A Comparative Study on the Elastic Characteristics of an Aluminum Thin-Film Using Laser Optical Measurement Techniques

The increase of a surface area-to-volume ratio with the reduction of material dimensions significantly alters the characteristics of materials from their macroscopic status. Therefore, efforts have been made to establish evaluation techniques for nanoscale films. While contact mechanics-based techniques are conventionally available, non-contact and nondestructive methods would be preferable in case damages left on a sample after testing are not desirable, or an in situ assessment is required. In the present study, the Young’s modulus of an aluminum thin-film was evaluated using two different laser optical measurement techniques. First, microscale beam testing has been performed so that the resonant frequency change of a microfabricated cantilever beam induced by coating of a 153 nm thick aluminum layer on its top surface can be detected using a laser interferometer in order to evaluate the mechanical property through modal analysis using the finite element method. Second, picosecond ultrasonics were employed for cross-verification so that the mechanical characteristics can be evaluated through the investigation of the longitudinal bulk wave propagation behavior. Results show that the Young’s moduli from both measurements agree well with each other within 3.3% error, proving that the proposed techniques are highly effective for the study of nanoscale films

Design and Vehicle Implementation of Autonomous Lane Change Algorithm based on Probabilistic Prediction

This paper describes design, vehicle implementation and validation of a motion planning and control algorithm of autonomous driving vehicle for lane change. Autonomous lane change is necessary for high-level autonomous driving. A vehicle equipped with diverse devices like sensors and computer is introduced for implementation and validation of autonomous driving. The autonomous driving system consists of three parts: perception, motion planning and control. In a perception part, surrounding vehicles' states and lane information are estimated. In motion planning part, using these information and chassis information, probabilistic prediction is conducted for ego vehicle and surrounding vehicle separately. And then, driving mode are decided among three modes: lane keeping, lane change and traffic pressure. Driving mode is determined based on a safety distance by predicting states of surrounding vehicles and ego vehicle. If the ego vehicle cannot perform lane change when the lane change is required, the most proper space is selected considering the probabilistic prediction information and the safety distance. Target states are defined based on driving mode and information of surrounding vehicles behaviors. In control part, the distributed control architecture for real time implementation to the vehicle. A linear quadratic regulator (LQR) optimal control and a model predictive control (MPC) are used to obtain the longitudinal acceleration and the desired steering angle. The proposed automated driving algorithm has been evaluated via vehicle test, which has used one autonomous vehicle and two normal vehicles.N

Deep learning model improves tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte evaluation and therapeutic response prediction in breast cancer

Abstract Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have been recognized as key players in the tumor microenvironment of breast cancer, but substantial interobserver variability among pathologists has impeded its utility as a biomarker. We developed a deep learning (DL)-based TIL analyzer to evaluate stromal TILs (sTILs) in breast cancer. Three pathologists evaluated 402 whole slide images of breast cancer and interpreted the sTIL scores. A standalone performance of the DL model was evaluated in the 210 cases (52.2%) exhibiting sTIL score differences of less than 10 percentage points, yielding a concordance correlation coefficient of 0.755 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.693–0.805) in comparison to the pathologists’ scores. For the 226 slides (56.2%) showing a 10 percentage points or greater variance between pathologists and the DL model, revisions were made. The number of discordant cases was reduced to 116 (28.9%) with the DL assistance (p < 0.001). The DL assistance also increased the concordance correlation coefficient of the sTIL score among every two pathologists. In triple-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer patients who underwent the neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the DL-assisted revision notably accentuated higher sTIL scores in responders (26.8 ± 19.6 vs. 19.0 ± 16.4, p = 0.003). Furthermore, the DL-assistant revision disclosed the correlation of sTIL-high tumors (sTIL ≥ 50) with the chemotherapeutic response (odd ratio 1.28 [95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.63], p = 0.039). Through enhancing inter-pathologist concordance in sTIL interpretation and predicting neoadjuvant chemotherapy response, here we report the utility of the DL-based tool as a reference for sTIL scoring in breast cancer assessment

Artificial intelligence-powered spatial analysis of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes for prediction of prognosis in resected colon cancer

