bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
3D-printed external fixation guide combined with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for the treatment of flail chest: a technical report and case series
Authors: Hu Meng , Sun Maolin , Bao Chuanen , Luo Junlong , Zhuo Longcai , Guo Ming
Published: September 2023

Background

Flail chest is a common and serious traumatic condition in thoracic surgery. The treatment of flail chest often includes open reduction and internal fixation, which is relatively traumatic, complicated, and expensive. As three-dimensional (3D) printing technology is widely used in the clinical field, the application of 3D-printed products to chest trauma will become a new treatment option. To date, the use of 3D-printed external fixation guides for flail chests has not been reported. Thus, we aimed to assess the short-term efficacy of a new technology that treated flail chests with an individualized 3D-printed external fixation guide combined with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

Patients and methods

A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with flail chest treated with this new technique at our center from January 2020 to December 2022. The following parameters were included: operative time, thoracic tube extraction time, intensive care unit time, thoracic volume recovery rate, visual analog scale score 1 month postoperatively, and postoperative complication rate. All patients were followed up for at least 3 months.

Results

Five patients (mean age: 45.7 years) were enrolled; they successfully underwent surgery without chest wall deformity and quickly returned to daily life. The average number of rib fractures was 8.4; all patients had lung contusion, hemopneumothorax, and anomalous respiration. The abnormal breathing of all patients was completely corrected on postoperative day 1, and the chest wall was stable. One case experienced mild loosening of the 3D-printed guide postoperatively; however, the overall stability was not affected. The other four cases did not experience such loosening because we replaced the ordinary silk wire with a steel wire. All cases were discharged from the hospital 2 weeks postoperatively and returned to normal life 1 month after the removal of the 3D-printed guide on average. Only one case developed a superficial wound infection postoperatively, and no perioperative death occurred.

Conclusions

The 3D-printed external fixation guide combined with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is a novel technique in the treatment of flail chest and is safe, effective, feasible, and minimally invasive, with satisfactory clinical efficacy.
Sex Associations Between Air Pollution and Estimated Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Determination
Authors: Vallée Alexandre
Published: September 2023

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the sex correlations of particulate matters (PM2.5, PM10, PM2.5–10), NO2 and NOx with ASCVD risk in the UK Biobank population.

Methods: Among 285,045 participants, pollutants were assessed and correlations between ASCVD risk were stratified by sex and estimated using multiple linear and logistic regressions adjusted for length of time at residence, education, income, physical activity, Townsend deprivation, alcohol, smocking pack years, BMI and rural/urban zone.

Results: Males presented higher ASCVD risk than females (8.63% vs. 2.65%, p < 0.001). In males PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and NOx each were associated with an increased ASCVD risk >7.5% in the adjusted logistic models, with ORs [95% CI] for a 10 μg/m3 increase were 2.17 [1.87–2.52], 1.15 [1.06–1.24], 1.06 [1.04–1.08] and 1.05 [1.04–1.06], respectively. In females, the ORs for a 10 μg/m3 increase were 1.55 [1.19–2.05], 1.22 [1.06–1.42], 1.07 [1.03–1.10], and 1.04 [1.02–1.05], respectively. No association was observed in both sexes between ASCVD risk and PM2.5–10.

Conclusion: Our findings may suggest the possible actions of air pollutants on ASCVD risk.
Effects of Aftershocks on the Seismic Performances of Reinforced Concrete Eccentric Frame Structures
Authors: Sun Pengyu , Wen Weiping , Zhang Siwei
Published: September 2023

