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Introduction: The dilatory response of healthy retinal arterioles to flicker-light (FL) provocation appears to be biphasic. The vessel diameter rapidly increases (acute phase) over 5–10 s, then barely increases thereafter (maintenance phase) until FL cessation. This reaction is usually characterised at a single point by two parameters: maximum dilation (MD) relative to baseline diameter (MD, %) and time to MD (RT, s). This paper describes the biphasic reaction of retinal arteries during FL provocation using a bi-linear function. Methods: Retinal arterioles from 45 adults were examined during flicker provocation. Each individual time course of arterial diameter change during FL provocation was characterised by a bi-linear equation and compared with MD and RT. Results: Slopes of the acute phase were 0.506%/s, and the maintenance phase was nearly flat (0.012%/s). The mean time at which the reaction changed from acute to maintenance phase was 7.4 s which is significantly different from RT (16.0 s). Mean dilation at this point (2.987%) was significantly different from MD (3.734%), but it was still 80% of MD in less than half of RT. Conclusion: Bi-linear fitting parameters better characterises the arterial dilatory response than MD and RT. Further stratification of clinical groups using bi-linear fitting may provide insight of the underlying physiology of vessel dilation for different pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The onset of brittle failure in rocks includes dilatancy and strain localization. To better understand this nucleation process, we analyze the evolution of the local three‐dimensional strain tensor using X‐ray tomograms acquired during triaxial compression experiments on granite and sandstone. The onset of the localization of the compaction, dilation, and shear strain occurs when ∼65% of the rock volume experiences dilation. Tracking the locations of the high strains throughout loading suggests that the deformation that occurs early in loading influences the location of the system‐sized fracture network that produces macroscopic failure. This influence is larger in the sandstone experiments than the granite experiments, likely due to the microstructure of the sandstone. These results have important implications for detecting precursors to catastrophic failure. Plain Language Summary: We investigate the fundamental processes that lead to brittle failure in rocks. We deform two common types of crustal rocks, granite and sandstone, under upper crustal stress conditions. As the stress applied to the rock increases, the rock tends to expand (dilate) more than compact, particularly as it approaches catastrophic, macroscopic failure. A larger portion of the rock undergoes dilation when the strain field starts to localize, indicating that accelerating dilation is a precursor to macroscopic failure. We observe different localization patterns in the rocks: in sandstone, strain localization progresses monotonically with increasing stress, whereas phases of delocalization can occur in the granite. Two competing models describe the development of the system‐sized fracture network that produces macroscopic failure: the network develops from (a) the coalescence of fractures that form early in loading, or from (b) the propagation of a process zone of interacting fractures through relatively intact rock. We find that the high strain events persist at the same location throughout the experiments more than expected by chance, particularly in experiments on sandstone. The results provide perhaps the most robust experimental confirmation yet that the fracture network that causes macroscopic failure evolves from the deformation that occurs earlier in loading. Key Points: X‐ray tomography quantifies the evolving spatial evolution of high strain events during brittle failureAt the onset of strain localization, on average 65% of the volume of the rock cores undergo dilationLocalized zones of high strain events persist in space from the onset of loading [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the dilation problem on (dual) frames for Krein spaces. We characterize Riesz bases for Krein spaces and equivalence ((J1,J2)-unitary equivalence) between frames for Krein spaces; prove that every frame (dual frame pair) for a Krein space can be dilated to a Riesz basis (dual Riesz basis pair) for a larger Krein space, and that the corresponding J-orthogonal complementary frame (J-joint complementary frame) is unique up to equivalence ((J1,J2)-joint equivalence). Also we illustrate that two equivalent Parseval frames for Krein spaces need not be (J1,J2)-unitarily equivalent and that not every Parseval frame can be dilated to a J-orthonormal basis for a larger Krein space, and derive a result on matrices of finite size as application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dysphagia is a potential complication following anti-gastroesophageal reflux surgery (ARS), with challenging management. Endoscopic balloon dilation is recommended for patients with significant dysphagia from tight wraps or strictures. We aim to evaluate factors associated with the need for post-ARS dilation and the outcomes of balloon dilation. Additionally, we assessed the predictors of sustained clinical failure after dilation. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent robotic or laparoscopic ARS between January 2012 and April 2023. Patients were divided based on whether they received balloon dilation using a through-the-scope wire-guided dilator. Excluded were those with pre-existing achalasia, other dilation devices, or inadequate follow-up. Results: Of 1002 patients, 69 underwent 94 postoperative dilations, and the remainder were controls. The dilation cohort was older (63.78 vs. 56.14 years, P = 0.032) and had more magnetic sphincter augmentations (MSA) (P = 0.004), a prior history of ARS (P = 0.039), and a higher rate of laparoscopic surgery (P = 0.009) compared to controls. Of all dilations, 54 (57.5%) patients reported immediate dysphagia improvement, and 39 (41.5%) had sustained improvement. Sixteen (23.2%) patients required reoperation, primarily for hiatal hernia recurrence or slipped wrap. Multivariable logistic regression showed that MSA (OR 0.04, 95% CI 0.01–0.46, P = 0.031) and requiring multiple dilations (OR 0.16, CI 0.03–0.68) predicted sustained dilation failure. Conclusions: Factors including older age, history of prior ARS, and MSA are correlated with higher post-ARS dilation rates. Although dilation improves symptoms in approximately half of patients initially, one-fourth may eventually require reoperation, mostly due to a slipped wrap or hernia recurrence. Thus, in cases of persistent dysphagia, consideration for surgical failure is important, and further imaging and workup are warranted. Patients who undergo MSA and those who have more than one dilation are more likely to experience dilation failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by current investigations in dilation theory, in both operator theory and operator algebras, and the theory of groupoids, we obtain a generalisation of the Sz-Nagy’s Dilation Theorem for operator valued positive semidefinite maps on ∗ -semigroupoids with unit, with varying degrees of aggregation, firstly by ∗ -representations with unbounded operators and then we characterise the existence of the corresponding ∗ -representations by bounded operators. By linearisation of these constructions, we obtain similar results for operator valued positive semidefinite maps on ∗ -algebroids with unit and then, for the special case of B ∗ -algebroids with unit, we obtain a generalisation of the Stinespring’s Dilation Theorem. As an application of the generalisation of the Stinespring’s