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PURPOSE: To explore the predictive potential of serial computed tomography (CT) radiology reports for pancreatic cancer survival using natural language processing (NLP). METHODS: Deep-transfer-learning–based NLP models were retrospectively trained and tested with serial, free-text CT reports, and survival information of consecutive patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in a Korean tertiary hospital was extracted. Randomly selected patients with pancreatic cancer and their serial CT reports from an independent tertiary hospital in the United States were included in the external testing data set. The concordance index (c-index) of predicted survival and actual survival, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for predicting 1-year survival were calculated. RESULTS: Between January 2004 and June 2021, 2,677 patients with 12,255 CT reports and 670 patients with 3,058 CT reports were allocated to training and internal testing data sets, respectively. ClinicalBERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) model trained on the single, first CT reports showed a c-index of 0.653 and AUROC of 0.722 in predicting the overall survival of patients with pancreatic cancer. ClinicalBERT trained on up to 15 consecutive reports from the initial report showed an improved c-index of 0.811 and AUROC of 0.911. On the external testing set with 273 patients with 1,947 CT reports, the AUROC was 0.888, indicating the generalizability of our model. Further analyses showed our model's contextual interpretation beyond specific phrases. CONCLUSION: Deep-transfer-learning–based NLP model of serial CT reports can predict the survival of patients with pancreatic cancer. Clinical decisions can be supported by the developed model, with survival information extracted solely from serial radiology reports. Survival of patients with pancreatic cancer can be predicted solely by leveraging an NLP model on serial CT reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several guidelines exist for minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy (MIPD) regarding its prerequisites and learning curve. However, these guidelines are based on the experience of the pioneers of MIPD; minimal data exist on the experience of the next generation of surgeons. The aim of this study was to compare the two surgeon types (veteran and junior) for MIPD in terms of immediate postoperative outcomes. Methods: The postoperative outcomes of 22 patients who underwent robot‐assisted pancreatoduodenectomy (RAPD) by a junior surgeon from July 2021 to December 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The outcomes were compared with the initial postoperative outcomes and the contemporary postoperative outcomes of RAPD by a veteran surgeon. Results: In comparing the initial outcomes between the two surgeon types, the veteran surgeons showed a shorter operation time (junior surgeon vs. veteran surgeon: 606 ± 89 vs. 467 ± 77 min, p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in terms of postoperative outcomes, such as blood loss (300 [200–600] ml. vs. 200 [100–500] ml, p = 0.208), major complications (≥CDC IIIa: 4 (18.2%) vs. 4 (18.2%), p = 1.000), postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF; ≥ISGPF Grade B: 2 (9.1%) vs. 3 (13.6%), p > 0.999), and length of hospital stay (18.0 ± 8.9 days vs. 18.3 ± 7.9 days, p = 0.915), between the two surgeon types. In addition, in a comparison of the contemporary outcomes, there was no significant difference in terms of postoperative outcome (complications: 4 (18.2%) vs 11 (11.1%), p = 0.580; POPF: 2 (9.1%) vs. 3 (3.0%), p = 0.484; length of hospital stay: 18.0 ± 8.9 vs. 15.0 ± 6.5 days, p = 0.065). Conclusion: The initial outcomes of MIPD by a well‐trained junior surgeon were found to be comparable to those of MIPD by a veteran surgeon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sleep has been known to affect childhood development. Sleep disturbance is likely more common in children with developmental delay (DD) than in typical development. There are few studies on the correlation between sleep disturbance and developmental features in children with DD. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the associations between the two in children with DD. Methods: A total of 45 children (age range 27.0 ± 11.1) with DD were recruited and evaluated using the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) and Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID-III). The outcomes are expressed as means and standard deviations. The correlation between SDSC and BSID-III was assessed using Spearman's rank correlation test. Multiple regression analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between BSID-III domains and SDSC questionnaire subscales. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Based on the correlation analysis and subsequent hierarchical regression analysis, cognition and socio-emotional domains of BSID-III were significantly associated with the DOES subscale of the SDSC questionnaire. In addition, the expressive language domain of the BSID-III was found to be associated with the DA subscale of the SDSC questionnaire. It seems that excessive daytime sleepiness might negatively affect emotional and behavioral problems and cognitive function. Also, arousal disorders seem to be related to memory consolidation process, which is thought to affect language expression. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that DA and DOES subscales of the SDSC questionnaire were correlated with developmental aspects in preschool-aged children with DD. Sleep problems in children with DD can negatively affect their development, thereby interfering with the effectiveness of rehabilitation. Identifying and properly managing the modifiable factors of sleep problems is also crucial as a part of comprehensive rehabilitation treatment. Therefore, we should pay more attention to sleep problems, even in preschool-aged children with DD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Our study aimed to compare the operative and survival outcomes between radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) and conventional distal pancreatosplenctomy (cDPS), and identify prognostic factors for left-sided pancreatic cancer. We performed a retrospective propensity score match (PSM) analysis from 333 patients who underwent RAMPS or cDPS for left-sided pancreatic cancer. After PSM, 99 cohorts were matched in each group. We compared survival and operative outcomes and assessed prognostic factors. R0 resection rate was similar between both groups, and R1 resection rate was a significant prognostic factor. RAMPS was found to be safe, feasible, and to improve the number of retrieved lymph nodes. However, when R0 resection was similar in both groups, RAMPS was not associated with improved survival. Adjuvant treatment was a significant independent prognostic factor for overall and disease-free survival, but operation type was not. (1) Background: The aim of this study was to compare the survival benefit of radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) with conventional distal pancreatosplenectomy (cDPS) in left-sided pancreatic cancer. (2) Methods: A retrospective propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was conducted on 333 patients who underwent RAMPS or cDPS for left-sided pancreatic cancer at four tertiary cancer centers. The study assessed prognostic factors and compared survival and operative outcomes. (3) Results: After PSM, 99 patients were matched in each group. RAMPS resulted in a higher retrieved lymph node count than cDPS (15.0 vs. 10.0, p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of R0 resection rate, blood loss, hospital stay, or morbidity. The 5-year overall survival rate was similar in both groups (cDPS vs. RAMPS, 44.4% vs. 45.2%, p = 0.853), and disease-free survival was also comparable. Multivariate analysis revealed that ASA score, preoperative CA19-9, histologic differentiation, R1 resection, adjuvant treatment, and lymphovascular invasion were significant prognostic factors for overall survival. Preoperative CA19-9, histologic differentiation, T-stage, adjuvant treatment, and lymphovascular invasion were independent significant prognostic factors for disease-free survival. (4) Conclusions: Although RAMPS resulted in a higher retrieved lymph node count, survival outcomes were not different between the two groups. RAMPS was a surgical option to achieve R0 resection rather than a standard procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic (PV) technology enables the conversion of solar energy into electricity. Si-based PV modules, which currently represent more than 90% of the global PV market, are expected to be in high demand in the future. To increase the efficiency of Si-based PV modules, it is important to improve not only the manufacturing technology and solar cell architecture but also the materials needed to produce the modules. Encapsulants and backsheets, which are used to ensure the long-term lifespan and stability of solar cells, play an equally important role in PV modules as solar cells. Research is being conducted on polymers used in encapsulants and backsheets to increase cell efficiency by using additives or composites with various materials. This article reviews the recent developments of materials and additives for polymer-based encapsulants and backsheets in Si-based PV modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity generation using the piezoelectric effect is an important energy harvesting method. In this study, a solar radiation pressure‐driven crater‐shaped light pressure electric generator (LPEG) device with a Pb(Zr0.52, Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) piezoelectric layer and grained Ag layer is fabricated on GaAs(100) wafer. The electrical output of the device is improved by adsorbing Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the Ag layer with the surface of closely connected Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs). By controlling the size and concentration of the AuNPs, a maximum power density of 867.5 µW cm−2 is obtained under a solar simulator (AM 1.5G), which represents a 151.7% improvement over the case without AuNP adsorption. The results of Raman spectra, finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) simulations, and COMSOL Multiphysics demonstrate that the newly formed hotspots between AgNPs─AuNPs and AuNPs─AuNPs enhance the electric field of the incident light significantly and extend the region where the electric field is maximally amplified to 600–800 nm, resulting in increased solar radiation pressure on the PZT piezoelectric layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]