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Forarticles published under an open access Creative Common CC BY license, any part of the article may be reused withoutpermission provided that the original article is clearly cited.Feature Papers represent the most advanced research with significant potential for high impact in the field. FeaturePapers are submitted upon individual invitation or recommendation by the scientific editors and undergo peer reviewprior to publication.The Feature Paper can be either an original research article, a substantial novel research study that often involvesseveral techniques or approaches, or a comprehensive review paper with concise and precise updates on the latestprogress in the field that systematically reviews the most exciting advances in scientific literature. This type ofpaper provides an outlook on future directions of research or possible applications.Editor’s Choice articles are based on recommendations by the scientific editors of MDPI journals from around the world.Editors select a small number of articles recently published in the journal that they believe will be particularlyinteresting to authors, or important in this field. The aim is to provide a snapshot of some of the most exciting workpublished in the various research areas of the journal. You seem to have javascript disabled. Please note that many of the page functionalities won't work as expected without javascript enabled. clearsearchmenuJournalsTopicsInformationFor AuthorsFor ReviewersFor EditorsFor LibrariansFor PublishersFor SocietiesFor Conference OrganizersArticle Processing ChargesOpen Access PolicyInstitutional Open Access ProgramEditorial ProcessAwardsResearch and Publication EthicsAuthor ServicesInitiativesSciforumMDPI BooksPreprintsScilitSciProfilesEncyclopediaJAMSProceedings SeriesAboutSign In / Sign UpSubmitAnnual Report 2021Disseminating open research for more than 25 yearsLearn MoreBiosensorsFRET Ratiometric Nanoprobes for Nanoparticle MonitoringOxygenA Brief History of Oxygen: 250 Years onBrain SciencesPutting the Pieces Together: Mental Construction of Semantically Congruent and Incongruent Scenes in DementiaVirusesHeterogeneity of Early Host Response to Infection with Four Low-Pathogenic H7 Viruses with a Different Evolutionary History in the FieldRecent ArticlesattachmentSupplementary material:Supplementary File 1 (ZIP, 648 KiB)get_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessArticleHKT1;1 and HKT1;2 Na+ Transporters from Solanum galapagense Play Different Roles in the Plant Na+ Distribution under Salinityby Maria J. Asins, Maria R. Romero-Aranda, Jesus Espinosa, Paloma González-Fernández, Emilio Jaime-Fernández, Jose A. Traverso, Emilio A. Carbonell and Andres Belver Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 5130; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23095130 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract Salt tolerance is a target trait in plant science and tomato breeding programs. Wild tomato accessions have been often explored for this purpose. Since shoot Na+/K+ is a key component of salt tolerance, RNAi-mediated knockdown isogenic lines obtained for Solanum [...] Read more.Salt tolerance is a target trait in plant science and tomato breeding programs. Wild tomato accessions have been often explored for this purpose. Since shoot Na+/K+ is a key component of salt tolerance, RNAi-mediated knockdown isogenic lines obtained for Solanum galapagense alleles encoding both class I Na+ transporters HKT1;1 and HKT1;2 were used to investigate the silencing effects on the Na and K contents of the xylem sap, and source and sink organs of the scion, and their contribution to salt tolerance in all 16 rootstock/scion combinations of non-silenced and silenced lines, under two salinity treatments. The results show that SgHKT1;1 is operating differently from SgHKT1;2 regarding Na circulation in the tomato vascular system under salinity. A model was built to show that using silenced SgHKT1;1 line as rootstock would improve salt tolerance and fruit quality of varieties carrying the wild type SgHKT1;2 allele. Moreover, this increasing effect on both yield and fruit soluble solids content of silencing SgHKT1;1 could explain that a low expressing HKT1;1 variant was fixed in S. lycopersicum during domestication, and the paradox of increasing agronomic salt tolerance through silencing the HKT1;1 allele from S. galapagense, a salt adapted species.Full article(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Plant Sciences)get_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessArticleToward a Lattice Boltzmann Method for Solids—Application to Static Equilibrium of Isotropic MaterialsbyTristan Maquart, Romain Noël, Guy Courbebaisse and Laurent Navarro Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 4627; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12094627 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract This work presents a novel method for simulating the behavior of solid objects with the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). To introduce and validate our proposed framework, comparative studies are performed for computing the static equilibrium of isotropic materials. Remembering that the LBM has [...] Read more.This work presents a novel method for simulating the behavior of solid objects with the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). To