Dilation Theorem, we show that some natural questions on C ∗ -algebroids are equivalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundMyotomy length in type 3 achalasia is generally tailored based on segment of spasticity on high-resolution manometry (HRM). Potential of length of tertiary contractions on barium esophagram (BE) or length of thickened circular muscle on endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) to guide tailored myotomy is less understood. This study aimed to assess agreement between spastic segments lengths on HRM, BE, and EUS among patients with type 3 achalasia.MethodsThis retrospective study included adults with type 3 achalasia on HRM between November 2019 and August 2022 who underwent evaluation with EUS and/or BE. Spastic segments were defined as HRM-distance between proximal borders of lower esophageal sphincter and high-pressure area (isobaric contour ≥70 mmHg); EUS-length of thickened circular muscle (≥1.2 mm) from proximal border of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) to the transition to a non-thickened circular muscle; BE-distance between EGJ to proximal border of tertiary contractions. Pairwise comparisons assessed for correlation (Pearson's) and intraclass correlation classification (ICC) agreement.Key resultsTwenty-six patients were included: mean age 66.9 years (SD 13.8), 15 (57.7%) male. Spastic segments were positively correlated on HRM and BE with good agreement (ICC 0.751, [95% CI 0.51, 0.88]). Spastic segments were negatively correlated with poor agreement on HRM and EUS (ICC -0.04, [-0.45, 0.39]) as well as BE and EUS (ICC -0.03, [-0.47, 0.42]).Conclusions & inferencesLength of spastic segment was positively correlated on HRM and BE while negatively correlated when compared to EUS, supporting the common use of HRM and highlighting the uncertain role for EUS in tailoring myotomy length for type 3 achalasia.

An important tool for the execution of parallel algorithms and the simulation of interconnection networks is graph embedding. The quality of an embedding can be assessed using some cost metrics. The dilation and wirelength are the commonly used parameters. The Knödel graph W Δ , n is a minimum linear gossip network and has minimum broadcasting. It has n vertices, n Δ 2 edges, where n is even, and 1 ≤ Δ ≤ ⌊ log 2   n ⌋. In this study, we solve the dilation problem of embedding the Knödel graph into certain cube-like architectures such as hypercube, folded hypercube, and augmented cube. In [G. Fertin, A. Raspaud, A survey on Knödel graphs, Discrete Applied Mathematics 137 (2004) 173–195], it is proved that the dilation of embedding the Knödel graph W Δ , 2 Δ into the hypercube Q Δ is at most 4. In this study, we obtain an improved upper bound for dilation of embedding the Knödel graph into the hypercube and it is equal to 3. Also, we calculate the wirelength of embedding the Knödel graph into the above-said cube-like architectures using dilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Petroleum Geology & Oilfield Development in Daqing is the property of Editorial Department of Petroleum Geology & Oilfield Development in Daqing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The reservoir properties of super-heavy oil reservoirs in fluvial sedimentation are relatively poor, with high heterogeneity directly affecting the steam injection rate and expansion velocity of the steam chamber in the SAGD process. In order to significantly improve SAGD production performance, a combination of laboratory testing and physical simulation experiments was used to analyze the changes in reservoir-rock structure, rock geomechanical characteristics, and porosity and permeability during high-pressure injection, through rock geomechanics testing, core-flood experiment, and SEM scanning analysis. Large-scale two-dimensional physical simulation experiments were designed to analyze the effect of different injection agents in assisting the expansion of steam chambers. The experimental results showed that, with the increase in injection pore pressure, the reservoir permeability increased from 2.74 D to 4.56 D, and the contact between rock particles became looser after expansion, indicating a significant improvement in reservoir properties through high-pressure-injection-induced dilation. The results of the two-dimensional physical simulation experiments demonstrated that the solvent-assisted steam-chamber dilation speed was further increased compared with the conventional huff-n-puff dilation. Cyclic gas-injection volume can be increased from 0.16 PV in pure-steam injection cases to 0.32 PV. The hybrid-agent system of solvent-plus-gas can produce the dual positive effect of solvent dissolution and gas diffusion, more effectively improve the steam-chamber expansion speed, enhance the phased oil-recovery degree by 23.41%, and increase the oil/steam ratio from 0.27 to 0.33, indicating encouraging potentials in improving heavy oil and bitumen production performance by the dilation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Anorectal malformation (ARM) is one of the most common congenital disorders that is treated by pediatric surgeons. Many methods of definitive surgery were introduced to achieve good functional outcomes. Several prognostic factors have been reported to influence the bowel functional outcomes of children with ARM after operation. Krikenbeck scoring system is the most common scoring in assessing functional outcomes of children with ARM. Here, we investigated the prognostic variables for bowel functional outcomes in children with ARM after operation using the Krickenbeck score. Methods: A cross-sectional design was performed using medical records of children with ARM who underwent operation from 2012 until 2016. The prognostic factors included age at definitive surgery, type of surgery, presence of wound dehiscence, and dilation. Results: There were 72 ARM patients involved in this study: 38 males and 34 females. Most (60%) patients achieved voluntary bowel movement (VBM), but only 5.6% and 9.7% of subjects suffered from soiling and constipation after definitive surgery. Patients who underwent dilation showed an 11-fold higher possibility of achieving VBM than patients without dilation. Interestingly, the relationship almost reached a significant association (p=0.057). None of the prognostic factors affected the constipation and soiling rate in children with ARM after operation (p>0.05). Conclusion: Most ARM patients reveal relatively good functional outcomes after definitive surgery. Our study shows that dilation might benefit the VBM of ARM patients following definitive surgery. It is necessary to conduct a more extensive multicenter study to confirm our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pancreatic duct (PD) dilation could be presented in both benign and malignant diseases. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is a sensitive modality that provides both structural assessment and tissue sampling. This study aims to explore the importance of PD dilation as a potential indicator related to various pancreatobiliary pathologies identified via EUS. Methods: Among 3109 subjects who underwent EUS, 599 had evidence of dilated PD and met the inclusion criteria of this retrospective study. Also, the patients underwent EUS fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) to evaluate the etiology when required. All data were extracted from patients' medical records to perform statistical analysis. Results: The study sample revealed 64% being male with a median age was 65-years. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma was the most common etiology diagnosed in 236 patients (39.4%), followed by sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) in 13% of subjects. Ampullary carcinoma, common bile duct stone, and cholangiocarcinoma were found at 9.5%, 8.8%, and 6.8%, respectively. Abdominal pain was the most common symptom seen in 440 (73.4%) patients. Opium consumption was reported in 170 (28.4%) subjects. Opium consumption was significantly more prevalent in patients with SOD (P < 0.05). Conclusion: We suggest that PD dilation could be associated with a wide range of pancreaticobiliary pathologies, especially pancreatic neoplasms. In this regard, PD dilation should be considered as a crucial indicator of pancreatic neoplasm despite it may be associated with no clear etiologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium-based alloys are a widely applicable engineering material with high strength, low weight, non-magnetic, and corrosion resistance. At the same time, resistance to low temperatures is declared, which offers the material's applicability for, e.g., aircraft or ship technology. Additive technologies are part of the industrial spectrum of material processing, especially the Laser Powder Bed Fusion of Metals method for metal alloys, which creates a layered structure of the resulting body. The topology of the internal structure, in relation to the temperature history of the functional environment, influences thermal expansion and the associated functional characteristics. Knowledge of the thermal expansion of printed strength and non-strength functional components and accessories is essential for future applications, especially in environments with high repeatable temperature changes, such as the aerospace industry. This paper presents the results of testing the expansion, mechanical, microstructural, and mineralogical characteristics of Ti6Al4V over the temperature range of −70 to 60 °C using a combination of instrumental techniques such as X-ray diffraction and nanoindentation. It was found that the topological orientations of the printed samples directly influenced the tested properties, e.g., the coefficient of thermal expansion in the direction perpendicular to the printed layers showed approximately 12% lower value compared to the other directions. Due to the progression of the application of the manufacturing method and its applicability within selected industries, the research provides results in a new area, which is supported by the relevant research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Anastomotic stricture is a common complication following esophageal atresia (EA) repair, substantially affecting the patient's quality of life (QoL). Multiple dilations are often required to maintain the appropriate diameter of the esophagus, leading to ongoing challenges. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of oral viscous budesonide (OVB) in prolonging the time between symptom recurrence and subsequent dilation. Methods: We carried out a retrospective single-center study for pediatric patients (0-18 years) who had undergone recurrent esophageal dilations (=3) following EA repair and initiated treatment with OVB (1 mg/day <10 years, otherwise 2 mg/day). Efficacy of treatment was determined by assessing a dysphagia symptom score (DSS) =1 for at least 3 months. Recurrence time to dysphagia and dilation were analyzed according to Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Of 29 patients screened, 19 were enrolled: 19/19 were responsive to OVB and 13/19 (68%) didn't required further dilations. The median time between dilations was significantly prolonged compared to the pre-treatment period [30 months vs 2months; p<0.01] as well as the time to dysphagia relapse [18months vs 1 month; p<0.01]. Conclusion: Topical budesonide has proven to be an effective treatment for recurrent esophageal stricture in repaired EA. Further investigation is required to assess the long-term sustained response of symptoms to topical steroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have evaluated the efficacy of endoscopic incisional therapy (EIT) for benign anastomotic strictures. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate stricture recurrence after EIT following esophagectomy or gastrectomy. Methods: A systematic search of databases was performed up to April 2nd, 2023, after selection of key search terms with the research team. Inclusion criteria included human participants undergoing EIT for a benign anastomotic stricture after esophagectomy or gastrectomy, age ≥ 18, and n ≥ 5. Our primary outcome was the incidence of stricture recurrence among patients treated with EIT compared to dilation. Our secondary outcome was the stricture-free duration after EIT and rate of adverse events. Meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.4.1 using a Mantel–Haenszel random-effects model. Publication bias was evaluated with funnel plots and the Egger test. Results: A total of 2550 unique preliminary studies underwent screening of abstracts and titles. This led to 33 studies which underwent full-text review and five studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis revealed reduced odds of overall stricture recurrence (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.13–0.92, p = 0.03; I2 = 71%) and reduced odds of stricture recurrence among naïve strictures (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.17–0.59, p = 0.0003; I2 = 0%) for patients undergoing EIT compared to dilation. There was no significant difference in the odds of stricture recurrence among recurrent strictures (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.12–3.28, p = 0.58; I2 = 81%). Meta-analysis revealed a significant increase in the recurrence-free duration (MD 42.76, 95% CI 12.41–73.11, p = 0.006) among patients undergoing EIT compared to dilation. Conclusion: Current data suggest EIT is associated with reduced odds of stricture recurrence among naïve anastomotic strictures. Large, prospective studies are needed to characterize the safety profile of EIT, address publication bias, and to explore multimodal therapies for refractory strictures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a discrete element method (DEM) study of confined shear flow to explore its nonlinear behavior. As a supplement to the analog experiments, the DEM simulation facilitates to capture of the behavior of confined shear flow and allows a detailed analysis of the microscopic mechanisms of granular matter. Using DEM, we perform a series of simulations with different boundary conditions applied during the shear processes. We first extend our understanding of the side friction effect in the confined shear flow, and the physical friction parameter of the sidewall is also evaluated to ensure the efficiency of simulation and its viability in subsequent studies. We then demonstrate how the velocity profile of the particle assemblage depends on the level of the overlying pressure and applied shear velocity. It is found that the linearized velocity profile is mainly generated by the enhancement of uniformity of the normal stress network in the spatial distribution. We specifically investigate the dilation within the particle assemblage and two distinct mechanisms emerged, which depend on the overlying pressure and the applied shear velocity, that is, the rate-dependent dilation and the rolling-induced densification. As a consequence, strong links have been built to demonstrate the underlying microscopic mechanisms that trigger the macroscopic nonlinear behaviors, including the velocity profile and the dilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The French National Society of Gastroenterology was at the initiative of drafting recommendations for the diagnosis and management of eosinophilic esophagitis in adults. A working group has drawn up 30 recommendations based on the most up-to-date data from the international