bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single-Cell DNA Sequencing and Immunophenotypic Profiling to Track Clonal Evolution in an Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient
Authors: García-Álvarez María , Yeguas Ana , Jiménez Cristina , Medina-Herrera Alejandro , González-Calle Verónica , Hernández-Ruano Montserrat , Maldonado Rebeca , Aires Irene , Casquero Cristina , Sánchez-Villares Inmaculada , Balanzategui Ana , Sarasquete María Eugenia , Alcoceba Miguel , Vidriales María Belén , González-Díaz Marcos , García-Sanz Ramón , Chillón María Carmen
Published: December 2023

Single-cell DNA sequencing can address the sequence of somatic genetic events during myeloid transformation in relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We present an NPM1-mutated AML patient with an initial low ratio of FLT3-ITD (low-risk ELN-2017), treated with midostaurin combined with standard chemotherapy as front-line treatment, and with salvage therapy plus gilteritinib following allogenic stem cell transplantation after relapse. Simultaneous single-cell DNA sequencing and cell-surface immunophenotyping was used in diagnostic and relapse samples to understand the clinical scenario of this patient and to reconstruct the clonal composition of both tumors. Four independent clones were present before treatment: DNMT3A/DNMT3A/NPM1 (63.9%), DNMT3A/DNMT3A (13.9%), DNMT3A/DNMT3A/NPM1/FLT3 (13.8%), as well as a wild-type clone (8.3%), but only the minor clone with FLT3-ITD survived and expanded after therapy, being the most represented one (58.6%) at relapse. FLT3-ITD was subclonal and was found only in the myeloid blast population (CD38/CD117/CD123). Our study shows the usefulness of this approach to reveal the clonal architecture of the leukemia and the identification of small subclones at diagnosis and relapse that may explain how the neoplastic cells can escape from the activity of different treatments in a stepwise process that impedes the disease cure despite different stages of complete remission.
Hemoadsorption Therapy for Critically Ill Patients with Acute Liver Dysfunction: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Turan Caner , Szigetváry Csenge Erzsébet , Kói Tamás , Engh Marie Anne , Atakan Işıl , Zubek László , Terebessy Tamás , Hegyi Péter , Molnár Zsolt
Published: December 2023

Critically ill patients are at risk of developing acute liver dysfunction as part of multiorgan failure sequelae. Clearing the blood from toxic liver-related metabolites and cytokines could prevent further organ damage. Despite the increasing use of hemoadsorption for this purpose, evidence of its efficacy is lacking. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the evidence on clinical outcomes following hemoadsorption therapy. A systematic search conducted in six electronic databases (PROSPERO registration: CRD42022286213) yielded 30 eligible publications between 2011 and 2023, reporting the use of hemoadsorption for a total of 335 patients presenting with liver dysfunction related to acute critical illness. Of those, 26 are case presentations (n = 84), 3 are observational studies (n = 142), and 1 is a registry analysis (n = 109). Analysis of data from individual cases showed a significant reduction in levels of aspartate transaminase (p = 0.03) and vasopressor need (p = 0.03) and a tendency to lower levels of total bilirubin, alanine transaminase, C-reactive protein, and creatinine. Pooled data showed a significant reduction in total bilirubin (mean difference of −4.79 mg/dL (95% CI: −6.25; −3.33), p = 0.002). The use of hemoadsorption for critically ill patients with acute liver dysfunction or failure seems to be safe and yields a trend towards improved liver function after therapy, but more high-quality evidence is crucially needed.
Increased Frequency of Giant Miniature End-Plate Potentials at the Neuromuscular Junction in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Martínez-Sánchez Julián Elías , Cárdenas Yolitzy , Trujillo Xóchitl , Ríos-Silva Mónica , Díaz-Reval M. Irene , Bricio-Barrios Jaime Alberto , Muñiz Jesús , Alcaraz-Siqueiros Julio , Huerta Miguel
Published: December 2023

There is a need for research addressing the functional characteristics of the motor end-plate in diabetes to identify mechanisms contributing to neuromuscular dysfunction. Here, we investigated the effect of diabetes on spontaneous acetylcholine release in the rat neuromuscular junction. We studied two randomized groups of male Wistar rats (n = 7 per group, 350 ± 50 g, 12–16 weeks of age): one with streptozotocin-induced experimental diabetes, and a healthy control group without diabetes. After 8 weeks of monitoring after diabetes induction, rats in both groups were anesthetized with pentobarbital. Then, the diaphragm muscle was dissected for electrophysiological recordings of miniature end-plate potentials (MEPPs) using a single electrode located at the region of the muscle end-plate. All experiments were conducted at environmental temperature (20–22 °C) in rat Ringer solution with constant bubbling carbogen (95% O2, 5% CO2). Compared to healthy controls, in the diaphragm neuromuscular end-plate derived from diabetic rats, the MEPPs were higher in amplitude and frequency, and the proportion of giant MEPPs was elevated (7.09% vs. 1.4% in controls). Our results showed that diabetes affected the acetylcholine MEPP pattern and increased the number of giant potentials compared to healthy controls.
An Open-Access Dataset of Hospitalized Cardiac-Arrest Patients: Machine-Learning-Based Predictions Using Clinical Documentation
Authors: Rajapaksha Lahiru Theekshana Weerasinghe , Vidanagamachchi Sugandima Mihirani , Gunawardena Sampath , Thambawita Vajira
Published: December 2023

