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Continuous imaging of cardiac functions is highly desirable for the assessment of long-term cardiovascular health, detection of acute cardiac dysfunction and clinical management of critically ill or surgical patients 1 – 4 . However, conventional non-invasive approaches to image the cardiac function cannot provide continuous measurements owing to device bulkiness 5 – 11 , and existing wearable cardiac devices can only capture signals on the skin 12 – 16 . Here we report a wearable ultrasonic device for continuous, real-time and direct cardiac function assessment. We introduce innovations in device design and material fabrication that improve the mechanical coupling between the device and human skin, allowing the left ventricle to be examined from different views during motion. We also develop a deep learning model that automatically extracts the left ventricular volume from the continuous image recording, yielding waveforms of key cardiac performance indices such as stroke volume, cardiac output and ejection fraction. This technology enables dynamic wearable monitoring of cardiac performance with substantially improved accuracy in various environments. Innovations in device design, material fabrication and deep learning are described, leading to a wearable ultrasound transducer capable of dynamic cardiac imaging in various environments and under different conditions.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of ultrasound (US) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) virtual navigation in a novel prone position for MRI-detected incidental breast lesions. Between June 2016 and June 2020, 30 consecutive patients with 33 additional Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 4 or 5 lesions that were detected on MRI but occult on second-look US were enrolled in the study. All suspicious lesions were located in real-time US using MRI virtual navigation in the prone position and then followed by US-guided biopsy or surgical excision. Pathological results were taken as the standard of reference. The detection rate of US with MRI virtual navigation was calculated. The MRI features and pathological types of these lesions were analyzed. A total of 31 lesions were successfully located with real-time US with MRI virtual navigation and then US-guided biopsy or localization, and the detection rate was 93.9% (31/33). Twenty-seven (87.1%, 27/31) proved to be benign lesions and four (12.9%, 4/31) were malignant lesions at pathology. Of the 33 MRI-detected lesions, 31 (93.9%, 31/33) were non-mass enhancements and two (6.1%, 2/33) were masses. This study showed that real-time US with prone MRI virtual navigation is a novel efficient and economical method to improve the detection and US-guided biopsy rate of breast lesions that are detected solely on MRI.

Ultrasound‐derived fat fraction (UDFF) is designed to assess the hepatic fat content quantitatively. A multicenter study that verifies the diagnostic performance of UDFF for detecting hepatic steatosis has not yet been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of UDFF for diagnosing and grading hepatic steatosis. Participants referred for assessment of hepatic steatosis were prospectively recruited from eight hospitals. All participants underwent UDFF and magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI‐PDFF) examinations. MRI‐PDFF was used as the reference for diagnosing hepatic steatosis. From January 2023 to July 2023, a total of 300 participants were included. The median body mass index was 25.4 kg/m2 (interquartile range: 22.7–28.1). UDFF values were positively correlated with MRI‐PDFF (R = 0.80, p < 0.001). Using MRI‐PDFF ≥ 5%, ≥ 15%, and ≥ 25% as the reference standard for detecting mild, moderate, and severe hepatic steatosis, the best cutoff values of UDFF were 7.6% (area under the receiver operating characteristic curves [AUC] = 0.90), 15.9% (AUC = 0.90), and 22.3% (AUC = 0.91), respectively. Thus, UDFF has excellent diagnostic performance in detecting and grading hepatic steatosis. In this prospective multicenter study, UDFF values were positively correlated with MRI‐PDFF (R = 0.80). Taking MRI‐PDFF ≥ 5%, ≥ 15%, and ≥ 25% as the reference for diagnosing mild, moderate, and severe hepatic steatosis, the cutoff values of UDFF were 7.6%, 15.9%, and 22.3% in the training set (AUC = 0.90–0.91), respectively. UDFF achieved comparable AUCs in the validation set.

Inspired by studies on the overwhelming presence of experience-sharing in human-human conversations, Emora, the social chatbot developed by Emory University, aims to bring such experience-focused interaction to the current field of conversational AI. The traditional approach of information-sharing topic handlers is balanced with a focus on opinion-oriented exchanges that Emora delivers, and new conversational abilities are developed that support dialogues that consist of a collaborative understanding and learning process of the partner's life experiences. We present a curated dialogue system that leverages highly expressive natural language templates, powerful intent classification, and ontology resources to provide an engaging and interesting conversational experience to every user.

The increasing complexity of real-world engineering problems, ranging from manufacturing scheduling to resource optimization in smart grids, has driven demand for adaptive and high-performing heuristic methods. Automatic Heuristic Design (AHD) and neural-enhanced metaheuristics have shown promise in automating strategy development, but often suffer from limited flexibility and scalability due to static operator libraries or high retraining costs. Recently, Large Language Models (LLMs) have emerged as a powerful alternative for exploring and evolving heuristics through natural language and program synthesis. This paper proposes a novel LLM-based memetic framework that synergizes LLM-driven exploration with domain-specific local refinement and memory-aware reflection, enabling a dynamic balance between heuristic creativity and effectiveness. In the experiments, the developed framework outperforms other LLM-based state-of-the-art approaches across the designed AGV-drone scheduling scenario and two benchmark combinatorial problems. The findings suggest that LLMs can serve not only as general-purpose optimizers but also as interpretable heuristic generators that adapt efficiently to complex and heterogeneous domains.