Strong aftershocks have the potential to cause accumulated damage in structures, a feature which has been reported in post-earthquake reconnaissance studies, particularly for eccentric or irregular structures. This study aims to investigate the seismic behaviors of eccentric RC structural models under mainshock–aftershock (MSAS) sequences. In this study, three-dimensional structural models with eccentricities of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%, and an eccentricity of 0 (symmetric structural model) are developed by changing the positions of the centers of the structural mass. A static pushover analysis and a nonlinear time history analysis are conducted on the structural models with different eccentricities considering unidirectional and bidirectional earthquake loading (including mainshock ground motion and MSAS sequences). The amplitude of the aftershock ground motion is scaled according to the structural damage levels calibrated with the inter-story drift ratio (IDR). Furthermore, the differences in seismic responses between the unidirectional and bidirectional eccentric structures are discussed. The results show that the peak displacements of the unidirectional eccentric structures under MSAS sequences are nearly 1.4 times higher than those under mainshock ground motions. The structural seismic responses under unidirectional earthquake loading are more sensitive to the intensity of aftershock ground motions than those under bidirectional earthquake loading. Compared with unidirectional eccentric structures, bidirectional eccentric structures are more sensitive to the intensity of aftershock ground motions and have larger torsional angles and more complex displacement trends. The maximum displacement and the maximum IDR of bidirectional eccentric structures under MSAS sequences can reach 1.5 times and 1.4 times of those under mainshock ground motions, respectively.
Best Constant in Ulam Stability for the Third Order Linear Differential Operator with Constant Coefficients
Authors: Baias Alina Ramona , Popa Dorian
Published: September 2023

The authors of the present paper previously proved the Ulam stability for the n-th-order linear differential operator with constant coefficients. They obtained its best Ulam constant for the case of distinct roots of the characteristic equation. However, a complete answer to the problem of the best Ulam constant was later obtained only for the second-order linear differential operator. This paper deals with the Ulam stability of the third-order linear differential operator with constant coefficients acting in a Banach space. The paper’s main purpose is to obtain the best Ulam constant of this operator, thus completing the previous research in the field.
Diagnosis and Treatment of X-Linked Creatine Transporter Deficiency: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Li Jiaqing , Xu Sanqing
Published: September 2023

(1) Background: X-linked creatine transporter deficiency (CTD) (OMIM 300036) is a rare group of inherited metabolic disorders characterized by global developmental delay/intellectual disability (GDD/ID), seizures, autistic behavior, and movement disorders. Pathogenic variants in the SLC6A8 gene, located at Xq28, are causative of the disease, leading to impaired creatine transport into the brain. Supplementation with creatine and its precursors, glycine and arginine, has been attempted, yet the treatment efficacy remains controversial. (2) Methods: Here we report a de novo SLC6A8 variant in a boy aged 3 years 9 months presenting with GDD, autistic behavior, and epilepsy. Elevated urinary creatine/creatinine ratio and diminished creatine peak on brain MR spectroscopy suggested the diagnosis of CTD. Genetic sequencing revealed a de novo hemizygous frameshift variant (NM_005629: c.1136_1137del, p. Glu379ValfsTer85). Creatine supplementation therapy was initiated after definitive diagnosis. Electroencephalography and MR spectroscopy were monitored during follow-up in concurrence with neuropsychological evaluations. The clinical phenotype and treatment response of CTD were summarized by systematic view of the literature. (3) Results: In silico analysis showed this variant to be deleterious, probably interfering with substrate binding and conformational changes during creatine transport. Creatine supplementation therapy led to seizure cessation and modest cognitive improvement after half-year’s treatment. (4) Conclusions: This case highlights the importance of MR spectroscopy and metabolic screening in males with GDD/ID, allowing for early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention. Mechanistic understanding and case-per-se analysis are required to enable precision treatment for the patients.
Predictors and Consequences of Cancer and Non-Cancer-Related Pain in Those Diagnosed with Primary and Metastatic Cancers
Authors: Shah Kriti , Geller David A. , Tohme Samer , Antoni Michael , Kallem Cramer J. , Vodovotz Yoram , Ramanathan Rekha , Naveen Raam , Geroni MacKenzie , Devine LaNita , Amin Aarshati , Kiefer Gauri J. , Zandberg Dan P. , Reyes Vincent , Steel Jennifer L.
Published: September 2023