Cardiac arrest is a sudden loss of heart function with serious consequences. In developing countries, healthcare professionals use clinical documentation to track patient information. These data are used to predict the development of cardiac arrest. We published a dataset through open access to advance the research domain. While using this dataset, our work revolved around generating and utilizing synthetic data by harnessing the potential of synthetic data vaults. We conducted a series of experiments by employing state-of-the-art machine-learning techniques. These experiments aimed to assess the performance of our developed predictive model in identifying the likelihood of developing cardiac arrest. This approach was effective in identifying the risk of cardiac arrest in in-patients, even in the absence of electronic medical recording systems. The study evaluated 112 patients who had been transferred from the emergency treatment unit to the cardiac medical ward. The developed model achieved 96% accuracy in predicting the risk of developing cardiac arrest. In conclusion, our study showcased the potential of leveraging clinical documentation and synthetic data to create robust predictive models for cardiac arrest. The outcome of this effort could provide valuable insights and tools for healthcare professionals to preemptively address this critical medical condition.
Navigating the Shadows of Others’ Traumas: An In-Depth Examination of Secondary Traumatic Stress and Psychological Distress among Rescue Professionals
Authors: Noureen Nazia , Gul Seema , Maqsood Aneela , Hakim Humaira , Yaswi Arooj
Published: December 2023

Rescue workers, who often find themselves on the frontlines of traumatic events, face an increased risk of experiencing secondary traumatic stress (STS) and psychological distress (PD). The nature of their work, alongside professional factors, can influence the way these psychological aspects manifest and their level of severity. This study aimed to explore the relationship between STS and PD in rescue workers. Additionally, it sought to understand how factors such as age, years of experience, duration of work, training received and direct exposure to trauma explain significant variations in reporting to STS. To conduct this research, a cross-sectional study design was implemented involving a sample of 80 rescue workers from the Punjab province in Pakistan. Data was collected over eight weeks using the secondary traumatic stress scale (STSS-17) and the general health questionnaire (GHQ-12) as primary assessment tools. Participants’ data was analyzed through Pearson correlation analysis, t-tests, and ANOVA. A strong positive correlation between STS and PD among rescue workers was established. Age significantly explains variation in scores, with older workers displaying reduced STS and PD symptoms. Rescue workers working for longer hours reported elevated STS compared to those working shorter shifts. Workers with more extended professional experience showcased lower STS, highlighting the potential resilience acquired over time. The study also underscored the importance of training duration: longer, well-structured training was associated with decreased STS and PD. Interestingly, longer exposure to trauma was found to be related to lower STS scores, albeit this warrants further investigation. This study underscores the intertwined nature of STS and PD among rescue workers and the various modulating factors. The study paves the way for more comprehensive research, expanding geographically and demographically.
Analytical Solution for the Steady Seepage Field of an Anchor Circular Pit in Layered Soil
Authors: Huang Jirong , Gu Lixiong , He Zhen , Yu Jun
Published: December 2023

An analytical study was carried out on an anchored circular pit with a submerged free surface in layered soil. The seepage field around the anchor circular pit was divided into three zones. Separate variable method was used to obtain the graded solution forms of head distribution in the column coordinate system for each of the three regions. Combined with the continuity condition between the regions the Bessel function orthogonality was used to obtain the explicit analytical solution of the seepage field in each region, and the infiltration line was determined. Comparison with the calculation results of Plaxis 2D 8.5 software verified the correctness of the analytical solution. Based on the analytical solution, the influence of the radius of the pit and the distance of the retaining wall from the top surface of the impermeable layer on the total head distribution on both sides of the retaining wall was analyzed. And the variation in the infiltration line was determined with the above parameters. The results show that as the pit radius, r, decreased, the total head on both sides of the retaining wall gradually increased, and the height of the submerged surface drop also increased. As the distance, a, between the retaining wall and the impermeable boundary at the bottom increased, the hydraulic head on the outer side of the retaining wall decreased and the head on the inner side increased. The height of the submerged surface drop increased with decreasing depth of insertion of the retaining wall. The depth of insertion of the retaining wall had a greater influence on the degree of diving surface drop than the pit radius.
A Roadmap for Applying Digital Technology to Improve the Efficiency of Construction Supervision in Building Projects: Focusing on Korean Cases
Authors: Kim Chang-Won , Yoo Wi Sung , Seo Junghoon , Kim Byoung gun , Lim Hyunsu
Published: December 2023