scientific literature on the following themes: diagnosis, therapeutic objectives, initial treatment, esophageal dilation, maintenance treatment. For each recommendation, the GRADE methodology made it possible to determine the level of evidence (high, moderate, low, very low) and a strong or conditional level of recommendation. After two rounds of voting all the recommendations proposed reached an agreement of more than 80 % of voters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A four-month-old domestic shorthair cat with no clinical signs was referred for further examination of a heart murmur. An echocardiogram revealed marked right atrial dilation, extending into the left hemithorax. Computed tomography angiography was conducted to investigate further, which revealed a balloon-shaped, contrast-filled cavity on the cranial and left side of the chest that connected to the right atrium through a narrow passage. This was diagnosed as a congenital right atrial diverticulum. Treatment included clopidogrel to reduce the risk of thrombus formation. Two months after the initial diagnosis, castration surgery was successfully performed without complications. The cat died suddenly at home 10 months after diagnosis. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first right atrial diverticulum reported in a cat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frames with special structures play a crucial role in various industrial applications, such as medical imaging, quantum communication, recognition and identification software, and so on. In this paper, we will discuss a more general setting, i.e., a g-frame induced by the projective unitary representation. We show some new results on the dilation property for g-frame generator sets for unitary groups and projective unitary representations. In particular, by using complete wandering operators, several properties of g-frame generators for projective unitary representations have been obtained. Moreover, we explore some characterizations of the g-frame generator dual pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The onset of brittle failure in rocks includes dilatancy and strain localization. To better understand this nucleation process, we analyze the evolution of the local three‐dimensional strain tensor using X‐ray tomograms acquired during triaxial compression experiments on granite and sandstone. The onset of the localization of the compaction, dilation, and shear strain occurs when ∼65% of the rock volume experiences dilation. Tracking the locations of the high strains throughout loading suggests that the deformation that occurs early in loading influences the location of the system‐sized fracture network that produces macroscopic failure. This influence is larger in the sandstone experiments than the granite experiments, likely due to the microstructure of the sandstone. These results have important implications for detecting precursors to catastrophic failure.

PurposeWe evaluated the noninferiority of 10.4 μl of eye drops eluted with a commercially available eye drop adapter, the Nanodropper (Nanodropper, Inc), on pupillary dilation and cycloplegia in children compared with the standard of care (SOC), 50 μl of eye drops.DesignProspective randomized trial.ParticipantsPediatric patients scheduled for routine pupillary dilation at the University of California, San Francisco, at the Pediatric Ophthalmology Clinic were enrolled. Each participant provided 1 eye for the intervention group (Nanodropper) and 1 eye for the control group (SOC).MethodsParticipants were randomized to receive small-volume dilating drops in 1 eye (Nanodropper) and SOC dilating drops in the other eye. Dilation was performed using 1 drop each of 1% cyclopentolate, 1% tropicamide, and 2.5% phenylephrine. Refraction and pupillometry were obtained before and 30 minutes after dilation. A noninferiority analysis was performed to assess change from before to after dilation in spherical equivalent and in pupil constriction percentage and maximum pupil diameter after dilation.Main outcome measuresSpherical equivalent, maximum pupil diameter, and pupil constriction percentage.ResultsOne hundred eyes of 50 patients were included, with a mean ± standard deviation age of 9 ± 3 years. After controlling for baseline measurements, the spherical equivalent after dilation was 0.05 diopter (D) more (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.28 to 0.37 D) in the Nanodropper arm, which did not achieve noninferiority. Maximum pupil diameter after dilation was lower in the Nanodropper group (mean, -0.01 mm; 95% CI, -0.20 to -0.03), which did achieve noninferiority. Constriction percentage after dilation was 0.57 percentage points more (95% CI, -1.38 to 2.51 percentage points) in the Nanodropper group, which did not achieve noninferiority.ConclusionsAdministration of eye drops using a small-volume adapter demonstrated similar efficacy to SOC in a pediatric population. Strict noninferiority was met only for pupillary dilation and not for cycloplegia or constriction percentage; however, the small differences in the effect of the Nanodropper versus SOC on all primary outcomes were not clinically significant. We conclude that small-volume eye drops have the potential to decrease unnecessary medical waste and medication toxicity while maintaining therapeutic effect.Financial disclosure(s)Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

In recent years, the mixture of sand and rubber particles has been used in various fields of civil engineering, such as the stability of roofs, retaining walls, and drainage materials in landfills due to its durability, cost-effectiveness, and solving environmental problems. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of tire crumb on the shear strength and dilation in a static state and the liquefaction resistance in a dynamic state. In this regard, in this research, a static and dynamic undrained triaxial test was performed on a mixture of Babolsar sand and tire crumb (size between 1 and 8 mm) under constant confining pressure. The effect of parameters such as the amount of different tires’ crumbs (0, 5, 10, 20, and 30% by weight) and different relative densities on the static and dynamic behavior of the mixture of sand and rubber crumb and the created pore water pressure was investigated. In the static (consolidated-undrained) triaxial test, the relative densities of the sand–tire mixtures were 45, 60, and 80 percent. The tests were carried out on the specimens at 100 kPa cell pressure. Also, the specimen was loaded at a strain rate of 0.30% per minute for all the tests until the axial strain reached 20%. In cyclic triaxial tests, the relative density of the sand–tire mixtures was 45 percent, and the confining pressure of 100 kPa was used in the experiments. The sinusoidal waveform was applied to the specimen with a frequency of 0.5 Hz. For accuracy evaluation, the behavior of the sand-tire mixture, as well as corrections such as membrane penetration corrections, membrane force, and cross-sectional area, were applied. The results showed that adding tire crumb to sand reduces the shear strength and dilation of sand. Also, the ratio of the mean diameter of tire particles to the mean diameter of sand particles affects the behavior of shear resistance and dilation of the sand-tire mixture. As the ratio of the mean diameter of tire particles to the mean diameter of sand particles increases, the shear strength and dilation of the sand-tire mixture increases. Also, increasing the amount of tire crumb in sand reduces the excess pore water pressure and, as a result, reduces liquefaction potential in cyclic loading. This behavior can be attributed to the compressible nature due to the low elastic modulus of the tire crumb.

