Research on the Effect of Vibrational Micro-Displacement of an Astronomical Camera on Detector Imaging.

Scientific-grade cameras are frequently employed in industries such as spectral imaging technology, aircraft, medical detection, and astronomy, and are characterized by high precision, high quality, fast speed, and high sensitivity. Especially in the field of astronomy, obtaining information about faint light often requires long exposure with high-resolution cameras, which means that any external factors can cause the camera to become unstable and result in increased errors in the detection results. This paper aims to investigate the effect of displacement introduced by various vibration factors on the imaging of an astronomical camera during long exposure. The sources of vibration are divided into external vibration and internal vibration. External vibration mainly includes environmental vibration and resonance effects, while internal vibration mainly refers to the vibration caused by the force generated by the refrigeration module inside the camera during the working process of the camera. The cooling module is divided into water-cooled and air-cooled modes. Through the displacement and vibration experiments conducted on the camera, it is proven that the air-cooled mode will cause the camera to produce greater displacement changes relative to the water-cooled mode, leading to blurring of the imaging results and lowering the accuracy of astronomical detection. This paper compares the effects of displacement produced by two methods, fan cooling and water-circulation cooling, and proposes improvements to minimize the displacement variations in the camera and improve the imaging quality. This study provides a reference basis for the design of astronomical detection instruments and for determining the vibration source of cameras, which helps to promote the further development of astronomical detection.

Large-scale real-world data analyses of cancer risks among patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects 24.5 million people worldwide and has been associated with increased cancer risks. However, the extent to which the observed risks are related to the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis or its treatments is unknown. Leveraging nationwide health insurance claims data with 85.97 million enrollees across 8 years, we identified 92 864 patients without cancers at the time of rheumatoid arthritis diagnoses. We matched 68 415 of these patients with participants without rheumatoid arthritis by sex, race, age and inferred health and economic status and compared their risks of developing all cancer types. By 12 months after the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis patients were 1.21 (95% confidence interval [CI] [1.14, 1.29]) times more likely to develop any cancer compared with matched enrollees without rheumatoid arthritis. In particular, the risk of developing lymphoma is 2.08 (95% CI [1.67, 2.58]) times higher in the rheumatoid arthritis group, and the risk of developing lung cancer is 1.69 (95% CI [1.32, 2.13]) times higher. We further identified the five most commonly used drugs in treating rheumatoid arthritis, and the log-rank test showed none of them is implicated with a significantly increased cancer risk compared with rheumatoid arthritis patients without that specific drug. Our study suggested that the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis, rather than its treatments, is implicated in the development of subsequent cancers. Our method is extensible to investigating the connections among drugs, diseases and comorbidities at scale.

Epidemiology and risk factors for the development of cutaneous toxicities in patients treated with immune-checkpoint inhibitors: A United States population-level analysis.

BACKGROUND: A variety of dermatoses have been reported in the growing number of patients treated with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), but the current understanding of cutaneous immune-related adverse events (irAEs) is limited. OBJECTIVE: To determine the cumulative incidence, distribution, and risk factors of cutaneous irAEs after ICI initiation. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients in a national insurance claims database including cancer patients treated with ICIs and matched controls. RESULTS: The study included 8637 ICI patients and 8637 matched controls. The overall incidence of cutaneous irAEs was 25.1%, with a median onset time of 113 days. The ICI group had a significantly higher incidence of pruritus, mucositis, erythroderma, maculopapular eruption, vitiligo, lichen planus, bullous pemphigoid, Grover disease, rash, other nonspecific eruptions, and drug eruption or other nonspecific drug reaction. Patients with melanoma and renal cell carcinoma and those receiving combination therapy were at a higher risk of cutaneous irAEs. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design without access to patient chart data. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies cutaneous irAEs in a real-world clinical setting and highlights patient groups that are particularly at risk. The results can aid dermatologists at the bedside in the diagnosis of cutaneous irAEs and in formulating management recommendations to referring oncologists regarding the continuation of ICI therapy.

