Super-exponential Methods Incorporated with Higher-Order Correlations for Deflationary Blind Equalization of MIMO Linear Systems

Abstract. The multichannel blind deconvolution of finite-impulse re-sponse (FIR) or infinite-impulse response (IIR) systems is investigated using the multichannel super-exponential deflation methods. In the con-ventional multichannel super-exponential deflation method [4], the so-called “second-order correlation method ” is incorporated in order to estimate the contributions of an extracted source signal to the chan-nel outputs. We propose a new multichannel super-exponential deflation method using higher-order correlations instead of second-order correla-tions to reduce the computational complexity in terms of multiplications and to accelerate the performance of equalization. By computer simula-tions, it is shown that the method of using fourth-order correlations is better than the method of using second-order correlations in a noiseless case or a noisy case.

Photoactive nano-confined Pt in titania nanotubes (Pt-TiNT) via microwave-assisted flow synthesis

Pt-TiNT with PtO nanoparticles dispersed within the lumen and interlayer spaces of titania nanotubes (TiNT) were prepared by a new process involving titanate nanosheets (TiNS) synthesis in an optimized microwave-assisted flow reactor, followed by ion-exchange with a Pt precursor, before triggering the titanate layer rolling to trap the Pt precursor clusters inside the titania nanotubes, followed by a thermal treatment. TEM, XRD, and Raman analyses confirm the total conversion of TiO2 into TiNS in 15 min at 120 °C and 4 bar, and the TiNS transformation into 181 nm-long TiNT with 10 and 6 nm outer and inner diameter, respectively. The 2% Pt-TiNT comprises 0.7 nm PtO clusters (according to XPS), causing slight distortions of the interlayer spaces, while a few larger 2–3 nm Pt clusters reside within the lumen. As a result, Pt-TiNT is 14-fold more active than TiNT for visible light (400–780 nm) photocatalytic oxidation of diclofenac under 2136 μW·cm−2 irradiation, and>1000-fold better than the uncatalyzed photoconversion reaction under 100 mW·cm−2 artificial solar lighting. In addition, nano-confinement of PtO clusters narrowed the bandgap of the TiNT, which, combined with its excellent absorptivity to harvest light, allowed a broader spectral range of photon energies to activate the photocatalyst. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.This work is supported by the Horizon 2020 BIORIMA project and the Hong Kong Research Grant Council E-HKUST601/17 and in part by the Project of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone (HZQB-KCZYB-2020083). Dr. Y.J. Luo stay at the Instituto de Cat´alisis y Petroleoquímica is supported by the HKUST Overseas Research Award. Finally, the authors acknowledge the support of the Central Facilities of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology including the Material Characterization and Preparation Facility (MCPF) and the Environmental Central Facility (ENVF).Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi. org/10.1016/j.cej.2023.143254Peer reviewe

Overcoming enzalutamide resistance in metastatic prostate cancer by targeting sphingosine kinase