introduce and validate our proposed framework, comparative studies are performed for computing the static equilibrium of isotropic materials. Remembering that the LBM has strong theoretical foundations in the Boltzmann equation; this latter is firstly adjusted to solid motions, through its Boltzmann-Vlasov special case. This is indeed the case when combined with a suitable mean-field external force term to set a reliable solid framework. Secondly, a library is built and plugged on the top of the well-known Parallel Lattice Boltzmann Solver (PaLaBoS) library. Numerical implementations based on the previous equation of motion for solids are led in a non-intrusive manner so as to present results with an easy and flawless reproducibility. A newly designed Lattice Boltzmann Method for Solids (LBMS) is exhibited through a few key algorithms, showing the overall operation plus the major improvements. Efficiency, robustness and accuracy of the proposed approach are illustrated and contrasted with a commercial Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software. The obtained results reveal considerable potential concerning static and further dynamic simulations involving solid constitutive laws within the LBM formalism.Full articleget_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessReviewEffects of the Shot Peening Process on Corrosion Resistance of Aluminum Alloy: A ReviewbyHao Huang, Jintao Niu, Xiangtao Xing, Qichao Lin, Hongtang Chen and Yang Qiao Coatings 2022, 12(5), 629; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12050629 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract The high humidity of marine atmosphere and the existence of corrosive chloride ions lead to the premature corrosion failure of aluminum alloy components. The development of surface-strengthening technology provides an opportunity to prolong their service life spans. As a mature surface-strengthening technology, the [...] Read more.The high humidity of marine atmosphere and the existence of corrosive chloride ions lead to the premature corrosion failure of aluminum alloy components. The development of surface-strengthening technology provides an opportunity to prolong their service life spans. As a mature surface-strengthening technology, the shot peening process is widely used, owing to its advantages over other strengthening technologies, including its easy operation and high production rate. The shot-peened surface integrity depends on shot peening variables that introduces the thermomechanical effect to the deformed surface layer. When the inappropriate shot peening parameters are adopted, the shot-peened surface integrity could be deteriorated, which further weakens the corrosion performance of the surface. Therefore, it is essential to optimize shot peening process variables with the consideration of the material and its application. In this paper, the strengthening mechanism of the shot peening process was firstly elaborated, and then the effects of process parameters on the surface integrity of aluminum alloy were reviewed. The relationship between the surface integrity and corrosion resistance was also revealed. Two directions, including the application of the surface temperature rise during the shot peening process and the shot-peened surface roughening, are proposed.Full article(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Anti-corrosion Coatings for Marine Materials)attachmentSupplementary material:Supplementary File 1 (ZIP, 648 KiB)get_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessArticlePharmacologic Tumor PDL1 Depletion with Cefepime or Ceftazidime Promotes DNA Damage and Sensitivity to DNA-Damaging AgentsbyClare Murray, Eva Galvan, Carlos Ontiveros, Yilun Deng, Haiyan Bai, Alvaro Souto Padron, Kathyrn Hinchee-Rodriguez, Myrna G. Garcia, Anand Kornepati, Jose Conejo-Garcia and Tyler J. Curiel Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 5129; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23095129 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract The interaction between tumor surface-expressed PDL1 and immune cell PD1 for the evasion of antitumor immunity is well established and is targeted by FDA-approved anti-PDL1 and anti-PD1 antibodies. Nonetheless, recent studies highlight the immunopathogenicity of tumor-intrinsic PDL1 signals that can contribute to the [...] Read more.The interaction between tumor surface-expressed PDL1 and immune cell PD1 for the evasion of antitumor immunity is well established and is targeted by FDA-approved anti-PDL1 and anti-PD1 antibodies. Nonetheless, recent studies highlight the immunopathogenicity of tumor-intrinsic PDL1 signals that can contribute to the resistance to targeted small molecules, cytotoxic chemotherapy, and αPD1 immunotherapy. As genetic PDL1 depletion is not currently clinically tractable, we screened FDA-approved drugs to identify those that significantly deplete tumor PDL1. Among the candidates, we identified the β-lactam cephalosporin antibiotic cefepime as a tumor PDL1-depleting drug (PDD) that increases tumor DNA damage and sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents in vitro in distinct aggressive mouse and human cancer lines, including glioblastoma multiforme, ovarian cancer, bladder cancer, and melanoma. Cefepime reduced tumor PDL1 post-translationally through ubiquitination, improved