrestricted index based on the first three eigenvectors achieved more than 99.9% of the net merit of the unrestricted index based on the first five eigenvectors. The advantage of unrestricted index over conventional selection based on lactation EBV increases with increasing economic weight assigned to persistency. The construction of the restricted eigen index does not require economic values between lactation milk and persistency and thus is more practical than the unrestricted eigen index which requires information on the economic values of both. The index coefficients of the eigen indexes reveal the relative selection emphasis among various stages of the lactation. When the degree of restriction or economic value for persistency increases, a greater selection emphasis was placed on the later part of the lactation than on the early part in order to realize the desired persistency. The developed eigen indexes provide useful information and easy understanding of the selection practice. A numerical example was given to illustrate the construction of the restricted eigen index.

Nano-imprinting Lithography (NIL) has been considered as the most promising technique for nano-scaled fabrication and patterning. Recently, a new approach known as Laser-Assisted Direct Imprinting(LADI) has been proposed and demonstrated as an even more efficient way for direct nanofabrication and nanopatterning. In this study, we focused on silicon materials and utilized a single KrF excimer laser pulse (248 nm wavelength and 30 ns pulse duration) as the heating source. Molds of micro-scaled size have been prepared using conventional photolithography techniques. A working platform based on an Excimer Laser Micro-Machining system is constructed for LADI process. The influence of laser fluence and the imprinted pressure on the resulting structures was verifying by varying the laser fluence (1.0 ~ 1.2 J/cm2) and the imprinted load (3 ~ 9kg). The results have shown that the morphology and the imprinted depth were directly related to the laser fluence and the imprinted pressure. Quantitative data are obtained and will be addressed.

This study treats each daily estimated breeding value (EBV) of the lactation as a separate trait to modify the lactation curve on a daily basis. Six selection strategies for improving lactation milk without decreasing persistency were compared: 1) index I(R1), subject to the restriction of equal genetic gains at days in milk (DIM) 60 and 280, 2) I(R2), subject to the restriction of zero gain at DIM 60, 3) desired gains index I(d), designed to increase lactation milk without altering the lactation curve, 4) index I(u), comprising lactation EBV and persistency without standardization, 5) index I(w), consisting of lactation EBV (EBV(L)) and persistency with standardization, and 6) conventional selection on EBV(L) and used as a basis for comparison. Of the 6 selection strategies compared, I(R2) yielded the greatest persistency, but achieved the smallest response in EBV(L), suggesting that it is impractical to increase persistency by inhibiting change in the peak yield. Index I(u) showed the same response in lactation milk as conventional selection on EBV(L), but resulted in the same decreased persistency. Although both I(R1) and I(d) achieved constant persistency, the former produced a greater lactation response (669 kg EBV) than the latter (560 kg EBV). Thus, I(R1) is a viable strategy for improving EBV(L) while holding persistency constant. None of the 6 selection strategies excelled in both lactation milk and persistency. Index I(w) appears to be a reasonable choice for improving both traits, although responses would depend on the relative economic importance of the 2 traits. Differential responses between I(u) and I(w) emphasize the need to weight the EBV of different traits by the inverse of their standard deviations in index construction when the EBV vary widely in variance. The general formula developed here provides a useful genetic means of modifying the lactation curve by restricting differential genetic gains among different days of the lactation.

A conversion formula was developed to convert the genetic covariance matrices of daily yields and of random regression coefficients between 305-d and 335-d production periods under a random regression test day model. Five selection criteria were compared in terms of genetic improvement in persistency and lactation milk: 1) lactation estimated breeding value (EBVL), 2) P6 = 279Sigma(i=65) (D280 - Di), 3) ratio of daily estimated breeding value (EBV)(r280/65 = D280/D65), 4) ratio of partial lactation EBV (P280/65 = D66 approximately 28/D5 approximately 65), and 5) differential daily EBV (d65-280 = D65 - D280), where Di refers to EBV at days in milk (DIM) i. Fundamental differences among these 5 selection criteria were interpreted conceptually with a graph. Persistency, defined as k = (delta G65 - delta G280)/215, was the average daily rate of decline in selection gain from DIM 65 to 280, which is free from the effect of lactation milk on the rate of decline. Parameter k provides an objective measure of persistency, which increases when k < 0 and decreases when k > 0. Of the 5 selection criteria compared, d65-280 and P6 achieved greater persistency at the expense of genetic gain in lactation milk, whereas selection based on EBVL achieved the highest response in lactation milk, but was coupled with greatest decline in persistency. Selection on P280/65 or r280/65 improved both lactation milk and persistency and, thus, is recommended for simultaneous improvement of these 2 economically important traits. Further study of the relative economic values of persistency and lactation milk in order to combine both traits into an index for selection decision is warranted.

A maximum likelihood method was developed for QTL mapping in half-sib designs and compared to the regression method in analyses of both field and simulated data. The field data consisted of milk production evaluations of 433 progeny tested sons of 6 sires and 64 microsatellite markers distributed over 12 chromosomes. Based on permutation tests, 5 significant QTL were detected in the field data by the regression method compared with 10 by the maximum likelihood method (P < 0.05). In field data analysis, the maximum likelihood method detected more significant QTL and had a smaller residual variance than the regression method. The simulation included 9 scenarios differing in number of families, family size, QTL variance, and marker density, each replicated 100 times. The simulation results suggested that, as for the regression method, the precision of estimating QTL from the maximum likelihood method improves with increasing number of sons per sire, increasing the ratio of QTL to phenotypic variance, and decreasing marker interval. The maximum likelihood method had a smaller dispersion of estimated QTL positions than the regression method in 6 of 9 scenarios simulated. Overall, the maximum likelihood method shows potential advantage in QTL detection over the regression method, especially in the situations with less favorable conditions for QTL detection.

We have fabricated Sn : In O (ITO)-Al O dielec- tric on Si Ge -Si metal-oxide-semiconductor tunnel diodes which emit light at around 1.3 m, for . The emitted photon energy is smaller than the bandgap energy of Si, thus, avoiding strong light absorption by the Si substrate. The optical device structure is compatible with that of a metal-oxide-semicon- ductor field-effect transistor, since a conventional doped poly-Si gate electrode will be transparent to the emitted light. Increasing the Ge composition from 0.3 to 0.4 only slightly decreases the light-emitting efficiency.