Comprehensive design analysis and verification of space-based short-wave infrared coded spectrometer via curved prism dispersion.

The spaceborne dispersive spectrometer is widely used in environmental, resource, and ocean observations. The coded spectrometer has higher energy advantages than the dispersion spectrometer, so it has great application prospects. In the current study, we developed an off-axis short-wave infrared coded optical system (SICOS) based on curved prism dispersion, and we further explored the design and optimization of the SICOS structure. Finite element analyses of a space-based short-wave infrared coded spectrometer based on curved prism dispersion (SSICS-CPD), including static simulation, modal analysis, sinusoidal vibration mechanical analysis, and random vibration mechanical analysis, were carried out. Simulation results showed that the SICOS support structure had excellent mechanical and thermal stability. As off-axis optical systems cannot meet the requirements of optical position accuracy through centering processing, a point source microscope and three-coordinate measuring machines were employed to complete the high-precision and rapid assembly of the SSICS-CPD. In addition, verification tests of surface shape error, stress relief, random vibration, and optical design parameters were carried out to validate the high stability and imaging performance of the SSICS-CPD. Results showed that the average modulation transfer function in the full field was 0.43 at 16.67 lp/mm, the spectral smile was <0.2 pixels, and the spectral keystone was <0.1 pixels. The design, analysis, assembly, and verification of the SSICS-CPD provide a useful reference for the development of other spaceborne prism dispersion spectrometers.

Optimal optical path difference of an asymmetric common-path coherent-dispersion spectrometer.

Optical path difference (OPD) is a very significant parameter in the asymmetric common-path coherent-dispersion spectrometer (CODES), which directly determines the performance of the CODES. In order to improve the performance of the instrument as much as possible, a temperature-compensated optimal optical path difference (TOOPD) method is proposed. The method does not only consider the influence of temperature change on the OPD but also effectively solves the problem that the optimal OPD cannot be obtained simultaneously at different wavelengths. Taking the spectral line with a Gaussian-type power spectral density distribution as a representative, the relational expression between the OPD and the visibility of interference fringes formed by the CODES is derived for the stellar absorption/emission line. Further, the optimal OPD is deduced according to the efficiency function, and the relationship between the optimal OPD and wavelength is analyzed. Then, based on the materials' dispersion characteristics, different optical materials are combined and added to the interferometer's reflected and transmitted optical path to implement the optimal OPD at different wavelengths, thereby improving the detection precision. Meanwhile, the materials whose refractive index negatively changes with temperature are selected to reduce or even offset the temperature impact on OPD, and hence the system's stability is improved and further improves the detection precision. Under certain input conditions, the material combination that approximates the optimal OPD is performed within the range of 0.66-0.9 µm. The simulation results show that the maximal difference between the optimal OPD obtained by the efficiency function and the OPD produced by the material combination is 0.733 mm for the absorption line and 1.122 mm for the emission line, which is reduced by 1 time compared with only one material. The influence of temperature on the OPD can be reduced by 2-3 orders of magnitude by material combination, which greatly ameliorates the stability of the whole spectrometer. Hence, the TOOPD method provides a new idea for further improving the high-precision radial velocity detection of the asymmetric common-path CODES.

Design analysis and test verification of a rigid-flexible, dual-mode coupling support structure for space-based rectangular curved prisms.