DNA-damaging-agent treatment efficacy in vivo in immune-deficient and -proficient mice, activated immunogenic tumor STING signals, and phenocopied specific genetic PDL1 depletion effects. The β-lactam ring and its antibiotic properties did not appear contributory to PDL1 depletion or to these treatment effects, and the related cephalosporin ceftazidime produced similar effects. Our findings highlight the rapidly translated potential for PDDs to inhibit tumor-intrinsic PDL1 signals and improve DNA-damaging agents and immunotherapy efficacy.Full article(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Immunology of Solid Tumors)get_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessArticleDesigning a Business Intelligence and Analytics Maturity Model for Higher Education: A Design Science ApproachbyElsa Cardoso and Xiaomeng Su Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 4625; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12094625 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract Business Intelligence and Analytics (BIA) systems play an essential role in organizations, providing actionable insights that enable business users to make more informed, data-driven decisions. However, many Higher Education (HE) institutions do not have accessible and usable models to guide them through the [...] Read more.Business Intelligence and Analytics (BIA) systems play an essential role in organizations, providing actionable insights that enable business users to make more informed, data-driven decisions. However, many Higher Education (HE) institutions do not have accessible and usable models to guide them through the incremental development of BIA solutions to realize the full potential value of BIA. The situation is becoming ever more acute as HE operates today in a complex and dynamic environment brought forward by globalization and the rapid development of information technologies. This paper proposes a domain-specific BIA maturity model (MM) for HE–the HE-BIA Maturity Model. Following a design science approach, this paper details the design, development, and evaluation of two artifacts: the MM and the maturity assessment method. The evaluation phase comprised three case studies with universities from different countries and two workshops with practitioners from more than ten countries. HE institutions reported that the assessment with the HE-BIA model was (i) useful and adequate for their needs; (ii) and contributed to a better understanding of the current status of their BIA landscape, making it explicit that a BIA program is a technology endeavor as well as an organizational development.Full article(This article belongs to the Section Computing and Artificial Intelligence)get_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessArticleA Decision-Making Tool for Algorithm Selection Based on a Fuzzy TOPSIS Approach to Solve Replenishment, Production and Distribution Planning Problems byEduardo Guzman, Beatriz Andres and Raul Poler Mathematics 2022, 10(9), 1544; https://doi.org/10.3390/math10091544 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract A wide variety of methods and techniques with multiple characteristics are used in solving replenishment, production and distribution planning problems. Selecting a solution method (either a solver or an algorithm) when attempting to solve an optimization problem involves considerable difficulty. Identifying the best [...] Read more.A wide variety of methods and techniques with multiple characteristics are used in solving replenishment, production and distribution planning problems. Selecting a solution method (either a solver or an algorithm) when attempting to solve an optimization problem involves considerable difficulty. Identifying the best solution method among the many available ones is a complex activity that depends partly on human experts or a random trial-and-error procedure. This paper addresses the challenge of recommending a solution method for replenishment, production and distribution planning problems by proposing a decision-making tool for algorithm selection based on the fuzzy TOPSIS approach. This approach considers a collection of the different most commonly used solution methods in the literature, including distinct types of algorithms and solvers. To evaluate a solution method, 13 criteria were defined that all address several important dimensions when solving a planning problem, such as the computational difficulty, scheduling knowledge, mathematical knowledge, algorithm knowledge, mathematical modeling software knowledge and expected computational performance of the solution methods. An illustrative example is provided to demonstrate how planners apply the approach to select a solution method. A sensitivity analysis is also performed to examine the effect of decision maker biases on criteria ratings and how it may affect the final selection. The outcome of the approach provides planners with an effective and systematic decision support tool to follow the process of selecting a solution method.Full articleget_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessArticleEstimation Parameters of Dependence Meta-Analytic Model: New Techniques for the Hierarchical Bayesian ModelbyJunaidi, Darfiana Nur, Irene Hudson and Elizabeth Stojanovski Computation 2022, 10(5), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/computation10050071 