Nano Technology Research Association

Among patients with hepatitis B virus-associated liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC), there may be differences in the hepatic parenchyma between those with and without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Proton MR spectroscopy (1H-MRS) is a well-established tool for noninvasive metabolomics, but has been challenging in the liver allowing only a few metabolites to be detected other than lipids. This study aims to explore the potential of 1H-MRS of the liver in conjunction with deep learning to differentiate between HBV-LC patients with and without HCC. Between August 2018 and March 2021, 1H-MRS data were collected from 37 HBV-LC patients who underwent MRI for HCC surveillance, without HCC (HBV-LC group, n = 20) and with HCC (HBV-LC-HCC group, n = 17). Based on a priori knowledge from the first 10 patients from each group, big spectral datasets were simulated to develop 2 kinds of convolutional neural networks (CNNs): CNNs quantifying 15 metabolites and 5 lipid resonances (qCNNs) and CNNs classifying patients into HBV-LC and HBV-LC-HCC (cCNNs). The performance of the cCNNs was assessed using the remaining patients in the 2 groups (10 HBV-LC and 7 HBV-LC-HCC patients). Using a simulated dataset, the quantitative errors with the qCNNs were significantly lower than those with a conventional nonlinear-least-squares-fitting method for all metabolites and lipids (P ≤0.004). The cCNNs exhibited sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 100% (7/7), 90% (9/10), and 94% (16/17), respectively, for identifying the HBV-LC-HCC group. Deep-learning-aided 1H-MRS with data augmentation by spectral simulation may have potential in differentiating between HBV-LC patients with and without HCC.

Two welding methods of FCAW (Flux-cored arc welding) + FCAW, and FCAW + GTAW (Gas tungsten arc welding) were compared to identify effective routes for STS 316L/A516-70N clad stainless steel. Since the welding speed of the FCAW + GTAW welding method is slower than that of the FCAW + FCAW welding method, the amount of heat input is large, the size of the heat-affected zone formed is larger, and the amount of angular deformation is also large. The microstructure and deformation of the welding specimens were investigated by computational simulation, and the results were compared with calculated results for actual specimens. The results were very similar, thus confirming the high accuracy of the calculation. After measuring the hardness value of the actual welded specimens, the specimen welded by the FCAW + FCAW welding method was found to have a higher hardness value. The hardness of the welded portion of the FCAW + GTAW specimen tests tended to remain at nearly the same value throughout the specimen, indicating that the FCAW + GTAW hardness profile is desirable. In the computer simulation, butt welding was used to set the optimal heat source conditions for the two welding methods, and the effect of heat formed during welding was confirmed using the thermal analysis results according to the conditions. Based on the butt welding conditions, the residual stress and strain for the two welding methods are discussed, using calculations for the welding of C-seam (circumferential seam) and L-seam (longitudinal seam) used in the manufacture of pressure vessels.

Variations of ortho-positronium (o-Ps) lifetime and gas permeability of the Aquivion® E8705 membrane were studied as functions of temperature under vacuum and relative humidity at room temperature. When the temperature was varied between 0 and 100 °C in vacuum, the hole volume of Aquivion® E8705, deduced from the ortho-positronium lifetime, gradually increased. However, when the relative humidity was changed at room temperature, the hole volume was essentially unchanged. Good linear correlations between the logarithm of permeabilities of O2 and H2 and reciprocal hole volume at different temperatures indicates the importance role of free volume in gas permeation in dry Aquivion® E8705. However, for hydrated Aquivion® E8705 the permeability less depends on hole volume.

Positron annihilation lifetime and Doppler broadening of annihilation radiation studies of pure and doped polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with Al2O3 reflect the effect of concentration on free volume. Therefore, variations of the relative fractional free volume, which is extracted from positron annihilation parameters, have been correlated with changes in the dielectric properties (dielectric constant and a.c. conductivity) of the pure and doped PVC with Al2O3 from 10 to 50 %. The o-Ps lifetime and its intensity show a linear dependence with a discontinuity at 30 % concentration of Al2O3. A correlation between the relative fractional free volume and the dielectric parameters has been achieved.