Construction supervision is a key task that can confirm and inspect the project execution and support the creation of successful results. For the efficient performance of construction supervision, collecting various information necessary for the supervisor’s decision-making is a prerequisite, and the use of digital technology has recently been proposed as an alternative. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to present a roadmap for the step-by-step use of digital technology to improve the efficiency of construction supervision. This study was limited to the supervision of construction projects, which have a high proportion of contract volumes in the Korean construction industry and can directly affect people’s lives. This study reclassified Korea’s construction supervision works, collected data on the urgency and effectiveness of detailed works from various stakeholders, and derived a final roadmap using importance–performance analysis. The results of this study are expected to serve as basic guidelines that can be used when reviewing digital technologies that can be applied step by step to improve the efficiency of construction supervision work.
Theoretical Analysis of the Active Earth Pressure on Inclined Retaining Walls
Authors: Zheng Gang , Liu Zhaopeng , Zhou Haizuo , Ding Meiwen , Guo Zhiyi
Published: December 2023

The estimation of earth pressure is crucial in the design of retaining structures. The evaluation of vertical retaining walls has been well studied within the framework of the differential flat element method in prior investigations, in which the vertical stress and maximum principal stress are assumed to be uniformly distributed. Inclined retaining walls have been successfully adopted in excavation engineering. Due to the inclination of retaining walls, the maximum principal stress direction rotates approximately parallel to the inclined wall back, which affects the active earth pressure on the walls. This paper provides an analytical solution to evaluate the active earth pressure on inclined retaining walls. A numerical model is first established to analyze the characteristics of the principal stresses and vertical stress distribution of soil behind walls with various inclination angles. An idealized vertical stress field containing two zones is developed, and a hyperbolic function is proposed to illustrate the distribution of vertical stress at various depths. Subsequently, the relationship between the nonuniform characteristics of the vertical stress and normal stress acting on a differential flat element is established based on a circular stress trajectory. The active earth pressure along the inclined wall is then obtained based on the balance of the forces on the differential elements. The predicted data from the proposed analytical solution are compared with the previous experimental, numerical, and theoretical results with excellent agreement, demonstrating the accuracy of the proposed method.
Assessment of the DNA Mismatch Repair System Is Crucial in Colorectal Cancers Necessitating Adjuvant Treatment: A Propensity Score-Matched and Win Ratio Analysis
Authors: Lieto Eva , Cardella Francesca , Wang Duolao , Ronchi Andrea , Del Sorbo Giovanni , Panarese Iacopo , Ferraraccio Francesca , De Vita Ferdinando , Galizia Gennaro , Auricchio Annamaria
Published: December 2023

A deficient DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system is identified in a non-negligible part of sporadic colorectal cancers (CRCs), and its prognostic value remains controversial. High tumor mutational burden, along with a poor response to conventional chemotherapy and excellent results from immunotherapy, are the main features of this subset. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of DNA MMR system status for its best treatment. Four hundred and three CRC patients, operated on from 2014 to 2021 and not treated with immunotherapy, entered this study. Immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction, as appropriate, were used to unequivocally group specimens into microsatellite stable (MSS) and instable (MSI) tumors. The win-ratio approach was utilized to compare composite outcomes. MSI tumors accounted for 12.9% of all series. The right tumor location represented the most important factor related to MSI. The status of the DNA MMR system did not appear to correlate with outcome in early-stage CRCs not requiring adjuvant treatment; in advanced stages undergoing conventional chemotherapy, MSI tumors showed significantly poorer overall and disease-free survival rates and the highest win ratio instead. The determination of DNA MMR status is crucial to recommending correct management. There is clear evidence that instable CRCs needing adjuvant therapy should undergo appropriate treatments.
Downregulated RBM5 Enhances CARM1 Expression and Activates the PRKACA/GSK3β Signaling Pathway through Alternative Splicing-Coupled Nonsense-Mediated Decay
Authors: Zhang Yanping , Li Fang , Han Zhenwei , Teng Zhihai , Jin Chenggen , Yuan Hao , Zhang Sihao , Sun Kexin , Wang Yaxuan
Published: December 2023

Downregulated RNA-binding motif protein 5 (RBM5) promotes the development and progression of various tumors, including bladder cancer (BC). Alternative splicing (AS) plays a crucial role in the progression of cancer by producing protein isomers with different functions or by promoting nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). However, whether RBM5 modulates the progression of BC through AS-NMD remains unexplored. In this study, we revealed that the downregulation of RBM5 expression promoted the expression of coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1) in BC cells and tissues. Increased expression of CARM1 facilitated the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin axis and cell proliferation, which then contributed to the poor prognosis of patients with BC. Interestingly, RBM5 bound directly to CARM1 mRNA and participated in AS-NMD, downregulating the expression of CARM1. In addition, we revealed that protein kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PRKACA) functioned as a phosphorylated kinase of GSK3β, was regulated by CARM1 at the transcription level, and promoted the growth and progression of BC cells. Furthermore, in this study, we demonstrated a regulatory mechanism of Wnt/β-catenin activation through the RBM5/CARM1/PRKACA axis and identified a novel potential target for treating BC.
Mogamulizumab Combined with Extracorporeal Photopheresis as a Novel Therapy in Erythrodermic Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma
Authors: Ninosu Nadia , Melchers Susanne , Kappenstein Max , Booken Nina , Hansen Inga , Blanchard Maël , Guenova Emmanuella , Assaf Chalid , Goerdt Sergij , Nicolay Jan P.
Published: December 2023