Objectives: The aims of the study were to (1) describe types of pain in cancer patients, (2) examine the predictors and consequences of pain, (3) investigate the association between type of pain and survival, and (4) examine potential biological mediators of pain and survival. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of baseline data from patients diagnosed with cancer. Patients answered questionnaires that assessed sociodemographic characteristics, pain, depression, sleep, and fatigue. Blood was collected and cytokine assays were performed. Analysis of variance, Kaplan–Meier, and Cox regression survival analyses were used to test the aims. Results: Of the 779 patients diagnosed with cancer, the mean age was 63.5 years, 57.8% male, and 90.6% White. Of those who reported pain (total 70.3%), 46.5% stated their pain was cancer-related while 53.5% stated their pain was non-cancer-related. While both cancer and non-cancer-related pain was associated with depressive symptoms, fatigue, and sleep duration, those with cancer-related pain had significantly higher rates of depressive symptoms (F(1,516) = 21.217, p < 0.001) and fatigue (F(1,516) = 30.973, p < 0.001) but not poorer sleep (F(1,497) = 0.597, p = 0.440). After adjusting for sociodemographic, disease-related characteristics, depression, sleep duration, and morphine milligram equivalent, patient reports of cancer-related pain were significantly associated with poorer survival (HR = 0.646, 95% CI = 0.459–0.910, p = 0.012) compared to those with non-cancer-related pain, which was not associated with survival (HR = 1.022, 95% CI = 0.737–1.418, p = 0.896). Cytokines did not significantly mediate the link between pain and survival. Conclusion: While nearly half of the pain reported was cancer-related, both types of pain resulted in greater symptom burden, but only cancer-related pain was associated with survival.
Line-Field Confocal Optical Coherence Tomography for the Diagnosis of Skin Carcinomas: Real-Life Data over Three Years
Authors: Donelli Carolina , Suppa Mariano , Tognetti Linda , Perrot Jean Luc , Calabrese Laura , Pérez-Anker Javiera , Malvehy Josep , Rubegni Pietro , Cinotti Elisa
Published: September 2023

Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) can help the clinical diagnosis of skin diseases. The present study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of LC-OCT for the diagnosis of the most frequent non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs), i.e., basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Comparing LC-OCT diagnostic performances with those of dermoscopy, histopathological examination was used as a gold standard. For every study endpoint, the diagnostic ability of LC-OCT revealed superiority over the dermoscopic examination. In particular, a significant increase in specificity was observed. Sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of dermoscopy and LC-OCT for the diagnosis of malignancy were, respectively, 0.97 (CI 0.94–0.99), 0.43 (CI 0.36–0.51), and 0.77 (CI 0.72–0.81) for dermoscopy and 0.99 (CI 0.97–1.00), 0.90 (CI 0.84–0.94), and 0.96 (CI 0.93–0.97) for LC-OCT. The positive predictive value (PPV) resulted in 0.74 (CI 0.69–0.78) for dermoscopy and 0.94 (CI 0.91–0.97) for LC-OCT, and the negative predictive value (NPV) was 0.89 (CI 0.81–0.95) for dermoscopy and 0.98 (CI 0.95–1.00) for LC-OCT. Finally, our real-life study showed a potentially important role of LC-OCT in the non-invasive diagnosis of NMSCs, especially BCC. The real-time imaging technique could spare unnecessary biopsies with an increased sensitivity, a much higher specificity, and better accuracy than clinical assessment with dermoscopy alone.
Fluctuation of Acquired Resistance Mutations and Re-Challenge with EGFR TKI in Metastatic NSCLC: A Case Report
Authors: Falk Markus , Schatz Stefanie , Reich Fabian P. M. , Schmidt Stefanie , Galster Marco , Tiemann Markus , Ficker Joachim H. , Brueckl Wolfgang M.
Published: September 2023

Osimertinib has become the preferred first-line therapy for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in recent years. Originally, it was approved for second-line treatment after epidermal growth factor receptor EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) of the first and second generations had failed and EGFR T790M had emerged as a mode of resistance. Osimertinib itself provokes a wide array of on- and off-target molecular alterations that can limit therapeutic success. Liquid biopsy ctDNA (circulating tumor DNA) analysis by hybrid capture (HC) next-generation sequencing (NGS) can help to identify alterations in a minimally invasive way and allows for the detection of common as well as rare resistance alterations. We describe a young female patient who was initially diagnosed with metastatic EGFR L858R-positive NSCLC. She received EGFR TKI therapy at different timepoints during the course of the disease and developed sequential EGFR resistance alterations (EGFR T790M and C797S). In the course of her disease, resistance alteration became undetectable, and the tumor was successfully rechallenged with the original first-generation EGFR TKI as well as osimertinib and altogether showed prolonged response despite a prognostically negative TP53 alteration. To date, the patient has been alive for more than seven years, though initially diagnosed with a heavy metastatic burden.
Generic Health Utility Measures in Exercise Oncology: A Scoping Review and Future Directions
Authors: Parkinson Joanna F. , Ospina Paula A. , Round Jeff , McNeely Margaret L. , Jones C. Allyson
Published: September 2023

