Controllable Sonar Lenses and Prisms Based on ERFs

Sonar-beam-steering devices of the proposed type would contain no moving parts and would be considerably smaller and less power-hungry, relative to conventional multiple-beam sonar arrays. The proposed devices are under consideration for installation on future small autonomous underwater vehicles because the sizes and power demands of conventional multiple-beam arrays are excessive, and motors used in single-beam mechanically scanned systems are also not reliable. The proposed devices would include a variety of electrically controllable acoustic prisms, lenses, and prism/lens combinations both simple and compound. These devices would contain electrorheological fluids (ERFs) between electrodes. An ERF typically consists of dielectric particles floating in a dielectric fluid. When an electric field is applied to the fluid, the particles become grouped into fibrils aligned in rows, with a consequent increase in the viscosity of the fluid and a corresponding increase in the speed of sound in the fluid. The change in the speed of sound increases with an increase in the applied electric field. By thus varying the speed of sound, one varies the acoustic index of refraction, analogously to varying the index of refraction of an optical lens or prism. In the proposed acoustic devices, this effect would be exploited to control the angles of refraction of acoustic beams, thereby steering the beams and, in the case of lenses, controlling focal lengths

Fertilizer value and nitrogen transfer efficiencies with clover-grass ley biomass based fertilizers

In temperate regions, legume-based green manures are a key element of organic rotations. However, specialized farms lack sufficient mobile organic fertilizers. To gain a better understanding of the N flows and the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer value of different clover-grass-based fertilizers (biogas digestate, compost, silage and fresh clover-grass obtained from clover grass ley biomass), we assessed their fertilizer value. Nitrogen and P offtake by the ryegrass was used to assess the shortterm effects. The data were completed using model calculations to assess the field-to-field N-transfer efficiencies and the overall N-transfer efficiencies. The greatest plant N offtake was achieved with digestates (64%) and the lowest from the compost (6%) and solid farmyard manure (14%). The mineralization rate was positively related to the NH4+– N/total N ratio (P\0.01, r2 = 0.82). The model calculations indicate that the overall short-term N-transfer efficiencies are driven by the field to-field N-transfer efficiency and the field-to-crop transfer efficiency. However, in the long term, model calculations indicate that a high field-to-field N-transfer efficiency is the key strategic approach when aiming to achieve cropping systems with a high overall longterm N-transfer efficiency. Consequently, the results showed that aerobic decomposition (composting) significantly lowered field-to-field as well as field-tocrop N-transfer rates. The relative P use efficiency strongly differed among the fertilizers. In particular, freshly cut clover-grass and solid manure increased P availability and led to an increase of plant P offtake that was higher than the amount of P supplied

Clinical Performance of the Consensus Immunoscore in Colon Cancer in the Asian Population from the Multicenter International SITC Study.

In this study, we evaluated the prognostic value of Immunoscore in patients with stage I-III colon cancer (CC) in the Asian population. These patients were originally included in an international study led by the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) on 2681 patients with AJCC/UICC-TNM stages I-III CC. CD3+ and cytotoxic CD8+ T-lymphocyte densities were quantified in the tumor and invasive margin by digital pathology. The association of Immunoscore with prognosis was evaluated for time to recurrence (TTR), disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Immunoscore stratified Asian patients (n = 423) into different risk categories and was not impacted by age. Recurrence-free rates at 3 years were 78.5%, 85.2%, and 98.3% for a Low, Intermediate, and High Immunoscore, respectively (HR[Low-vs-High] = 7.26 (95% CI 1.75-30.19); = 0.0064). A High Immunoscore showed a significant association with prolonged TTR, OS, and DFS ( < 0.05). In Cox multivariable analysis stratified by center, Immunoscore association with TTR was independent (HR[Low-vs-Int+High] = 2.22 (95% CI 1.10-4.55) = 0.0269) of the patient's gender, T-stage, N-stage, sidedness, and MSI status. A significant association of a High Immunoscore with prolonged TTR was also found among MSS (HR[Low-vs-Int+High] = 4.58 (95% CI 2.27-9.23); ≤ 0.0001), stage II (HR[Low-vs-Int+High] = 2.72 (95% CI 1.35-5.51); = 0.0052), low-risk stage-II (HR[Low-vs-Int+High] = 2.62 (95% CI 1.21-5.68); = 0.0146), and high-risk stage II patients (HR[Low-vs-Int+High] = 3.11 (95% CI 1.39-6.91); = 0.0055). A High Immunoscore is significantly associated with the prolonged survival of CC patients within the Asian population

Multicenter International Study of the Consensus Immunoscore for the Prediction of Relapse and Survival in Early-Stage Colon Cancer

Background: The prognostic value of Immunoscore was evaluated in Stage II/III colon cancer (CC) patients, but it remains unclear in Stage I/II, and in early-stage subgroups at risk. An international Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) study evaluated the pre-defined consensus Immunoscore in tumors from 1885 AJCC/UICC-TNM Stage I/II CC patients from Canada/USA (Cohort 1) and Europe/Asia (Cohort 2). METHODS: Digital-pathology is used to quantify the densities of CD3+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte in the center of tumor (CT) and the invasive margin (IM). The time to recurrence (TTR) was the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints were disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), prognosis in Stage I, Stage II, Stage II-high-risk, and microsatellite-stable (MSS) patients. RESULTS: High-Immunoscore presented with the lowest risk of recurrence in both cohorts. In Stage I/II, recurrence-free rates at 5 years were 78.4% (95%-CI, 74.4–82.6), 88.1% (95%-CI, 85.7–90.4), 93.4% (95%-CI, 91.1–95.8) in low, intermediate and high Immunoscore, respectively (HR (Hi vs. Lo) = 0.27 (95%-CI, 0.18–0.41); p p P = 0.016). The Immunoscore had the strongest (69.5%) contribution χ2 for influencing survival. Patients with a high Immunoscore had prolonged TTR in T4N0 tumors even for patients not receiving chemotherapy, and the Immunoscore remained the only significant parameter in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: In early CC, low Immunoscore reliably identifies patients at risk of relapse for whom a more intensive surveillance program or adjuvant treatment should be considered

Multicenter International Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Study of the Consensus Immunoscore for the Prediction of Survival and Response to Chemotherapy in Stage III Colon Cancer.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of Immunoscore in patients with stage III colon cancer (CC) and to analyze its association with the effect of chemotherapy on time to recurrence (TTR). METHODS An international study led by the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer evaluated the predefined consensus Immunoscore in 763 patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union for International Cancer Control TNM stage III CC from cohort 1 (Canada/United States) and cohort 2 (Europe/Asia). CD3+ and cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocyte densities were quantified in the tumor and invasive margin by digital pathology. The primary end point was TTR. Secondary end points were overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), prognosis in microsatellite stable (MSS) status, and predictive value of efficacy of chemotherapy. RESULTS Patients with a high Immunoscore presented with the lowest risk of recurrence, in both cohorts. Recurrence-free rates at 3 years were 56.9% (95% CI, 50.3% to 64.4%), 65.9% (95% CI, 60.8% to 71.4%), and 76.4% (95% CI, 69.3% to 84.3%) in patients with low, intermediate, and high immunoscores, respectively (hazard ratio [HR; high v low], 0.48; 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.71; P = .0003). Patients with high Immunoscore showed significant association with prolonged TTR, OS, and DFS (all P .12). CONCLUSION This study shows that a high Immunoscore significantly associated with prolonged survival in stage III CC. Our findings suggest that patients with a high Immunoscore will benefit the most from chemotherapy in terms of recurrence risk