Introduction. Being an integral part of the modern construction, concrete is a complex nonlinear material. The behaviour of concrete depends to a large extent on stress–strain state and loading history. Among the structures of newly constructed and reconstructed buildings, there are a large number of elements operating in the conditions of the triaxial stress–strain state, alternating and cyclic loading. A phenomenological material model used in the numerical methods can serve as a universal tool that allows to describe the behavior of concrete under such conditions. The aim of the research is to develop the concrete model that allows to simulate material behavior with sufficient accuracy under static short-term loading. The model should reflect the key features, which characterizes the behaviour of concrete and have an algorithm for regularizing the problem of localization of irreversible deformations.Materials and methods. This research is based on the analytical generalization and systematization of the data received from domestic and foreign sources devoted to the plasticity theory and fracture mechanics of concrete and reinforced concrete.Results. The model was implemented in the ANSYS finite-element software package, with the help of which it is possible to apply custom material models. Comparison of the laboratory and numerical results for concrete and reinforced concrete was made.Conclusions. The presented model allows to simulate behavior of concrete with substantial accuracy within the static short-term loading and reflects main features of the material behavior. To regularize the problem of localization of irreversible deformations, the model uses an approach based on the crack band theory. The values of all parameters required for the utilisation of the material model are presented.

Background Monitoring the oxygenation status is crucial during general anesthesia to ensure patient safety. Although noninvasive pulse oximetry is commonly used to monitor percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2), it may not accurately reflect changes in oxygen partial pressure when the latter is excessively high or low. The oxygen reserve index (ORi) provides real-time information about the oxygen reserve status. Case We present a case of successful management of subglottic stenosis using balloon bronchoscopy in an infant with a left ventricular assist device implantation under ORi monitoring to predict hypoxemia during the surgical procedure. Conclusions Utilizing ORi monitoring during anesthesia for procedures involving apnea in critically ill infants can help predict impending desaturation before a drop in SpO2 occurs, allowing anesthesiologists to effectively anticipate and manage the apnea period. Continuous ORi monitoring offers valuable insights during surgical procedures, especially in infants with compromised respiratory and cardiovascular functions.

Abstract The study of sandstone dilation characteristics under actual mining and excavation conditions promotes the safe and efficient development of underground engineering. Accordingly, this study employs true-triaxial testing to reveal the influence of intermediate principal stress and unloading action in the minimum principal stress directions on rock dilation. In the stress–strain analysis, with increasing intermediate principal stress, the maximum compression of the sandstone volume in the loading and unloading tests increases, while the onset of dilation is delayed under loading conditions and initially delayed and then accelerated under unloading conditions. The energy storage limit of sandstone under the unloading test tends to decrease with increasing intermediate principal stress, contrary to the results of the loading test, and the characteristic point at which the percentage of dissipative energy is greater than that of elastic energy occurs earlier. The energy of sandstone in the unloading test in the intermediate principal stress direction was smaller than that in the minimum principal stress direction, while the loading test showed the opposite trend. Combining these two analyses can elucidate the restraining effect and tensile stress effect of the intermediate principal stress, as well as the weakening and strengthening effects of the unloading action on the two effects. By further combining the average elastic energy and dissipative energy conversion rate under different test conditions, the weakening effect was manifested by shortening the compressive deformation course, and the strengthening effect was manifested by developing the degree of plastic expansion deformation. This study provides important guidance for deep mining projects.

Objective Animals Studied Procedures Results Conclusions To determine the mydriatic effect of topical 10% phenylephrine with 10 mg/mL rocuronium bromide and compare this protocol with and without pretreatment with proparacaine.Ten client‐owned pet adult eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina).All turtles were sedated with 8 mg/kg alfaxalone intramuscularly. One group of four turtles received four 20 μL drops of 10% phenylephrine and four 20 μL drops of rocuronium bromide in the right eye. Another group of four turtles received one standard drop of proparacaine followed by four 20 μL drops of 10% phenylephrine and four 20 μL drops of rocuronium bromide in the right eye. Two control group turtles received four 20 μL drops of saline in the right eye. The left eye was untreated in all turtles. Drops of the same type were separated by 2 min while drops of different types were separated by 5 min. Pupil size was recorded at 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, and 360 min after administration of the final drop.Treatment with 10% phenylephrine and rocuronium bromide resulted in pupil diameter changes from baseline that were statistically significant from zero at 60, 90, and 120 min in the non‐proparacaine group and 90 min in the proparacaine group. The time to peak effect was 90 min in the proparacaine group and 75 min in the non‐proparacaine group. Saline‐treated pupils in the control group decreased in diameter over the study period. Overall, the treated eyes of the proparacaine group and non‐proparacaine group were not different from each other, but both dilated more than the control group.Rocuronium bromide and 10% phenylephrine can produce effective and safe mydriasis in eastern box turtles, but there was wide interindividual variation in effectiveness. Proparacaine did not improve the mydriatic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the three-dimensional (3D) radar detection range has played an essential role in the layout of devices such as aircraft and drones. To compensate for the shortcomings of three-dimensional calculations for radar terrain masking, a new calculation method is proposed for assessing the terrain occlusion of radar detection range. First, the high-dimensional electromagnetic data after discretization are modeled based on the tensor data structure, and the tensor grid dilation