Despite the evidence that exercise is effective at mitigating common side effects in adults with cancer, it is rarely part of usual cancer care. One reason for this is the lack of economic evidence supporting the benefit of exercise. Economic evaluations often rely on the use of generic utility measures to assess cost effectiveness. This review identifies and synthesizes the literature on the use of generic utility measures used to evaluate exercise interventions for adults with cancer. A systematic search of the literature from January 2000 to February 2023 was conducted using four databases (Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete). Exercise studies involving adults with any type of cancer that used a generic utility measure were eligible for inclusion. Of the 2780 citations retrieved, 10 articles were included in this review. Seven articles included economic evaluations, with varying results. Four studies reported on cost-effectiveness; however, detailed effectiveness data derived from the generic utility measure were often not reported. Generic utility measures help to compare baseline values of and changes in health utility weights across studies and to general population norms; however, to date, they are underutilized in exercise oncology studies. Consideration should be given to the identified research evidence, population, and methodological gaps.
Optimizing the Cooling System of High-Speed Train Environmental Wind Tunnels Using the Gene-Directed Change Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Zhuang Junjun , Liu Meng , Wu Hao , Wang Jun
Published: September 2023

Environmental wind tunnels play a crucial role in the research and development of high-speed railways. However, constructing and operating these wind tunnels requires significant resources, especially with respect to the cooling system, which serves as a vital subsystem. The cooling system utilizes an air compression refrigeration cycle and consists of multiple components. The efficient operation of these components, along with the adoption of appropriate strategies, greatly enhances the efficiency of the wind tunnel refrigeration system. Despite this, the existing methods for evaluating the refrigeration system do not fully capture the energy consumption of an air compression refrigeration system during practical use. To address this issue and effectively evaluate the wind tunnel refrigeration system, we propose using an exergoeconomic evaluation coefficient with experimental cycles to establish the system. This method incorporates the use of frequency coefficients and related parameters. By employing the newly developed evaluation coefficient as an objective function, we utilize the adaptive value-sharing congestion genetic algorithm to optimize the wind tunnel for high-speed trains. Furthermore, we compare the advantages and disadvantages of different optimization schemes. Traditional optimization methods prove inefficient because of the system’s numerous variables and the presence of multiple peaks in the objective function. Inspired by the biogenetic breeding method, we introduce an optimization approach based on a specific gene mutation. This innovative method significantly reduces optimization time and improves efficiency by approximately 17%.
Hyper-Null Models and Their Applications
Authors: Zeng Yujie , Liu Bo , Zhou Fang , Lü Linyuan
Published: September 2023

Null models are crucial tools for investigating network topological structures. However, research on null models for higher-order networks is still relatively scarce. In this study, we introduce an innovative method to construct null models for hypergraphs, namely the hyperedge swapping-based method. By preserving certain network properties while altering others, we generate six hyper-null models with various orders and analyze their interrelationships. To validate our approach, we first employ hypergraph entropy to assess the randomness of these null models across four datasets. Furthermore, we examine the differences in important statistical properties between the various null models and the original networks. Lastly, we investigate the impact of hypergraph randomness on network dynamics using the proposed hyper-null models, focusing on dismantling and epidemic contagion. The findings show that our proposed hyper-null models are applicable to various scenarios. By introducing a comprehensive framework for generating and analyzing hyper-null models, this research opens up avenues for further exploration of the intricacies of network structures and their real-world implications.
Hydrogeological Aspects of the Municipal Water Supply of Albania: Situation and Problems
Authors: Eftimi Romeo , Shehu Kastriot , Sara Franko
Published: September 2023