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract Dependence in meta-analytic models can happen due to the same collected data or from the same researchers. The hierarchical Bayesian linear model in a meta-analysis that allows dependence in effect sizes is investigated in this paper. The interested parameters on the hierarchical Bayesian [...] Read more.Dependence in meta-analytic models can happen due to the same collected data or from the same researchers. The hierarchical Bayesian linear model in a meta-analysis that allows dependence in effect sizes is investigated in this paper. The interested parameters on the hierarchical Bayesian linear dependence (HBLD) model which was developed using the Bayesian techniques will then be estimated. The joint posterior distribution of all parameters for the hierarchical Bayesian linear dependence (HBLD) model is obtained by applying the Gibbs sampling algorithm. Furthermore, in order to measure the robustness of the HBLD model, the sensitivity analysis is conducted using a different prior distribution on the model. This is carried out by applying the Metropolis within the Gibbs algorithm. The simulation study is performed for the estimation of all parameters in the model. The results show that the obtained estimated parameters are close to the true parameters, indicating the consistency of the parameters for the model. The model is also not sensitive because of the changing prior distribution which shows the robustness of the model. A case study, to assess the effects of native-language vocabulary aids on second language reading, is conducted successfully in testing the parameters of the models.Full articleget_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessArticleMicrofabrication Bonding Process Optimization for a 3D Multi-Layer PDMS Suspended MicrofluidicsbyMostapha Marzban, Ehsan Yazdanpanah Moghadam, Javad Dargahi and Muthukumaran Packirisamy Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 4626; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12094626 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract Microfluidic systems have received increased attention due to y wide variety of applications, from chemical sensing to biological detection to medical analysis. Microfluidics used to be fabricated by using etching techniques that required cleanroom and aggressive chemicals. However, another microfluidic fabrication technique, namely, [...] Read more.Microfluidic systems have received increased attention due to y wide variety of applications, from chemical sensing to biological detection to medical analysis. Microfluidics used to be fabricated by using etching techniques that required cleanroom and aggressive chemicals. However, another microfluidic fabrication technique, namely, soft lithography, is less expensive and safer compared to former techniques. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been widely employed as a fabrication material in microfluidics by using soft lithography as it is transparent, soft, bio-compatible, and inexpensive. In this study, a 3D multi-layer PDMS suspended microfluidics fabrication process using soft lithography is presented, along with its manufacturing issues that may deteriorate or compromise the microsystem’s test results. The main issues considered here are bonding strength and trapped air-bubbles, specifically in multi-layer PDMS microfluidics. In this paper, these two issues have been considered and resolved by optimizing curing temperature and air-vent channel integration to a microfluidic platform. Finally, the suspended microfluidic system has been tested in various experiments to prove its sensitivity to different fluids and flow rates.Full article(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microfluidics in Biomedical Engineering)get_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessReviewCurrent Strategies to Enhance Delivery of Drugs across the Blood–Brain BarrierbyRaluca Ioana Teleanu, Manuela Daniela Preda, Adelina-Gabriela Niculescu, Oana Vladâcenco, Crina Ioana Radu, Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu and Daniel Mihai Teleanu Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(5), 987; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14050987 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract The blood–brain barrier (BBB) has shown to be a significant obstacle to brain medication delivery. The BBB in a healthy brain is a diffusion barrier that prevents most substances from passing from the blood to the brain; only tiny molecules can pass across [...] Read more.The blood–brain barrier (BBB) has shown to be a significant obstacle to brain medication delivery. The BBB in a healthy brain is a diffusion barrier that prevents most substances from passing from the blood to the brain; only tiny molecules can pass across the BBB. The BBB is disturbed in specific pathological illnesses such as stroke, diabetes, seizures, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. The goal of this study is to offer a general overview of current brain medication delivery techniques and associated topics from the last five years. It is anticipated that this review will stimulate readers to look into new ways to deliver medications to the brain. Following an introduction of the construction and function of the BBB in both healthy and pathological conditions, this review revisits certain