operator is constructed. Then, the dilation process begins from the overlapping section of the radar detection range and terrain, and it is adjusted by the terrain occlusion judgment factor and the dilation judgment factor to obtain the obstructed part due to the terrain. Finally, the actual radar detection range under terrain occlusion is obtained. The simulation results show that the method proposed in this paper can adapt to different grid sizes and terrain shapes, significantly enhancing computational efficiency while maintaining internal features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let 0 < ρ ≤ 2 and w ρ (X) be the operator radius of a bounded linear Hilbert space operator X. In this paper we present characterizations of operators satisfying w ρ (X) ≤ 1. We also give an expression for the ρ -radii based on the numerical radius of a certain 2 × 2 block matrix. This enables us to investigate the properties of the operator radii w ρ (⋅). In particular, we obtain lower and upper bounds for the operator radii. In addition, we define a norm on Hilbert space operators, which generalizes the operator radii and prove some basic properties of this norm. Our results extend or improve some theorems due to Ando [4] , Bhatia–Jain [9] and Kittaneh [19]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An aneurysm is defined as a localized dilation of a blood vessel or heart. It may have either a congenital or an acquired origin and occurs in both humans and animals. Cardiac aneurysms are rare, and are characterized by sacculations of the cardiac wall. The present case report describes the macroscopic and microscopic findings of an aneurysm affecting both ventricles of the heart in a dog. A 7-year-old mixed-breed female dog with osteosarcoma on the left pelvic limb was euthanized and submitted to the veterinary pathology laboratory for necropsy. Macroscopically, besides the lesions in the link, the pericardial sac was adhered to the pericardial surface of the heart and there were two sacculations in both ventricles which communicated widely with the respective ventricle. Microscopically, fibrous tissue adhered to the pericardium, atrophy and necrosis of the cardiomyocytes with replacement by adipocytes were observed in addition to hyperplasia of the tunica media of arterioles and thrombosis. A diagnosis of acquired biventricular cardiac aneurysm was made based on the necropsy findings and microscopic lesions in the heart. We emphasize the importance of performing a necropsy and examining tissues histologically for the diagnosis of this rare condition. Ventricular aneurysms should be included in the differential diagnosis of cardiovascular disease in dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus disease has a significant influence on agricultural productivity these days, so technology based on artificial intelligence has been developed for creating computer vision (CV) models. By spotting disease in its early stages and enabling necessary productivity actions, CV in agriculture improves the production of agricultural goods. In this paper, we developed a CV-based citrus disease detection model called the self-attention dilated convolutional neural network--optimized restricted Boltzmann machine (SADCNN-ORBM) model, which consists of two crucial parts: a SADCNN for disease segmentation and an ORBM optimized by the self-adaptive coati optimization (SACO) algorithm to improve the classification performance of diseases, which successfully divides the disease type into three groups: anthracnose, melanose, and brown spot. Numerous feature sets, such as texture features, three-channel red, green, blue (RGB) features, local binary pattern (LBP) features, and speeded-up robust features (SURF) features, are combined and given as input into the classification layer in the proposed model. We compare our proposed model's performance with existing methods by using several evaluation metrics. The findings demonstrate the SADCNN-ORBM model's superiority in precisely recognizing and classifying citrus illnesses, outperforming all available techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let E denote the set of all unital entanglement breaking (UEB) linear maps defined on an operator system S ⊂ M d and, mapping into M n. As it turns out, the set E is not only convex in the classical sense but also in a quantum sense, namely it is C ⁎ -convex. The main objective of this article is to describe the C ⁎ -extreme points of this set E. By observing that every EB map defined on the operator system S dilates to a positive map with commutative range and also extends to an EB map on M d , we show that the C ⁎ -extreme points of the set E are precisely the UEB maps that are maximal in the sense of Arveson ([1] and [2]) and that they are also exactly the linear extreme points of the set E with commutative range. We also determine their explicit structure, thereby obtaining operator system generalizations of the analogous structure theorem and the Krein-Milman type theorem given in [8]. As a consequence, we show that C ⁎ -extreme (UEB) maps in E extend to C ⁎ -extreme UEB maps on the full algebra. Finally, we obtain an improved version of the main result in [8] , which contains various characterizations of C ⁎ -extreme UEB maps between the algebras M d and M n. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study is the evaluation of the distribution of Paclitaxel (PTX) released by a coated balloon in the layers of rabbit's urethra. Methods: 18 rabbits were included. A Laser Device was used for the stricture formation. After two weeks, dilation of the strictured urethra was performed by using Advance 35LP PTA balloons and Advance 18 PTX PTA balloons. The experimental models were divided into 3 groups. The group A included two rabbits without any intervention except for the stenosis procedure. Group B compromised six rabbits that underwent dilation with Advance 35LP PTA balloons. Group C consisted of 10 rabbits to which dilation with both Advance 35LP PTA balloons and Advance 18 PTX PTA balloons was applied. Histological evaluation and Immunohistochemistry were performed on all specimens. Results: Inflammation, fibrosis and ruptures were detected in the specimens of the study. In specimens of Group C the decrease of inflammation and fibrosis rate was greater. Anti-PTX antibody was detected in the epithelium, lamina propria and smooth muscle layer of all specimens of urethras that have been harvested immediately and 1 day after the dilation with Advance 18 PTX PTA balloon and it was not observed in any layer of the urethral wall of the rest of the examined specimens of Group C. Conclusions: PTX's enrichment was detected in the smooth muscle layer of all specimens that have been harvested immediately and 24h after the dilation with Advance 18 PTX PTA balloons. PTX may play an inhibitive role in the recurrence of the stenosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To analyze the utility and outcomes of available endourologic options to treat ureteral stricture