The nonlinear mechanical behavior and temperature sensitivity of HTPB propellant for solid rocket motors were investigated. The rate-dependent mechanical properties of the propellant were examined through a combination of experiments and numerical simulations. Experimental results demonstrate that the tensile mechanical properties of HTPB propellant are rate-dependent at 223 K and 323 K; stresses at a given strain gradually increase with increasing strain rate. By use a generalized nonlinear ZWT intrinsic model, the tensile mechanical behavior of HTPB propellant under a wide range of strain rates was to described. A numerical simulation of a uniaxial tensile test was performed using a UMAT subroutine. The results demonstrate that the model accurately represents the mechanical properties of the HTPB propellant.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell is a safe and effective therapy of B-cell cancers but it is unknown if this is so in persons with prior hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We studied 70 subjects with advanced B-cell cancers receiving CAR-T-cell therapy, 12 of whom had chronic HBV-infection (HBsAg positive) and 29 with resolved HBV-infection (HBsAg negative and anti-HBc positive). Safety and efficacy were compared with 29 subjects without HBV-infection. HBV was reactivated in 2 subjects with chronic HBV-infection and 1 with resolved HBV-infection. There was no HBV-related hepatitis flare. Responses to CAR-T-cell therapy in the three cohorts were not significantly different. There was no significant difference in the incidence or severity of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and neurologic toxicity between the cohorts. Our data suggest that chronic and resolved HBV-infection do not affect the safety and efficacy of CAR-T-cell therapy.

Electro-optic modulators in the near-infrared spectrum are finding applications in atomic clocks, quantum sensing, quantum information processing, and high-precision measurement. We developed thin-film lithium niobate electro-optic modulators operating at 795 nm for modulation around the D1 line of 87Rb with satisfactory overall performance. Specifically, we made a systematic improvement to reduce the insertion loss, including widening the modulation waveguides, thickening the overcladding, polishing and coating the facets. The fabricated device possesses a low insertion loss of 7.6 dB, an extinction ratio exceeding 30 dB, a 3 dB modulation bandwidth of ~22 GHz, a half-wave voltage-length product of ~1.8 Vcm, and strong adaptability for packaging.

Accurately forecasting the degradation trajectory of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) across a spectrum of operational scenarios is indispensable for effective maintenance scheduling and robust health surveillance. However, this task is highly intricate due to the fluctuating nature of dynamic operating conditions and the limitations inherent in short-term forecasting techniques, which collectively pose significant challenges to achieving reliable predictions. To enhance the accuracy of PEMFC degradation forecasting, this research proposes an integrated approach that combines the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with the variational mode decomposition (CEEMD-VMD) and triple echo state network (TriESN) to predict the deterioration process precisely. Decomposition can filter out high-frequency noise and retain low-frequency degradation information effectively. Among data-driven methods, the echo state network (ESN) is capable of estimating the degradation performance of PEMFCs. To tackle the problem of low prediction accuracy, this study proposes a novel TriESN that builds upon the classical ESN. The proposed enhancement method seeks to refine the ESN architecture by reducing the impact of surrounding neurons and sub-reservoirs on active neurons, thus realizing partial decoupling of the ESN. On this basis of decoupling, the method takes into account the multi-timescale aging characteristics of PEMFCs to achieve precise prediction of remaining useful life. Overall, combining CEEMD-VMD with the TriESN strengthens feature depiction, fosters sparsity, diminishes the likelihood of overfitting, and augments the network’s capacity for generalization. It has been shown that the TriESN markedly improved the accuracy of long-term PEMFC degradation predictions in three different dynamic contexts.

Recent single-arm studies involving neoadjuvant camrelizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor, plus chemotherapy for resectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (LA-ESCC) have shown promising results. This multicenter, randomized, open-label phase 3 trial aimed to further assess the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant camrelizumab plus chemotherapy followed by adjuvant camrelizumab, compared to neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone. A total of 391 patients with resectable thoracic LA-ESCC (T1b-3N1-3M0 or T3N0M0) were stratified by clinical stage (I/II, III or IVA) and randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to undergo two cycles of neoadjuvant therapy. Treatments included camrelizumab, albumin-bound paclitaxel and cisplatin (Cam+nab-TP group; n  = 132); camrelizumab, paclitaxel and cisplatin (Cam+TP group; n  = 130); and paclitaxel with cisplatin (TP group; n  = 129), followed by surgical resection. Both the Cam+nab-TP and Cam+TP groups also received adjuvant camrelizumab. The dual primary endpoints were the rate of pathological complete response (pCR), as evaluated by a blind independent review committee, and event-free survival (EFS), as assessed by investigators. This study reports the final analysis of pCR rates. In the intention-to-treat population, the Cam+nab-TP and Cam+TP groups exhibited significantly higher pCR rates of 28.0% and 15.4%, respectively, compared to 4.7% in the TP group (Cam+nab-TP versus TP: difference 23.5%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 15.1–32.0, P  < 0.0001; Cam+TP versus TP: difference 10.9%, 95% CI 3.7–18.1, P  = 0.0034). The study met its primary endpoint of pCR; however, EFS is not yet mature. The incidence of grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events during neoadjuvant treatment was 34.1% for the Cam+nab-TP group, 29.2% for the Cam+TP group and 28.8% for the TP group; the postoperative complication rates were 34.2%, 38.8% and 32.0%, respectively. Neoadjuvant camrelizumab plus chemotherapy demonstrated superior pCR rates compared to chemotherapy alone for LA-ESCC, with a tolerable safety profile. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry identifier: ChiCTR2000040034 . In a randomized phase 3 trial, neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 plus either paclitaxel and cisplatin or nab-paclitaxel and cisplatin elicited a significantly superior pathological complete response rate versus neoadjuvant paclitaxel and cisplatin alone in patients with resectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.