Abstract Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) have been suggested as an important prognostic marker in colorectal cancer, but assessment usually requires additional tissue processing and interpretational efforts. The aim of this study is to assess the clinical significance of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered spatial TIL analysis using only a hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained whole-slide image (WSI) for the prediction of prognosis in stage II–III colon cancer treated with surgery and adjuvant therapy. In this retrospective study, we used Lunit SCOPE IO, an AI-powered H&E WSI analyzer, to assess intratumoral TIL (iTIL) and tumor-related stromal TIL (sTIL) densities from WSIs of 289 patients. The patients with confirmed recurrences had significantly lower sTIL densities (mean sTIL density 630.2/mm2 in cases with confirmed recurrence vs. 1021.3/mm2 in no recurrence, p < 0.001). Additionally, significantly higher recurrence rates were observed in patients having sTIL or iTIL in the lower quartile groups. Risk groups defined as high-risk (both iTIL and sTIL in the lowest quartile groups), low-risk (sTIL higher than the median), or intermediate-risk (not high- or low-risk) were predictive of recurrence and were independently associated with clinical outcomes after adjusting for other clinical factors. AI-powered TIL analysis can provide prognostic information in stage II/III colon cancer in a practical manner

Targeting hepatic heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) induces anti-hyperlipidemia leading to reduction of angiotensin II-induced aneurysm development

<div><p>Objective</p><p>The upregulated expression of heparin binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) in the vessel and circulation is associated with risk of cardiovascular disease. In this study, we tested the effects of HB-EGF targeting using HB-EGF-specific antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) on the development of aortic aneurysm in a mouse aneurysm model.</p><p>Approach and results</p><p>Low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) deficient mice (male, 16 weeks of age) were injected with control and HB-EGF ASOs for 10 weeks. To induce aneurysm, the mice were fed a high fat diet (22% fat, 0.2% cholesterol; w/w) at 5 week point of ASO administration and infused with angiotensin II (AngII, 1,000ng/kg/min) for the last 4 weeks of ASO administration. We confirmed that the HB-EGF ASO administration significantly downregulated HB-EGF expression in multiple tissues including the liver. Importantly, the HB-EGF ASO administration significantly suppressed development of aortic aneurysms including thoracic and abdominal types. Interestingly, the HB-EGF ASO administration induced a remarkable anti-hyperlipidemic effect by suppressing very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) level in the blood. Mechanistically, the HB-EGF targeting suppressed hepatic VLDL secretion rate without changing heparin-releasable plasma triglyceride (TG) hydrolytic activity or fecal neutral cholesterol excretion rate.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>This result suggested that the HB-EGF targeting induced protection against aneurysm development through anti-hyperlipidemic effects. Suppression of hepatic VLDL production process appears to be a key mechanism for the anti-hyperlipidemic effects by the HB-EGF targeting.</p></div

HB-EGF ASO administration suppressed circulatory lipid concentrations.

<p>Refer to <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0182566#pone.0182566.g001" target="_blank">Fig 1</a> legend for the LDLR deficient mice treatment. (<b>A-B</b>) Plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) concentrations in the plasma samples collected at the termination step. (<b>C</b>) FPLC fractionation analysis for the lipoprotein-associated cholesterol in the plasma. Four plasma samples, chosen from the median range of cholesterol concentration of each group, were pooled for the FPLC analysis. (<b>D</b>) ApoB and albumin levels in the plasma samples from the median range of cholesterol concentration of each group were compared by western blotting analysis (N = 5). **** p<0.0001.</p

HB-EGF ASO administration significantly suppressed aneurysm formation in a mouse disease model.

<p>Male LDLR deficient mice (LDLR KO) were injected with control and HB-EGF ASOs (40 mg/kg/week) for 10 weeks (N = 20–21). The mice were fed a normal chow diet (ND) initially but changed to a high fat diet (HFD) [21% fat, 0.2% cholesterol; w/w] for the last 5 weeks of study. At the 6 week point of ASO administration, osmotic mini-pumps filled with AngII with infusion rate of 1,000ng/min/kg were implanted subcutaneously. (<b>A</b>) HB-EGF mRNA expression in the liver was determined by qRT-PCR at the termination step. (<b>B</b>) The survival curve of the model mice. (<b>C</b>) Total area of the ascending aorta intimal area. (<b>D</b>) Incidence of aortic arch dissections as percent of individuals with dissections. (<b>E</b>) Representative images of normal and aneurysmal aortas. In the aorta images, * indicates location of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). (<b>F</b>) Incidence of abdominal aortic dilation. * p<0.05; ** p<0.01; and **** p<0.0001.</p

HB-EGF ASO administration increased neutral lipid contents in liver.

<p>Refer to <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0182566#pone.0182566.g001" target="_blank">Fig 1</a> legend for animal treatment. (<b>A</b>) At the termination step, liver weight was measured as a percent of the total body weight. (<b>B-D</b>) Concentrations of TG, total cholesterol, and free cholesterol in the liver tissues were quantified. * p < 0.05; *** p<0.001; **** p<0.0001; and n.s. = not significant.</p