contested questions, such as whether nanoparticles may cross the BBB on their own and if medications are selectively delivered to the brain by deliberately targeted nanoparticles. Current non-nanoparticle options are also discussed, including drug delivery via the permeable BBB under pathological circumstances and the use of non-invasive approaches to improve brain medication absorption.Full article(This article belongs to the Special Issue Blood–Brain Barrier Drug Targeting: The Future of Brain Drug Development)get_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessArticleMonitoring Lightning Location Based on Deep Learning Combined with Multisource Spatial DatabyMingyue Lu, Yadong Zhang, Min Chen, Manzhu Yu and Menglong Wang Remote Sens. 2022, 14(9), 2200; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14092200 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract Lightning is an important cause of casualties, and of the interruption of power supply and distribution facilities. Monitoring lightning locations is essential in disaster prevention and mitigation. Although there are many ways to obtain lightning information, there are still substantial problems in intelligent [...] Read more.Lightning is an important cause of casualties, and of the interruption of power supply and distribution facilities. Monitoring lightning locations is essential in disaster prevention and mitigation. Although there are many ways to obtain lightning information, there are still substantial problems in intelligent lightning monitoring. Deep learning combined with weather radar data and land attribute data can lay the foundation for future monitoring of lightning locations. Therefore, based on the residual network, the Lightning Monitoring Residual Network (LM-ResNet) is proposed in this paper to monitor lightning location. Furthermore, comparisons with GoogLeNet and DenseNet were also conducted to evaluate the proposed model. The results show that the LM-ResNet model has significant potential in monitoring lightning locations. In this study, we converted the lightning monitoring problem into a binary classification problem and then obtained weather radar product data (including the plan position indicator (PPI), composite reflectance (CR), echo top (ET), vertical integral liquid water (VIL), and average radial velocity (V)) and land attribute data (including aspect, slope, land use, and NDVI) to establish a lightning feature dataset. During model training, the focal loss function was adopted as a loss function to address the constructed imbalanced lightning feature dataset. Moreover, we conducted stepwise sensitivity analysis and single factor sensitivity analysis. The results of stepwise sensitivity analysis show that the best performance can be achieved using all the data, followed by the combination of PPI, CR, ET, and VIL. The single factor sensitivity analysis results show that the ET radar product data are very important for the monitoring of lightning locations, and the NDVI land attribute data also make significant contributions.Full article(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing in Environmental and Engineering Applications)get_appsubject View online as:Abstract PageFull-Text HTMLOpen AccessArticleUsage of V2X Applications in Road TunnelsbyJiří Brož, Tomáš Tichý, Vangelis Angelakis and Zuzana Bělinová Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 4624; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12094624 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract Many smart city applications work with calculated position and time using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals for enhanced precision. However, there are many places where the availability of GNSS is limited, e.g., road tunnels, which are an essential part of transport [...] Read more.Many smart city applications work with calculated position and time using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals for enhanced precision. However, there are many places where the availability of GNSS is limited, e.g., road tunnels, which are an essential part of transport infrastructure. Tunnels also require greater attention and greater importance of approaches to ensure the safety and security aspects of traffic. The safety, distribution of information, awareness, and smooth traffic can also be ensured by V2X applications, but the current position is also needed. An experimental analysis of data connection and communication availability was performed in the Blanka tunnel (Prague) and its surroundings. The main objective of the work was to find and clearly describe the tunnel blind spots, with an emphasis on communication between cars and potentially between cars and infrastructure. This article summarizes the evaluation results of the V2X tunnel experimental test, the outputs from the analysis of these blind spots, and it provides a future perspective and suggestions that make tunnels smart by using advanced positioning approaches.Full article(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cooperative-Intelligent Transport Systems: New Challenges)►▼Show Figuresdiv" data-cycle-log="false">Figure 1Figure 1 Utilization of Dead Reckoning. Full article ">Figure 2 V2X Platooning [33]. Full article ">Figure 3 Hybrid C-ITS OBU Smart GEAR used during the test. Full article ">Figure 4 Schema of the pre-test. Full article ">Figure 5 Schema of the major test scenario. Full article ">Figure 6 Captured C-ITS messages from the backend over LTE. Full article ">Figure 7 Testing of the V2X scenario (stationary vehicle) in the Blanka tunnel. Full article ">Figure 8 Captured C-ITS messages in terms of distance from the stationary vehicle. Full article ">Figure 9 Captured V2X communication over ITS-G5. Full article ">Figure 10 Captured V2X communication over the LTE network. Full article "> get_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessArticleCOVID-19 Impact on Diagnosis and Staging of Colorectal Cancer: A Single Tertiary Canadian Oncology Center ExperiencebyMathias Castonguay, Rola El Sayed, Corentin Richard, Marie-France Vachon, Rami Nassabein, Danielle Charpentier and Mustapha Tehfé Curr. Oncol. 