Background: Primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are rare lymphoproliferative malignancies characterized by significant morbidity and mortality in advanced disease stages. As curative approaches apart from allogeneic stem cell transplantation are lacking, establishing new treatment options, especially combination therapies, is crucial. Methods: This retrospective study included 11 patients with SS or MF receiving therapy with mogamulizumab in combination with ECP from four European expert centers. The response rates in the skin and blood as well as treatment use and adverse events (AE) were described. Results: 8/11 patients (73%) showed an overall response (OR) in the skin. The mean mSWAT decreased from 98.2 ± 40.8 to 34.6 ± 23.8. The overall response rate (ORR) in the blood was 64% with two complete responses. During combination therapy, the mean number of Sézary cells decreased from 3365.3 × 106/L before treatment to 1268.6 × 106/L. The mean minimum known period without progress was 7.2 months in the skin and 7.6 months in the blood. The most common AEs were mogamulizumab-associated rash (MAR) (45.5%), anemia (27.3%), lymphocytopenia (27.8%), and infusion related reaction (16.7%). No AE led to treatment discontinuation. Conclusions: Our study presents the combination of mogamulizumab and ECP as an effective therapy in the blood and skin in CTCL with good tolerability, similar to mogamulizumab monotherapy.
Diffusion-Weighted MRI as a Quantitative Imaging Biomarker in Colon Tumors
Authors: Otto Peter Obel , Loft Martina Kastrup , Rafaelsen Søren Rafael , Pedersen Malene Roland Vils
Published: December 2023

Purpose: To assess the use of quantitative diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) as a diagnostic imaging biomarker in differentiating between benign colon adenoma, early, and advanced cancer of the colon, as well as predicting lymph node involvement, and finally comparing mucinous-producing colon cancer with adenomas and non-mucinous colon cancer. Method: Patients with a confirmed tumor on colonoscopy were eligible for inclusion in this study. Using a 3.0 Tesla MRI machine, the main tumor mean apparent diffusion coefficient (mADC) was obtained. Surgically resected tumor specimens served as an endpoint, except in mucinous colon cancers, which were classified based on T2 images. Results: A total of 152 patients were included in the study population. The mean age was 71 years. A statistically significant mADC mean difference of −282 × 10−6 mm2/s [−419–−144 95% CI, p < 0.001] was found between colon adenomas and early colon cancer, with an AUC of 0.80 [0.68–0.93 95% CI] and an optimal cut off value of 1018 × 10−6 mm2/s. Only a small statistically significant difference (p = 0.039) in mADC was found between benign tumors and mucinous colon cancer. We found no statistical difference in mADC mean values between early and advanced colon cancer, and between colon cancer with and without lymph node involvement. Conclusion: Quantitative DW-MRI is potentially useful for determining whether a colonic tumor is benign or malignant. Mucinous colon cancer shows less diffusion restriction when compared to non-mucinous colon cancer, a potential pitfall.
The Role of TNF-α in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Narrative Review
Authors: Plantone Domenico , Pardini Matteo , Righi Delia , Manco Carlo , Colombo Barbara Maria , De Stefano Nicola
Published: December 2023

This review analyzes the role of TNF-α and its increase in biological fluids in mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The potential inhibition of TNF-α with pharmacological strategies paves the way for preventing AD and improving cognitive function in people at risk for dementia. We conducted a narrative review to characterize the evidence in relation to the involvement of TNF-α in AD and its possible therapeutic inhibition. Several studies report that patients with RA and systemic inflammatory diseases treated with TNF-α blocking agents reduce the probability of emerging dementia compared with the general population. Animal model studies also showed interesting results and are discussed. An increasing amount of basic scientific data and clinical studies underscore the importance of inflammatory processes and subsequent glial activation in the pathogenesis of AD. TNF-α targeted therapy is a biologically plausible approach for cognition preservation and further trials are necessary to investigate the potential benefits of therapy in populations at risk of developing AD.
CD49f and CD146: A Possible Crosstalk Modulates Adipogenic Differentiation Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Tran An Nguyen-Thuy , Kim Ha Yeong , Oh Se-Young , Kim Han Su
Published: December 2023