The municipal water supply, related mainly to the cities of Albania, began to develop in the second half of the 19th century and very intensively after 1945. Today, the reported mean water production for the cities, on average, is about 300 l/capita/d, including drinking and industrial water supplies. The territory of Albania has an uneven distribution of very heterogeneous aquifers conditioning often the difficulty of municipal water supply solutions. In this article, are analyzed and classified the hydrogeological aspects of the water supply sources of the settlements, which are summarized in five groups: (a) wells in alluvial intergranular aquifers; (b) karst springs; (c) wells in karst aquifers; (d) springs in fissured rocks; and (e) mixed water sources. For each group of the water supply sources, the main concerns regarding the quantity and quality problems are analyzed, facilitated by the description of a variety of representative examples of different situations. Based on the gained experience, important recommendations are given for the better understanding of hydrogeological aspects of water supply systems, related to the river water recharge areas, the seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers, and the high vulnerability of karst aquifers, as well as transboundary aquifers. However, the main problem of public water supply of Albania remains the poor management of water supply systems, which is reflected in the significant water losses, as well as the low public awareness of requests for sustainable use.
Modeling of Eyld2000-2d Anisotropic Yield Criterion Considering Strength Differential Effect and Analysis of Optimal Calibration Strategy
Authors: Du Kai , Dong Li , Zhang Hao , Mu Zhenkai , Dong Hongrui , Wang Haibo , Ren Yanqiang , Sun Liang , Zhang Liang , Yuan Xiaoguang
Published: September 2023

Sheet metals usually experience various loading paths such as uniaxial tension, uniaxial compression, biaxial tension, and simple shear during the forming process. However, the existing constitutive models cannot always accurately describe blanks’ anisotropic yield and plastic flow behavior of blanks under all typical stress states. Given this, this paper improves the Eyld2000-2d yield criterion by introducing hydrostatic pressure to the A-Eyld2000-2d yield criterion that can describe the strength differential effect of materials. Meanwhile, to control the curvature of the yield surface more effectively, the near-plane strain yield stresses were added in the parameter identification process to calibrate the exponent m, so that the exponent is no longer considered as a constant value. Taking the widely used AA6016-T4, AA5754-O, DP980, and QP980 blanks in the automotive stamping industry as an example, the effectiveness of the new model and different parameter identification methods was verified by predicting experimental data under various simple and complex loading paths. Subsequently, the new model employing the optimal parameter identification strategy was compared with four widely used asymmetric yield criteria under associated and non-associated flow rules, including CPB06, LHY2013, S-Y2004, and Hu & Yoon2021, to further verify the accuracy of the proposed constitutive model. The results indicate that parameter identification strategy with variable exponent can significantly improve the flexibility of the yield criterion in describing the plastic anisotropy of blanks. Compared to the other yield criteria examined in this work, the new model provides the best prediction accuracy for the yield stresses and plastic flows of all blanks, especially in the near-plane strain and simple shear stress states. Modeling under the concept of anisotropic hardening can more accurately capture the evolving plastic behavior of blanks than isotropic hardening.
Virtual Screening and Binding Analysis of Potential CD58 Inhibitors in Colorectal Cancer (CRC)
Authors: Guo Rong , Yu Jiangnan , Guo Zhikun
Published: September 2023

Human cell surface receptor CD58, also known as lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 (LFA-3), plays a critical role in the early stages of immune response through interacting with CD2. Recent research identified CD58 as a surface marker of colorectal cancer (CRC), which can upregulate the Wnt pathway and promote self-renewal of colorectal tumor-initiating cells (CT-ICs) by degradation of Dickkopf 3. In addition, it was also shown that knockdown of CD58 significantly impaired tumor growth. In this study, we developed a structure-based virtual screening pipeline using Autodock Vina and binding analysis and identified a group of small molecular compounds having the potential to bind with CD58. Five of them significantly inhibited the growth of the SW620 cell line in the following in vitro studies. Their proposed binding models were further verified by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and some pharmaceutically relevant chemical and physical properties were predicted. The hits described in this work may be considered interesting leads or structures for the development of new and more efficient CD58 inhibitors.
The N-Alkylation of Agelastatin A Modulates Its Chemical Reactivity
Authors: D’Ambrosio Michele
Published: September 2023

Agelastatin A is a marine alkaloid with potent biological activity. To date, at least 17 different strategies have achieved its total synthesis, along with many analogues. The present study focuses on the acidity stability of some N-methyl derivatives of agelastatin A. The study made use of chemical reactions and spectroscopic acquisitions. The chemical structure of some derivatives can undergo a profound rearrangement. The results could shed light on the mechanism of action of agelastatin A and suggest the preparation of analogues with improved pharmacological efficacy.
Aroma Difference Analysis of Partridge Tea (Mallotus oblongifolius) with Different Drying Treatments Based on HS-SPME-GC-MS Technique
Authors: Gui Xinxin , Feng Xueping , Tang Minqiang , Li Juanling
Published: September 2023