2022, 29(5), 3282-3291; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol29050268 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract Background: Public health measures have imposed drastic reductions in cancer screening programs at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an unknown impact on the diagnosis and staging of colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: Newly diagnosed CRC cases at the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université [...] Read more.Background: Public health measures have imposed drastic reductions in cancer screening programs at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an unknown impact on the diagnosis and staging of colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: Newly diagnosed CRC cases at the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) were divided into two groups according to the timeline: pre-pandemic (1 January 2018–12 March 2020), and pandemic (13 March 2020–30 June 2021) periods. Colonoscopy, surgery, and staging at diagnosis during the pandemic period were compared to the pre-pandemic period. Results: 254 CRC diagnoses were made during the pre-pandemic period in comparison to 125 during the pandemic period. Mean diagnosis rates were lower in the pandemic period (7.8 vs. 9.8 diagnoses/month, p = 0.048). Colonoscopy deadlines were less respected in the pandemic period (51.7% vs. 38.3%, p = 0.049). The rate of elective surgery did not differ (2.9 vs. 3.5 surgeries/month, p = 0.39) and mean delays were similar (58.6 vs. 60.4 days, p = 0.77). Stages at diagnosis did not differ (p = 0.17). Most of the delayed colonoscopies led to a stage 0 or I CRC (p = 0.2). Conclusion: In our center, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a decreased rate of CRC diagnosis and increased endoscopic delays without affecting the rate of advanced stage disease. Delays to surgery were quite similar once the CRC diagnosis was established.Full article(This article belongs to the Section Gastrointestinal Oncology)get_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessArticleA New Spatial–Temporal Depthwise Separable Convolutional Fusion Network for Generating Landsat 8-Day Surface Reflectance Time Series over Forest RegionsbyYuzhen Zhang, Jindong Liu, Shunlin Liang and Manyao Li Remote Sens. 2022, 14(9), 2199; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14092199 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract Landsat has provided the longest fine resolution data archive of Earth’s environment since 1972; however, one of the challenges in using Landsat data for various applications is its frequent large data gaps and heavy cloud contaminations. One pressing research topic is to generate [...] Read more.Landsat has provided the longest fine resolution data archive of Earth’s environment since 1972; however, one of the challenges in using Landsat data for various applications is its frequent large data gaps and heavy cloud contaminations. One pressing research topic is to generate the regular time series by integrating coarse-resolution satellite data through data fusion techniques. This study presents a novel spatiotemporal fusion (STF) method based on a depthwise separable convolutional neural network (DSC), namely, STFDSC, to generate Landsat-surface reflectance time series at 8-day intervals by fusing Landsat 30 m with high-quality Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 500 m surface reflectance data. The STFDSC method consists of three main stages: feature extraction, feature fusion and prediction. Features were first extracted from Landsat and MODIS surface reflectance changes, and the extracted multilevel features were then stacked and fused. Both low-level and middle-level features that were generally ignored in convolutional neural network (CNN)-based fusion models were included in STFDSC to avoid key information loss and thus ensure high prediction accuracy. The prediction stage generated a Landsat residual image and is combined with original Landsat data to obtain predictions of Landsat imagery at the target date. The performance of STFDSC was evaluated in the Greater Khingan Mountains (GKM) in Northeast China and the Ziwuling (ZWL) forest region in Northwest China. A comparison of STFDSC with four published fusion methods, including two classic fusion methods (FSDAF, ESTARFM) and two machine learning methods (EDCSTFN and STFNET), was also carried out. The results showed that STFDSC made stable and more accurate predictions of Landsat surface reflectance than other methods in both the GKM and ZWL regions. The