Background: The lack of appropriate mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) selection methods has given the challenges for standardized harvesting, processing, and phenotyping procedures of MSCs. Genetic engineering coupled with high-throughput proteomic studies of MSC surface markers arises as a promising strategy to identify stem cell-specific markers. However, the technical limitations are the key factors making it less suitable to provide an appropriate starting material for the screening platform. A more accurate, easily accessible approach is required to solve the issues. Methods: This study established a high-throughput screening strategy with forward versus side scatter gating to identify the adipogenesis-associated markers of bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSCs) and tonsil-derived MSCs (TMSCs). We classified the MSC-derived adipogenic differentiated cells into two clusters: lipid-rich cells as side scatter (SSC)-high population and lipid-poor cells as SSC-low population. By screening the expression of 242 cell surface proteins, we identified the surface markers which exclusively found in lipid-rich subpopulation as the specific markers for BMSCs and TMSCs. Results: High-throughput screening of the expression of 242 cell surface proteins indicated that CD49f and CD146 were specific for BMSCs and TMSCs. Subsequent immunostaining confirmed the consistent specific expression of CD49f and CD146 and in BMSCs and TMSCs. Enrichment of MSCs by CD49f and CD146 surface markers demonstrated that the simultaneous expression of CD49f and CD146 is required for adipogenesis and osteogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells. Furthermore, the fate decision of MSCs from different sources is regulated by distinct responses of cells to differentiation stimulations despite sharing a common CD49f+CD146+ immunophenotype. Conclusions: We established an accurate, robust, transgene-free method for screening adipogenesis associated cell surface proteins. This provided a valuable tool to investigate MSC-specific markers. Additionally, we showed a possible crosstalk between CD49f and CD146 modulates the adipogenesis of MSCs.
Prolonged Antibiotic Use in a Preclinical Model of Gulf War Chronic Multisymptom-Illness Causes Renal Fibrosis-like Pathology via Increased micro-RNA 21-Induced PTEN Inhibition That Is Correlated with Low Host Lachnospiraceae Abundance
Authors: Trivedi Ayushi , Bose Dipro , Saha Punnag , Roy Subhajit , More Madhura , Skupsky Jonathan , Klimas Nancy G. , Chatterjee Saurabh
Published: December 2023

Gulf War (GW) veterans show gastrointestinal disturbances and gut dysbiosis. Prolonged antibiotic treatments commonly employed in veterans, especially the use of fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides, have also been associated with dysbiosis. This study investigates the effect of prolonged antibiotic exposure on risks of adverse renal pathology and its association with gut bacterial species abundance in underlying GWI and aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms leading to possible renal dysfunction with aging. Using a GWI mouse model, administration of a prolonged antibiotic regimen involving neomycin and enrofloxacin treatment for 5 months showed an exacerbated renal inflammation with increased NF-κB activation and pro-inflammatory cytokines levels. Involvement of the high mobility group 1 (HMGB1)-mediated receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) activation triggered an inflammatory phenotype and increased transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) production. Mechanistically, TGF-β- induced microRNA-21 upregulation in the renal tissue leads to decreased phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression. The above event led to the activation of protein kinase-B (AKT) signaling, resulting in increased fibronectin production and fibrosis-like pathology. Importantly, the increased miR-21 was associated with low levels of Lachnospiraceae in the host gut which is also a key to heightened HMGB1-mediated inflammation. Overall, though correlative, the study highlights the complex interplay between GWI, host gut dysbiosis, prolonged antibiotics usage, and renal pathology via miR-21/PTEN/AKT signaling.
Reduction in Nuclear Size by DHRS7 in Prostate Cancer Cells and by Estradiol Propionate in DHRS7-Depleted Cells
Authors: Rizzotto Andrea , Tollis Sylvain , Pham Nhan T. , Zheng Yijing , Abad Maria Alba , Wildenhain Jan , Jeyaprakash A. Arockia , Auer Manfred , Tyers Mike , Schirmer Eric C.
Published: December 2023

Increased nuclear size correlates with lower survival rates and higher grades for prostate cancer. The short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family member DHRS7 was suggested as a biomarker for use in prostate cancer grading because it is largely lost in higher-grade tumors. Here, we found that reduction in DHRS7 from the LNCaP prostate cancer cell line with normally high levels of DHRS7 increases nuclear size, potentially explaining the nuclear size increase observed in higher-grade prostate tumors where it is lost. An exogenous expression of DHRS7 in the PC3 prostate cancer cell line with normally low DHRS7 levels correspondingly decreases nuclear size. We separately tested 80 compounds from the Microsource Spectrum library for their ability to restore normal smaller nuclear size to PC3 cells, finding that estradiol propionate had the same effect as the re-expression of DHRS7 in PC3 cells. However, the drug had no effect on LNCaP cells or PC3 cells re-expressing DHRS7. We speculate that separately reported beneficial effects of estrogens in androgen-independent prostate cancer may only occur with the loss of DHRS7/ increased nuclear size, and thus propose DHRS7 levels and nuclear size as potential biomarkers for the likely effectiveness of estrogen-based treatments.
A Sensor (Optode) Based on Cellulose Triacetate Membrane for Fe(III) Detection in Water Samples
Authors: Arif Zulhan , Sugiarti Sri , Rohaeti Eti , Batubara Irmanida
Published: December 2023

