Multi-objective and multi-solution source mask optimization using NSGA-II for more direct process window enhancement.

Source and mask optimization (SMO) technology is increasingly relied upon for resolution enhancement of photolithography as critical dimension (CD) shrinks. In advanced CD technology nodes, little process variation can impose a huge impact on the fidelity of lithography. However, traditional source and mask optimization (SMO) methods only evaluate the imaging quality in the focal plane, neglecting the process window (PW) that reflects the robustness of the lithography process. PW includes depth of focus (DOF) and exposure latitude (EL), which are computationally intensive and unfriendly to gradient-based SMO algorithms. In this study, we propose what we believe to be a novel process window enhancement SMO method based on the Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II), which is a multi-objective optimization algorithm that can provide multiple solutions. By employing the variational lithography model (VLIM), a fast focus-variation aerial image model, our method, NSGA-SMO, can directly optimize the PW performance and improve the robustness of SMO results while maintaining the in-focus image quality. Referring to the simulations of two typical patterns, NSGA-SMO showcases an improvement of more than 20% in terms of DOF and EL compared to conventional multi-objective SMO, and even four times superior to single-objective SMO for complicated patterns.

An indirect comparison meta-analysis of noninvasive intravesical instillation and intravesical injection of botulinum toxin-A in bladder disorders.

BACKGROUND: Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) intravesical instillation and BTX-A intravesical injection are both effective treatments or overactive bladder (OAB) and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), but direct comparative studies of the two treatments are lacking. METHODS: We conducted a pairs-comparison meta-analysis and an adjusted indirect comparison meta-analysis extracting published data from randomized controlled trials in literature databases from the inception of each database to Aug. 31, 2021, evaluating efficacy and safety of BTX-A intravesical instillation and BTX-A intravesical injection. We also carried out a subgroup analysis. RESULTS: We identified 24 trials in 21 studies were included in our study, of which 18 trials in 17 studies were BTX-A intravesical injections, 6 trials in 4 studies were BTX-A intravesical instillation. Compared with the normal saline injection, BTX-A intravesical injections for patients with OAB and IC/ BPS can obviously improve the symptoms of urinary frequency, urgency episode, UI and UUI, but BTX-A significantly increased the rate of urinary retention and urinary tract infection and increased PVR (p < 0.05). Adjusted indirect comparison meta-analysis showed that BTX-A intravesical injections was more effective than BTX-A intravesical instillation (p > 0.05). Surprisingly, BTX-A intravesical instillation had fewer side effects than BTX-A intravesical injections (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although BTX-A intravesical injections of OAB and IC/BPS has been significantly superior the BTX-A intravesical instillation, it has major side effects, but this needs to be confirmed by more large-scale, multicenter, direct comparison randomized controlled trials.

Quality evaluation and lipidomics analysis of salted duck egg yolk under low-salt pickling process.

Lipids play an important role in the salting process of duck eggs. In this research, the low-salt pickling process was employed to salt duck eggs, and the quality parameters, fatty acids and lipidomics were analyzed. The low-salt pickling process maintained the quality of the salted duck egg yolk, and can be regard as a healthy alternative to the traditional curing process. After salting, levels of saturated fatty acid (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) were increased by 57.77%, 41.59%, and 23.20%, respectively. The lipidomics data showed significant differences in 39 lipids in the phospholipid family during the low-salt pickling process of egg yolk (p < 0.05), in which lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) were defined as differential lipid after low-salt pickling, and the levels of LPC and LPE were increased. Thus, phospholipids might be responsible for the unique quality of salted duck egg yolk.

Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery vs. Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy vs. Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy for Lower Pole Renal Stones 10-20 mm : A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To conduct a comprehensive meta-analysis of existing evidence to quantify and compare the safety and efficacy of PCNL, RIRS and ESWL for lower pole renal stones 10-20mm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature search in the EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane databases and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies published in English up to May 2018. Literature reviewed included meta-analyses, and randomized and nonrandomized studies. The subject in the management of PCNL, RIRS and ESWL of studies being patients who had lower pole renal stones 10-20mm were selected. The odd ratio (OR) and mean difference(MD) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) using fixed-or-random-model were calculated to estimate the safety and efficacy of PCNL, RIRS and ESWL for lower pole renal stones 10-20mm. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of all included studies, and the RevMan 5.3 software was used to analyze the included studies. RESULTS: Three randomized controlled trials and five retrospective case control studies were included, involving a total of 1615 patients in our meta-analysis. Our results suggest that, for lower pole renal stones 10-20mm, PCNL has a great advantage to RIRS(OR=1.95?95% CI?1.22-3.12?P =.005?I2 = 39%)  and ESWL(OR=0.22?95% CI?0.15-0.34?P <.00001?I2 = 0%) in stone-free rate. Comparing PCNL(MD=-24.97?95% CI?-40.90--9.04?P=.002; I2 = 76%) (MD=-2.43?95% CI:-4.70--0.17?P=.04?I2 = 99%) and RIRS(MD=-15.39?95% CI?-25.54--5.25?P=.003? I2 = 99%) (MD=-0.95?95% CI: -1.29--0.61? P<.00001? I2 = 96%), ESWL owns some advantages in shorter operative time and hospital stay. Both of PCNL (OR=70.21,95%CI:25.01-197.11,P<.00001) (OR=4.01,95%CI:2.04-7.89, P<.0001) and RIRS (OR=32.31,95%CI:18.39-56.76,P<.00001?I2=0%) (OR=3.06, 95%CI:1.94-4.84,P<.00001?I2=19%) have some strong points in lower retreatment rate and auxiliary procedure rate comparing ESWL, but no statistical significant difference is found between them(OR=0.46,95% CI:0.15-1.42,P =.18?I2=0%)(OR=0.75,95% CI:0.35-1.59,P =.45). About complication rate, there's no statistical significant difference found in PCNL(OR=1.42, 95%CI:0.91-2.21,P=.12?I2=0%), RIRS (OR=0.74,95%CI:0.51-1.07,P=.11?I2=30%) and ESWL(OR=0.41,95% CI:0.16-1.09,P=.07,I2=70%). CONCLUSION: Both of PCNL and RIRS offer a longer operative time, the lower retreatment rate and auxiliary procedure rate while PCNL has the longest hospital stay and the highest SFR. However, ESWL is confirmed to have the lowest SFR, the higher retreatment rate and auxiliary procedure rate, but a shorter operative time and the shortest hospital stay. The overall complication rates among the three therapies are comparable.