In view of the functional requirements of high reliability and stability support of optical components of space remote sensors, a rigid-flexible, dual-mode coupling support structure for space-based rectangular curved prisms (SRCPs) was designed. In-depth studies of the support principle and engineering realization of the SRCPs and optimization of the flexible adhesive structure were performed. Static and dynamic simulations were conducted on the mirror subassembly by means of finite element analysis, and test verification was also performed. The tests revealed that the surface shape error of the mirror subassembly after mechanical testing was 0.021λ, the displacement of the mirror body was 0.008 mm, the inclination angle was ∼0.8'', the mass of the mirror subassembly was 4.79 kg, the fundamental frequency was 283 Hz, and the maximum amplification of the total rms acceleration was 4.37. All indexes were superior to those of the design requirements. On this basis, bonding tests and mechanical tests of a rectangular curved prism reflector, a rectangular curved prism, and a rectangular plane reflector employing this proposed support structure were continued. The test results verified the reliability, stability, and universal applicability of the proposed rigid-flexible, dual-mode peripheral bonding support structure.

Real-world data analyses unveiled the immune-related adverse effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors across cancer types.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated significant survival benefits in treating many types of cancers. However, their immune-related adverse events (irAEs) have not been systematically evaluated across cancer types in large-scale real-world populations. To address this gap, we conducted real-world data analyses using nationwide insurance claims data with 85.97 million enrollees across 8 years. We identified a significantly increased risk of developing irAEs among patients receiving immunotherapy agents in all seven cancer types commonly treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. By six months after treatment initialization, those receiving immunotherapy were 1.50-4.00 times (95% CI, lower bound from 1.15 to 2.16, upper bound from 1.69 to 20.36) more likely to develop irAEs in the first 6 months of treatment, compared to matched chemotherapy or targeted therapy groups, with a total of 92,858 patients. The risk of developing irAEs among patients using nivolumab is higher compared to those using pembrolizumab. These results confirmed the need for clinicians to assess irAEs among cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy as part of management. Our methods are extensible to characterizing the effectiveness and adverse effects of novel treatments in large populations in an efficient and economical fashion.

Prediction of severe immune-related adverse events requiring hospital admission in patients on immune checkpoint inhibitors: study of a population level insurance claims database from the USA.

BACKGROUND: Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are a serious side effect of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy for patients with advanced cancer. Currently, predisposing risk factors are undefined but understanding which patients are at increased risk for irAEs severe enough to require hospitalization would be beneficial to tailor treatment selection and monitoring. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients with cancer treated with ICIs using unidentifiable claims data from an Aetna nationwide US health insurance database from January 3, 2011 to December 31, 2019, including patients with an identified primary cancer and at least one administration of an ICI. Regression analyses were performed. Main outcomes were incidence of and factors associated with irAE requiring hospitalization in ICI therapy. RESULTS: There were 68.8 million patients identified in the national database, and 14 378 patients with cancer identified with at least 1 administration of ICI in the study period. Patients were followed over 19 117 patient years and 504 (3.5%) developed an irAE requiring hospitalization. The incidence of irAEs requiring hospitalization per patient ICI treatment year was 2.6%, rising from 0% (0/71) in 2011 to 3.7% (93/2486) in 2016. Combination immunotherapy (OR: 2.44, p<0.001) was associated with increased odds of developing irAEs requiring hospitalization, whereas older patients (OR 0.98 per additional year, p<0.001) and those with non-lung cancer were associated with decreased odds of irAEs requiring hospitalization (melanoma OR: 0.70, p=0.01, renal cell carcinoma OR: 0.71, p=0.03, other cancers OR: 0.50, p<0.001). Sex, region, zip-code-imputed income, and zip-code unemployment were not associated with incidence of irAE requiring hospitalization. Prednisone (72%) and methylprednisolone (25%) were the most common immunosuppressive treatments identified in irAE hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: We found that 3.5% of patients initiating ICI therapy experienced irAEs requiring hospitalization and immunosuppression. The odds of irAEs requiring hospitalization were higher with younger age, treatment with combination ICI therapy (cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated 4 and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)), and lower for other cancers compared with patients on PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors with lung cancer. This evidence from the first nationwide study of irAEs requiring hospitalization in the USA identified the real-world epidemiology, risk factors, and treatment patterns of these irAEs which may guide treatment and management decisions.