Iron is a heavy metal that often contaminates water. High iron concentrations are toxic to human health, so monitoring its presence in water is necessary. Iron in water can be detected using an optical sensor (optode). This research aims to fabricate an optode based on a cellulose triacetate membrane with a selective reagent against Fe(III). The optode was fabricated by mixing cellulose triacetate polymer, a plasticiser (a mixture of oleic acid and acetophenone), aliquot-336, and thiocyanate as a selective reagent. Membrane performance was tested based on working range, linearity, limit of detection and quantitation, precision, and accuracy. The performance of the membrane showed a linear response in the concentration range of 0.1–4 mg/L with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9937, limit of detection of 0.0250 mg/L, limit of quantitation of 0.0757 mg/L, repeatability precision with a relative standard deviation of 3.31%, and an accuracy of 100.49%. Optode selectivity was good for interfering ions Cr(VI) and Pb(II). The colour complex of the optode was stable until the 10th day. The application of iron detection in water samples shows an average concentration of 0.2541 mg/L with good precision and accuracy.
Scene Understanding for Dimensional Compliance Checks in Mixed-Reality
Authors: Lee Michelle Siu Zhi , Yabuki Nobuyoshi , Fukuda Tomohiro
Published: December 2023

Building inspections are critical for ensuring compliance with construction standards, but conventional methods, often manual, face challenges in efficiency and consistency due to heavy reliance on human factors. Mixed-reality (MR) solutions could potentially address these challenges as they reportedly achieve good efficiency and accuracy in mapping indoor environments. This research investigates the potential of utilizing a wearable MR device to perform dimensional checks through edge computing of device sensor data, reducing the reliance on human factors. The accuracy of MR-computed dimensions against ground truth data for common building elements was assessed. Results indicate that MR-computed dimensions align well with ground truth for simple objects, but complex objects such as staircases presented limitations in achieving satisfactory results. If-then checks applied to MR-computed dimensions for automated detection of non-compliance were successfully experimented. However, automating compliance checks for standards with complex rules requires further investigation. This research sheds light on the potential of MR solutions for building inspections and highlights future research directions to enhance its applicability and effectiveness in the construction industry.
Structural Damage Detection Based on Static and Dynamic Flexibility: A Review and Comparative Study
Authors: Peng Xi , Yang Qiuwei , Qin Fengjiang , Sun Binxiang
Published: December 2023

Material damage in structures must be detected in a timely manner to prevent engineering accidents. Damage detection based on structural flexibility has attracted widespread attention in recent years due to its simplicity and practicality. This article provides a detailed overview of damage detection methods based on structural flexibility. Depending on the calculation method and data used, flexibility-based methods can be divided into the following categories: flexibility difference, flexibility derivative index, flexibility sensitivity, flexibility decomposition, static flexibility, and combinations of flexibility with other methods. The basic principles and main calculation formulas of various flexibility methods are explained, and their advantages and disadvantages are analyzed. For the method using flexibility difference, the advantage is that the calculation is very simple and does not require the construction of a finite element model of the structure. The disadvantage is that it requires the measurement of modal data of the intact structure, and this method cannot quantitatively assess the degree of damage. For the method using the flexibility derivative index, the advantage is that it only requires the modal data of the damaged structure to locate the damage, but this method is particularly sensitive to noise in the data and is prone to misjudgment. For methods based on flexibility sensitivity and flexibility decomposition, the advantage is that they can simultaneously obtain the location and degree of damage in the structure, but the disadvantage is that they require the establishment of accurate finite element models in advance. Static flexibility methods can compensate for the shortcomings of dynamic flexibility methods, but they usually affect the normal use of the structure during static testing. Combining flexibility-based methods with advanced intelligent algorithms and other methods can further improve their accuracy and efficiency in identifying structural damage. Finally, this article discusses the challenges that have not yet been solved among damage detection methods based on structural flexibility.
Protein-Based Films and Coatings: An Innovative Approach
Authors: Purewal Sukhvinder Singh , Kaur Avneet , Bangar Sneh Punia , Singh Poornima , Singh Harinder
Published: December 2023

Protein-based films and coatings are highly biodegradable and represent sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based materials. These materials possess commendable barrier properties, effectively safeguarding against oxygen, moisture, and aroma compounds, rendering them well-suited for various food packaging applications. Beyond their role in food packaging, coatings and films have significant applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical domains. Their inherent biocompatibility and controlled release properties make them valuable for applications such as drug-delivery systems, wound dressings, and tissue-engineering scaffolds. Moreover, the adaptability of these films to exhibit stimuli-responsive behavior opens avenues for on-demand drug release and sensing capabilities. Despite these promising attributes, challenges persist in terms of the mechanical strength, water resistance, and scalability of the processing of protein-based films and coatings. Ongoing research endeavors are dedicated to refining protein extraction methods, incorporating reinforcing agents, and implementing strategies to optimize the overall performance of these materials. Such efforts aim to overcome existing limitations and unlock the full potential of protein-based films and coatings in diverse applications, contributing to the advancement of sustainable and versatile biomaterials.
Enhancing the Efficiency of Ice-Resistant Materials in Asphalt Road Surfaces: A Comprehensive Performance Analysis
Authors: Zhao Xijuan , Zhang Yemao , Zheng Mulian
Published: December 2023