after kidney transplantation (KT). Methods: A systematic review was carried out for all English language articles from 2000 to 2023 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) standards using EMBASE, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Google scholar, and Cochrane library. The search term combination for the string was follows: [(Ureteral stricture) OR (ureter stenosis) OR (ureteral stenosis) OR (Stricture ureter) OR (Narrowing ureter) OR (Ureter restriction) OR (ureteral restriction) OR (ureteral narrowing) OR (ureteral obstruction) OR (ureter obstruction) OR (obstructing ureter) OR (obstructive ureter) OR (narrow ureter) OR (ureteral narrow)] AND [(kidney transplant) OR (transplanted kidney) OR (transplant) OR (transplantation)] AND [(management) OR (Robotic) OR (laser) OR (stent) OR (dilatation) OR (dilation) OR (endoscopic) OR (endourological) OR (Urologic) OR (laparoscopic) OR (surgery) OR (treatment)]. Case reports, review articles, animal and laboratory studies were excluded. Risk of bias assessment was conducted using the RoB 2 and ROBINS-I tools. Results: A total of 1102 relevant articles published from 2000 to 2023 were found. After screening of titles and abstracts, a total of 19 articles were included in our systematic review. Ureteral stent/nephrostomy placement, balloon dilatation (ureteroplasty) with or without laser was used as initial approaches whereas follow-up and success rate were analyzed among other parameters. Conclusions: The management of ureteral strictures after KT is challenging and selecting the most appropriate treatment is crucial for successful outcomes. Our review suggests that, an endourologic management is a safe option with good long-term outcomes, especially in short and early strictures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of employing a Eustachian tube video endoscope with a supporting balloon as a viable treatment and examination option for patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction. Methods: A study involving nine fresh human cadaver heads was conducted to investigate the potential of balloon dilatation Eustachian tuboplasty using a Eustachian tube video endoscope and a supporting balloon catheter. The Eustachian tube cavity was examined with the Eustachian tube video endoscope during the procedure, which involved the dilatation of the cartilaginous portion of the Eustachian tube with the supporting balloon catheter. Results: The utilisation of the Eustachian tube video endoscope in conjunction with the supporting balloon catheter demonstrated technical ease during the procedure, with no observed damage to essential structures, particularly the Eustachian tube cavity. Conclusion: This newly introduced method of dilatation and examination of the Eustachian tube cavity using a Eustachian tube video endoscope and the supporting balloon is a feasible, safe procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chondrodysplasia punctata (CDP) is a rare congenital syndrome characterized by aberrant, punctate deposition of calcium during endochondral bone formation, resulting in the characteristic finding of epiphyseal stippling on radiographs. While otolaryngologic manifestations such as nasomaxillary hypoplasia and mixed hearing loss are common, tracheobronchial calcification occurs rarely in neonates with CDP. The management of CDP‐related airway stenosis is complex and there is limited literature pertaining to outcomes of airway interventions. Herein, we describe the clinical course and outcome of tracheal dilation for a newborn patient with CDP. Laryngoscope, 134:1464–1468, 2024 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: The treatment of choice for most esophageal strictures is esophageal dilatation but it has a low success rate. This study was conducted to determine the effect of topical mitomycin C as an adjunct to dilatation therapy in esophageal strictures among children. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, The Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Multan, Pakistan, from July 2022 to October 2023. Children aged 1-12 years and having esophageal strictures were included. A simple random sampling technique was adopted. Children in the Mitomycin C group received topical mitomycin C (2 mg/20 ml saline) during the endoscopy, whereas the placebo group received normal saline. The counts of dilatation sessions necessary in each group and the proportion of patients who were symptom-free after 12 months of therapy were noted (outcome). IBM-SPSS 26 was used for data analysis with p

The current work aims to optimize process parameters, including the current (I), voltage (V), pulse on time (O), and pulse off time (F) of the electrical discharge drilling of the small hole (EDDH) to reduce the dilation of the drilled hole (DH) as well as the tapper of the drilled hole (HT) and enhance the material removal rate (MRR). The radial basis function network (RBFN) was used to develop EDDH responses, while the modified quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization algorithm (MQPSO) was applied to produce feasible solutions. The evaluation by an area-based method of ranking (EAMR) approach was used to select the best optimality. The obtained results indicated that the optimal I, V, O, and F are 5 A, 60 V, 40 μs, and 45 μs, respectively. The DH and TP are reduced by 32.8% and 28.0%, while the MRR is improved by 66.3%. The RBFN models could be effectively applied to present non-linear data. The DH and TP models were significantly affected by the O and F, while the I and V had effective influences on the MRR. The outcomes could be used to improve the drilled quality indicator and productivity in industrial EDDH applications.

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is a critical coupled ocean-atmosphere oscillation system associated with significant weather anomalies in the global climate, particularly in the Indian Ocean rim countries. The paper presents a novel deep learning (DL) model, which we call the “spatio-temporal dilated ConvLSTM (STDNet) model”, for forecasting the Dipole Mode Index (DMI) using global sea surface temperature (SST) and heat content (HC) data. The model combines the techniques of dilation and fine-tuning to learn efficiently from the training data. CMIP6 historical simulation data from 5 modeling centres for 1861–2014 is used to train the model. Furthermore, the model is fine-tuned on reanalysis data from 1871–1973. During the testing period (1982–2019), the dipole correlation coefficient (DCC) was the highest when compared with state-of-the-art dynamical North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) models, a convolutional neural network (CNN) and a dilated CNN. On a lead of 12 months, the DCC is 0.40 for the CNN, 0.44 for the dilated CNN, and 0.51 for the STDNet, and all the NMME models have negative correlations. The results show that the STDNet efficiently forecasts the DMI at leads of up to 12 months. The STDNet shows results to overcome the winter predictability barrier.