root-mean-square-errors (RMSEs) of TM bands 2, 3, 4, and 7 were 0.0046, 0.0038, 0.0143, and 0.0055 in GKM, respectively, and 0.0246, 0.0176, 0.0280, and 0.0141 in ZWL, respectively; it can be potentially used for generating the global surface reflectance and other high-level land products.Full article►▼Show FiguresGraphical abstractGraphical abstractFull article "> get_appsubjectView online as:Abstract PageOpen AccessEditorialSpecial Issue on Advanced Ultra-High Speed Optoelectronic DevicesbyJin-Wei Shi, Andreas Beling and Nobuhiko Nishiyama Photonics 2022, 9(5), 312; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9050312 (registeringDOI) - 04 May 2022Abstract The data communication market has recently experienced a boom. Compared with the traditional telecommunication market, the required linking distance for data communication is much shorter (Figure 2 Preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography images and pathological findings in the resected specimen. Images of the arterial phase of computed tomography (CT) in HCC patients before (A,C) and after (B,D) lenvatinib administration, and pathological findings in hepatectomy specimens from HCC patients after lenvatinib therapy in these patients (E–H). 2E shows the postoperative histopathological findings corresponding to the asterisk (*) in the CT image in Figure 2B. The arrowheads in Figure 2B,D correspond to the arrowheads in Figure 2F,H, and the circles in Figure 2B,D correspond to Figure 2G, and the circle in Figure 2H. The arrow in Figure F indicates the artery in the degenerated tumor. CT values (CTav) corresponding to the four histological regions (liver parenchyma (LP), viable area of tumor (VA), degenerated area of tumor (DA), and necrotic area of tumor (NA)) (I). HU, Hounsfield unit. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of CTav for differentiating necrotic areas from degenerated tumor areas (J). AUC, area under the ROC curve. Two binary images based on preoperative N30-CTav in HCC patients (K,M) and the postoperative macroscopic findings corresponding to the two binary images (L,N). N30-CTav: a CTav of 30 HU was set as the threshold value for histological necrosis. Full article ">Figure 2 Cont. Preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography images and pathological findings in the resected specimen. Images of the arterial phase of computed tomography (CT) in HCC patients before (A,C) and after (B,D) lenvatinib administration, and pathological findings in hepatectomy specimens from HCC patients after lenvatinib therapy in these patients (E–H). 2E shows the postoperative histopathological findings corresponding to the asterisk (*) in the CT image in Figure 2B. The arrowheads in Figure 2B,D correspond to the arrowheads in Figure 2F,H, and the circles in Figure 2B,D correspond to Figure 2G, and the circle in Figure 2H. The arrow in Figure F indicates the artery in the degenerated tumor. CT values (CTav) corresponding to the four histological regions (liver parenchyma (LP), viable area of tumor (VA), degenerated area of tumor (DA), and necrotic area of tumor (NA)) (I). HU, Hounsfield unit. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of CTav for differentiating necrotic areas from degenerated tumor areas (J). AUC, area under the ROC curve. Two binary images based on preoperative N30-CTav in HCC patients (K,M) and the postoperative macroscopic findings corresponding to the two binary images (L,N). N30-CTav: a CTav of 30 HU was set as the threshold value for histological necrosis. Full article ">Figure 3 Association between percentage of tumor tissue with CT attenuation values (30 HU) that could be predictive of necrosis (N30-CTav) occupancy and local recurrence-free survival. (A) Distribution of N30-CTav occupancy rates between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumors with local recurrence and HCC tumors with no local recurrence. N30-CTav, threshold CT value (30 HU) for histological necrosis in tumors diagnosed as complete response after lenvatinib treatment. (B) Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the N30-CTav occupancy rate for predicting local recurrence and no local recurrence. AUC, area under the ROC curve. N30-CTav, a CTav of 30 HU was set as the threshold value for histological necrosis. (C) Kaplan-Meier analysis of local tumor progression in 30 tumor lesions with a complete response, stratified by the N30-CTav occupancy rate (grouped by N30-CTav occupancy cut-off values of ≥30.6% and <30.6%). Full article ">Figure 4 The occupancy rates of CT attenuation values (30 HU) that are predictive of necrosis (N30-CTav) following lenvatinib treatment in three hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases and their subsequent outcomes. Arterial phase of computed tomography (CT) before lenvatinib treatment (A,F,K) and on the day of defining the case as achieving a complete response (CR) after lenvatinib treatment (B,G,L). Binarized images based on N30-CTav on CT images obtained on the day of definition as CR (C,H,M). Histograms showing the occupancy rate of CTav of below 30 HU (N30-CTav) (D,I,N). CT images 1 year (E), 2 years (J), and 3 months (O). after the day of definition as CR. N30-CTav, a CTav of 30 HU was set as the threshold for histological necrosis. Red circles: target tumor area where CR was obtained. IVC, inferior vena cava. 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