Background Intrinsic resistance to androgen receptor signalling inhibitors (ARSI) occurs in 20–30% of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Ceramide metabolism may have a role in ARSI resistance. Our study's aim is to investigate the association of the ceramide-sphingosine-1-phosphate (ceramide-S1P) signalling axis with ARSI resistance in mCRPC. Methods Lipidomic analysis (∼700 lipids) was performed on plasma collected from 132 men with mCRPC, before commencing enzalutamide or abiraterone. AR gene aberrations in 77 of these men were identified by deep sequencing of circulating tumour DNA. Associations between circulating lipids, radiological progression-free survival (rPFS) and overall survival (OS) were examined by Cox regression. Inhibition of ceramide-S1P signalling with sphingosine kinase (SPHK) inhibitors (PF-543 and ABC294640) on enzalutamide efficacy was investigated with in vitro assays, and transcriptomic and lipidomic analyses of prostate cancer (PC) cell lines (LNCaP, C42B, 22Rv1). Findings Men with elevated circulating ceramide levels had shorter rPFS (HR=2·3, 95% CI=1·5–3·6, p = 0·0004) and shorter OS (HR=2·3, 95% CI=1·4–36, p = 0·0005). The combined presence of an AR aberration with elevated ceramide levels conferred a worse prognosis than the presence of only one or none of these characteristics (median rPFS time = 3·9 vs 8·3 vs 17·7 months; median OS time = 8·9 vs 19·8 vs 34·4 months). SPHK inhibitors enhanced enzalutamide efficacy in PC cell lines. Transcriptomic and lipidomic analyses indicated that enzalutamide combined with SPHK inhibition enhanced PC cell death by SREBP-induced lipotoxicity. Interpretation Ceramide-S1P signalling promotes ARSI resistance, which can be reversed with SPHK inhibitors.Hui-Ming Lin, Blossom Mak, Nicole Yeung, Kevin Huynh, Thomas G. Meikl, Natalie A. Mellett, Edmond M. Kwan, Heidi Fettk, Ben Tran, Ian D. Davis, Kate L. Mahon, Alison Zhang, Martin R. Stockler, Karen Brisco, Gavin Marx, Megan Crumbaker, Phillip D. Stricker, Pan Du, Jianjun Yu, Shidong Ji, Tahlia Scheinberg, Michael Fitzpatrick, Paul Bonnitcha, David R. Sullivan, Anthony M. Joshua, Arun A. Azad, Lisa M. Butler, Peter J. Meikle, Lisa G. Horvat

A synthesis of evidence for policy from behavioural science during COVID-19

Scientific evidence regularly guides policy decisions1, with behavioural science increasingly part of this process2. In April 2020, an influential paper3 proposed 19 policy recommendations (‘claims’) detailing how evidence from behavioural science could contribute to efforts to reduce impacts and end the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we assess 747 pandemic-related research articles that empirically investigated those claims. We report the scale of evidence and whether evidence supports them to indicate applicability for policymaking. Two independent teams, involving 72 reviewers, found evidence for 18 of 19 claims, with both teams finding evidence supporting 16 (89%) of those 18 claims. The strongest evidence supported claims that anticipated culture, polarization and misinformation would be associated with policy effectiveness. Claims suggesting trusted leaders and positive social norms increased adherence to behavioural interventions also had strong empirical support, as did appealing to social consensus or bipartisan agreement. Targeted language in messaging yielded mixed effects and there were no effects for highlighting individual benefits or protecting others. No available evidence existed to assess any distinct differences in effects between using the terms ‘physical distancing’ and ‘social distancing’. Analysis of 463 papers containing data showed generally large samples; 418 involved human participants with a mean of 16,848 (median of 1,699). That statistical power underscored improved suitability of behavioural science research for informing policy decisions. Furthermore, by implementing a standardized approach to evidence selection and synthesis, we amplify broader implications for advancing scientific evidence in policy formulation and prioritization

Open data from the third observing run of LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA, and GEO

The global network of gravitational-wave observatories now includes five detectors, namely LIGO Hanford, LIGO Livingston, Virgo, KAGRA, and GEO 600. These detectors collected data during their third observing run, O3, composed of three phases: O3a starting in 2019 April and lasting six months, O3b starting in 2019 November and lasting five months, and O3GK starting in 2020 April and lasting two weeks. In this paper we describe these data and various other science products that can be freely accessed through the Gravitational Wave Open Science Center at https://gwosc.org. The main data set, consisting of the gravitational-wave strain time series that contains the astrophysical signals, is released together with supporting data useful for their analysis and documentation, tutorials, as well as analysis software packages

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Incorporation of functional metal oxide materials in chemical microsystems

TiO₂-SiO₂ aerogel with various TiO₂ contents was successfully deposited into a microchannel. SEM, XPS and liquid-phase photocatalytic oxidation reaction of phenol were used to examine the TiO₂-SiO₂ aerogel's microstructure and reactivity. The TiO₂ content has a significant effect on the aerogel network and its adhesion on the microchannel. High open and cross-linking or ordered macroporous structure can be formed in TiO₂-SiO₂ aerogels with lower TiO₂ content (5wt% or 10wt%). The conversion of phenol is around 36.6% during the reaction when this aerogel incorporated microchannel is used as microreactor