This study addresses the critical issue of traffic safety in winter, particularly focusing on the challenges posed by ice and snow on roads. Traditional methods of snow and ice removal are often labor-intensive, inefficient, and environmentally harmful. The objective is to develop a more effective solution for asphalt pavement deicing. Inspired by the anti-icing coating technology used in high-voltage conductors, this research develops an ice-suppressing material designed to reduce the adhesion between snow, ice, and pavement surfaces. The material’s performance is evaluated in terms of deicing efficiency, durability, adhesive properties, and its impact on pavement performance. Test results demonstrate that the developed ice-suppressing material significantly reduces the adhesion between the ice layer and the pavement, facilitating easier removal. This study concludes that the developed ice-suppressing material significantly enhances deicing efficiency on asphalt pavements. It exhibits strong hydrophobic properties, as evidenced by increased water droplet contact angles on coated surfaces (99.5° to 83.3°) compared to clean glass slides (39.2° to 29°). This hydrophobicity effectively reduces ice adhesion, decreasing tensile and shear strength of the ice layer by 38.2% and 63.6%, respectively. Additionally, the material demonstrates superior ice-melting capabilities in sub-zero temperatures, with coated ice cubes showing a higher mass reduction rate than uncoated ones. Importantly, its slow-release nature ensures sustained deicing performance over multiple cycles, maintaining effectiveness after seven test cycles. This study introduces an innovative ice-suppressing material that not only improves the efficiency and environmental impact of deicing methods but also contributes to enhancing road safety in winter conditions. The material’s novel composition and sustained effectiveness present a significant advancement in the field of winter road maintenance.
Synthetic and Biological-Derived Hydroxyapatite Implant Coatings
Authors: Duta Liviu , Oktar Faik Nüzhet
Published: December 2023

Bone and joint defects or diseases, coupled with edentation, pose challenging and commonly encountered clinical issues with a significant incidence in the medical domain [...]
Epidemiological Study of Autoimmune Bullous Dermatoses in Northeastern Romania
Authors: Popescu Ioana Adriana , Vata Dan , Temelie Olinici Doinita , Tarcau Bogdan Marian , Patrascu Adriana Ionela , Halip Ioana Alina , Gugulus Dumitrita Lenuta , Mocanu Madalina , Gheuca Solovastru Laura
Published: December 2023

Background: Autoimmune bullous diseases (ABDs) are a rare but significant group of dermatoses that pose great challenges to the treating dermatologist. ABDs are characterized by the presence of tissue-bound and circulating autoantibodies directed against disease-specific target antigens of the skin. Most epidemiological studies have focused on a single ABD. More than that, there are few data about the incidence and prevalence of autoimmune blistering diseases in Romania. Methods: In this study, between 2015 and 2019, we retrospectively investigated a total of 225 patients with autoimmune bullous diseases from the northeastern region of Romania. The diagnosis was based on the clinical and histo- and immunohistological findings. Results: Pemphigus was the most frequently encountered ABD, with an incidence of 8.16/1,000,000 inhabitants, representing 58.7% (132 cases), followed by 24% cases of bullous pemphigoid (54 cases), 15.4% of patients were diagnosed with dermatitis herpetiformis (37 cases), and 0.9% other subepidermal autoimmune bullous dermatoses. The average age of onset of pemphigus vulgaris was 59.4 years, the majority of patients being male, while the average age of patients diagnosed with bullous pemphigoid was 73.8 years, the majority being female. Conclusions: Pemphigus vulgaris is the most frequently encountered ABDs in the northeast of Romania, with a higher incidence than in Western European countries, and this may be due to specific peculiarities of the geographical area, as well as to a genetic susceptibility of the population in this region.
Periodontal Disease Monitoring by Raman Spectroscopy of Phosphates: New Insights into Pyrophosphate Activity
Authors: Gatin Eduard , Iordache Stefan , Gatin Dina , Nagy Pal , Iordache Ana-Maria , Luculescu Catalin
Published: December 2023

(1) Background: The intent of this survey was to investigate the quality of the alveolar bone by revealing the different phases for calcified tissues independent of the medical history of the patient in relation to periodontal disease by means of Raman spectroscopy and then to correlate the results by suggesting a possible mechanism for the medical impairment; (2) Methods: The investigation was mainly based on Raman spectroscopy that was performed in vivo during surgery for the selected group of patients. The targeted peaks for the Raman spectra were according to the reference compounds (e.g., calcium phosphates, other phosphates); (3) Results: The variation in the intensity of the spectrum correlated to the specific bone constituents’ concentrations highlights the bone quality, while some compounds (such as pyrophosphate, PPi) are strongly related to the patient’s medical status, and they provide information regarding a physiological process that occurred in the calcified tissues. Moreover, bone sample fluorescence is related to the collagen (Col) content, enabling a complete evaluation of bone quality, revealing the importance of collagen matrix acting as a load-bearing element for Calcium phosphate (CaP) deposition during the complex bone mineralization process; (4) Conclusions: We highlight that Raman spectroscopy can be considered a viable investigative method for in vivo and rapid bone quality valuation through oral health monitoring.
FinKENet: A Novel Financial Knowledge Enhanced Network for Financial Question Matching
Authors: Guo Yu , Liang Ting , Chen Zhongpu , Yang Binchen , Wang Jun , Zhao Yu
Published: December 2023