The potential of faults to show earthquake‐generating slip instabilities depends not only on the intrinsic frictional properties of the fault zone, but also on the elasticity of the surrounding material. A velocity‐weakening fault is expected to show increasingly unstable frictional behavior with decreasing local elastic stiffness around the fault zone. Fault zone roughness can cause slip in the shear direction to be accompanied by fault‐normal movement, modulated by fault‐normal elastic properties, however these effects are poorly understood. Here, we systematically vary the stiffness surrounding the fault in both the shear‐parallel and fault‐normal directions, to investigate the origin of slip instabilities and changes in friction constitutive properties. We confirm the transition from stable sliding through slow slip to stick‐slip due to reduced fault‐parallel stiffness, and that the occurrence of different types of slip events can be explained by the ratio between shear and critical stiffness. In contrast, reducing the fault‐normal stiffness produces stick‐slip instabilities under conditions where the conventional critical stiffness criterion predicts stable sliding, and does not produce transitional slow slip events. Our data suggest that: (a) the stability criterion for frictional slip should be modified to incorporate fault‐normal stiffness, and (b) the unexpected slip instabilities may represent wrinkle‐like slip pulses, possibly due to a stiffness asymmetry introduced by lowering the fault normal stiffness on one side of the fault. This implies that earthquakes may occur when the fault‐normal stiffness, or bulk modulus for natural faults, is decreased and/or asymmetric across the fault zone, both of which may be common in nature. Plain Language Summary: Earthquakes occur on fault planes, but whether a fault will show stable sliding or host earthquakes, or their lab equivalent called "stick‐slip", depends only partly on the fault properties but also on how the fault and the surrounding rock respond to stress changes (the stiffness). Previous studies have shown that the transition between stick‐slip instabilities and stable sliding along a fault, can be triggered by changing the stiffness in the direction along the fault plane. However, faults commonly also have movement perpendicular to the fault plane, for example, if the fault surface is very rough, and therefore we study the effect of stiffness changes both perpendicular and parallel to the fault plane. We confirm previous observations when changing the stiffness parallel to the fault plane, but also observe unexpected stick‐slip instabilities when we decrease the stiffness perpendicular to the fault plane. This means that: (a) we have to adjust the stiffness criterion where stick‐slip instabilities are expected to include the fault‐normal stiffness, and (b) the unexpected stick‐slip instabilities at low fault perpendicular stiffness may be a different type of slip instability, called wrinkle‐like slip pulses, that may occur when one side of the fault is stiffer than the other. Key Points: Reduced fault‐normal stiffness alone can cause stick‐slip instabilities, but not slow slip in quartz gougeSystematically reducing both fault‐normal and shear‐parallel stiffness shows highly irregular slip eventsAdapting the critical stiffness criterion for fault‐normal stiffness shows slip instabilities are more likely [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dupilumab is approved for treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), but real-world data are lacking. We aimed to determine the real-world efficacy of dupilumab in patients with severe, treatment-refractory, and fibrostenotic EoE. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of EoE patients prescribed dupilumab and who were treatment-refractory to standard modalities. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, EoE history, and procedural data (including the histologically worst, predupilumab, and postdupilumab endoscopies) were extracted from medical records. Symptomatic, endoscopic, and histologic responses were assessed for the worst and predupilumab endoscopies compared with the postdupilumab endoscopy. We identified 46 patients with refractory fibrostenotic EoE who were treated with dupilumab. Patients showed endoscopic, histologic, and symptomatic improvement on dupilumab compared with both the worst and the predupilumab esophagogastroduodenoscopies. The peak eosinophil counts decreased markedly, and postdupilumab histologic response rates were 80% and 57% for fewer than 15 eosinophils per high-power field and 6 or fewer eosinophils per high-power field, respectively, and the Endoscopic Reference Score decreased from 5.01 to 1.89 (P <.001 for all). Although the proportion of strictures was stable, there was a significant increase in the predilation esophageal diameter (from 13.9 to 16.0 mm; P <.001). Global symptom improvement was reported in 91% (P <.001). In this population of severe, refractory, and fibrostenotic EoE patients, most achieved histologic, endoscopic, and symptom improvement with a median of 6 months of dupilumab, and esophageal stricture diameter improved. Dupilumab has real-world efficacy for a severe EoE population, most of whom would not have qualified for prior clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonlinear inverse problem of exponential data fitting is separable since the fitting function is a linear combination of parameterized exponential functions, thus allowing to solve for the linear coefficients separately from the nonlinear parameters. The matrix pencil method, which reformulates the problem statement into a generalized eigenvalue problem for the nonlinear parameters and a structured linear system for the linear parameters, is generally considered as the more stable method to solve the problem computationally. In Section 2 the matrix pencil associated with the classical complex exponential fitting or sparse interpolation problem is summarized and the concepts of dilation and translation are introduced to obtain matrix pencils at different scales. Exponential analysis was earlier generalized to the use of several polynomial basis functions and some operator eigenfunctions. However, in most generalizations a computational scheme in terms of an eigenvalue problem is lacking. In the subsequent Sections 3–6 the matrix pencil formulation, including the dilation and translation paradigm, is generalized to more functions. Each of these periodic, polynomial or special function classes needs a tailored approach, where optimal use is made of the properties of the parameterized elementary or special function used in the sparse interpolation problem under consideration. With each generalization a structured linear matrix pencil is associated, immediately leading to a computational scheme for the nonlinear and linear parameters, respectively from a generalized eigenvalue problem and one or more structured linear systems. Finally, in Section 7 we illustrate the new methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice disease profoundly impacts crop growth and yield. Early disease detection is crucial for effective crop care and treatment. Automated extraction of diseased regions from rice leaves is essential for enhancing automated disease identification systems. In this study, we propose an innovative approach that enhances deep learning (DL) segmentation architecture (UNet) by incorporating dilated convolution, EfficientNetB4, and pixelwise logical AND operation. We focus on three prevalent rice diseases: bacterial leaf blight, brown spot, and leaf smut. Manual ground truth mask images are generated for each disease. A comparative analysis demonstrates the superior performance of the modified architectures over their unmodified counterparts. Notably, the modified UNet model stands out, achieving a mean loss of 0.3018 and a mean dice coefficient of 0.6785 which is a significant improvement compared to conventional UNet model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A time series is a sequence of sequentially ordered real values in time. Time series classification (TSC) is the task of assigning a time series to one of a set of predefined classes, usually based on a model learned from examples. Dictionary-based methods for TSC rely on counting the frequency of certain patterns in time series and are important components of the currently most accurate TSC ensembles. One of the early dictionary-based methods was WEASEL, which at its time achieved SotA results while also being very fast. However, it is outperformed both in terms of speed and accuracy by other methods. Furthermore, its design leads to an unpredictably large memory footprint, making it inapplicable for many applications. In this paper, we present WEASEL 2.0, a complete overhaul of WEASEL based on two recent advancements in TSC: Dilation and ensembling of randomized hyper-parameter settings. These two techniques allow WEASEL 2.0 to work with a fixed-size memory footprint while at the same time improving accuracy. Compared to 15 other SotA methods on the UCR benchmark set, WEASEL 2.0 is significantly more accurate than other dictionary methods and not significantly worse than the currently best methods. Actually, it achieves the highest median accuracy over all data sets, and it performs best in 5 out of 12 problem classes. We thus believe that WEASEL 2.0 is a viable alternative for current TSC and also a potentially interesting input for future ensembles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]