Question matching is the fundamental task in retrieval-based dialogue systems which assesses the similarity between Query and Question. Unfortunately, existing methods focus on improving the accuracy of text similarity in the general domain, without adaptation to the financial domain. Financial question matching has two critical issues: (1) How to accurately model the contextual representation of a financial sentence? (2) How to accurately represent financial key phrases in an utterance? To address these issues, this paper proposes a novel Financial Knowledge Enhanced Network (FinKENet) that significantly injects financial knowledge into contextual text. Specifically, we propose a multi-level encoder to extract both sentence-level features and financial phrase-level features, which can more accurately represent sentences and financial phrases. Furthermore, we propose a financial co-attention adapter to combine sentence features and financial keyword features. Finally, we design a multi-level similarity decoder to calculate the similarity between queries and questions. In addition, a cross-entropy-based loss function is presented for model optimization. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method on the Ant Financial question matching dataset. In particular, the Recall score improves from 73.21% to 74.90% (1.69% absolute).
Use of Intrinsic Entropy to Assess the Instantaneous Complexity of Thoracoabdominal Movement Patterns to Indicate the Effect of the Iso-Volume Maneuver Trial on the Performance of the Step Test
Authors: Huang Po-Hsun , Hsiao Tzu-Chien
Published: December 2023

The recent surge in interest surrounds the analysis of physiological signals with a non-linear dynamic approach. The measurement of entropy serves as a renowned method for indicating the complexity of a signal. However, there is a dearth of research concerning the non-linear dynamic analysis of respiratory signals. Therefore, this study employs a novel method known as intrinsic entropy (IE) to assess the short-term dynamic changes in thoracoabdominal movement patterns, as measured by respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP), during various states such as resting, step test, recovery, and iso-volume maneuver (IVM) trials. The findings reveal a decrease in IE of thoracic wall movement (TWM) and an increase in IE of abdominal wall movement (AWM) following the IVM trial. This suggests that AWM may dominate the breathing exercise after the IVM trial. Moreover, due to the high temporal resolution of IE, it proves to be a suitable measure for assessing the complexity of thoracoabdominal movement patterns under non-stationary states such as the step test and recovery. The results also demonstrate that the instantaneous complexity of TWM and AWM can effectively capture instantaneous changes during non-stationary states, which may prove valuable in understanding the respiratory mechanism for healthcare purposes in daily life.
Fine-Grained Radio Frequency Fingerprint Recognition Network Based on Attention Mechanism
Authors: Zhang Yulan , Hu Jun , Jiang Rundong , Lin Zengrong , Chen Zengping
Published: December 2023

With the rapid development of the internet of things (IoT), hundreds of millions of IoT devices, such as smart home appliances, intelligent-connected vehicles, and wearable devices, have been connected to the network. The open nature of IoT makes it vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. Traditional cryptography-based encryption methods are not suitable for IoT due to their complexity and high communication overhead requirements. By contrast, RF-fingerprint-based recognition is promising because it is rooted in the inherent non-reproducible hardware defects of the transmitter. However, it still faces the challenges of low inter-class variation and large intra-class variation among RF fingerprints. Inspired by fine-grained recognition in computer vision, we propose a fine-grained RF fingerprint recognition network (FGRFNet) in this article. The network consists of a top-down feature pathway hierarchy to generate pyramidal features, attention modules to locate discriminative regions, and a fusion module to adaptively integrate features from different scales. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed FGRFNet achieves recognition accuracies of 89.8% on 100 ADS-B devices, 99.5% on 54 Zigbee devices, and 83.0% on 25 LoRa devices.
A First-Out Alarm Detection Method via Association Rule Mining and Correlation Analysis
Authors: Li Ding , Cheng Xin
Published: December 2023

Alarm systems are commonly deployed in complex industries to monitor the operation status of the production process in real time. Actual alarm systems generally have alarm overloading problems. One of the major factors leading to excessive alarms is the presence of many correlated or redundant alarms. Analyzing alarm correlations will not only be beneficial to the detection of and reduction in redundant alarm configurations, but also help to track the propagation of abnormalities among alarm variables. As a special problem in correlated alarm detection, the research on first-out alarm detection is very scarce. A first-out alarm is known as the first alarm that occurs in a series of alarms. Detection of first-out alarms aims at identifying the first alarm occurrence from a large number of alarms, thus ignoring the subsequent correlated alarms to effectively reduce the number of alarms and prevent alarm overloading. Accordingly, this paper proposes a new first-out alarm detection method based on association rule mining and correlation analysis. The contributions lie in the following aspects: (1) An association rule mining approach is presented to extract alarm association rules from historical sequences based on the FP-Growth algorithm and J-Measure; (2) a first-out alarm determination strategy is proposed to determine the first-out alarms and subsequent alarms through correlation analysis in the form of a hypothesis test on conditional probability; and (3) first-out rule screening criteria are proposed to judge whether the rules are redundant or not and then consolidated results of first-out rules are obtained. The effectiveness of the proposed method is tested based on the alarm data generated by a public simulation platform.