Partridge tea has high medicinal value due to its rich content of terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, and other related bioactive components. In order to study the best drying method for partridge tea, four treatments, including outdoor sun drying (OD), indoor shade drying (ID), hot-air drying (HAD), and low-temperature freeze-drying (LTD), were performed. The results showed that the OD and HAD treatments favored the retention of the red color of their products, while the ID and LTD treatments were more favorable for the retention of the green color. The HS-SPME-GC-MS results showed that a total of 82 compounds were identified in the four drying treatments of partridge tea, and the most abundant compounds were terpenoids (88.34–89.92%). The HAD-treated tea had the highest terpenoid content (89.92%) and high levels of flavor compounds typical of partridge tea (52.28%). OPLS-DA and PCA showed that α-copaene, β-bourbonene, caryophyllene, α-guaiene, and δ-cadinene could be considered candidate marker compounds for judging the aroma quality of partridge tea with different drying treatments. This study will not only provide a basis for processing and flavor quality control but also for spice and seasoning product development in partridge tea.
A High Crystalline Perylene-Based Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Framework for Enhanced Photocatalytic H2O2 Evolution
Authors: Hu Mengke , Wu Chenxi , Feng Shufan , Hua Jianli
Published: September 2023

Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) are a kind of crystalline porous material that have shown great potential for photocatalysis on account of their mild synthesis conditions and high crystallinity. Perylene-based photocatalysts have great potential for photocatalytic H2O2 production due to their excellent photochemical stability and broad spectral absorption. In this work, we designed and synthesized a high crystalline perylene-based HOF (PTBA) and an amorphous analog sample PTPA for photocatalytic H2O2 evolution. Under visible light irradiation, PTBA shows a higher photocatalytic H2O2 production rate of 2699 μmol g−1 h−1 than PTPA (2176 μmol g−1 h−1) and an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 2.96% at 500 nm. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of PTBA is attributed to the promotion of the separation and transfer of photocarriers due to its high crystallinity. This work provides a precedent for the application of HOFs in the field of photocatalytic H2O2 generation.
AoCStream: All-on-Chip CNN Accelerator with Stream-Based Line-Buffer Architecture and Accelerator-Aware Pruning
Authors: Kang Hyeong-Ju , Yang Byung-Do
Published: September 2023

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) play a crucial role in many EdgeAI and TinyML applications, but their implementation usually requires external memory, which degrades the feasibility of such resource-hungry environments. To solve this problem, this paper proposes memory-reduction methods at the algorithm and architecture level, implementing a reasonable-performance CNN with the on-chip memory of a practical device. At the algorithm level, accelerator-aware pruning is adopted to reduce the weight memory amount. For activation memory reduction, a stream-based line-buffer architecture is proposed. In the proposed architecture, each layer is implemented by a dedicated block, and the layer blocks operate in a pipelined way. Each block has a line buffer to store a few rows of input data instead of a frame buffer to store the whole feature map, reducing intermediate data-storage size. The experimental results show that the object-detection CNNs of MobileNetV1/V2 and an SSDLite variant, widely used in TinyML applications, can be implemented even on a low-end FPGA without external memory.
SDR-Based 28 GHz mmWave Channel Modeling of Railway Marshaling Yard
Authors: Liang Yiqun , Li Hui , Tian Yuan , Li Yi , Wang Wenhua
Published: September 2023

Compared with railway communication service requirements on the mainline, requirements in hotspots such as stations and yards are more complicated in terms of service types as well as bandwidth, of which railway-dedicated mobile communication systems such as 5G-R facilitated with dedicated frequency support cannot meet the entire communication requirements. Therefore, other radio-communication technologies need to be adopted as a supplement, among which the mmWave communication system is a promising technology, especially for large bandwidth communication between train and trackside. However, there is a lack of evaluation of the 28 GHz mmWave channel characteristics for the railway marshaling yard scenario. In this paper, the railway marshaling yard mmWave propagation scenario is deeply analyzed and classified into three typical categories, based on which, a measurement campaign is conducted using an SDR channel sounding system equipped with a 28 GHz mmWave phased-array antenna. A self-developed software under the LabVIEW platform is used to derive the channel parameters. Conclusions on the relationship between the parameters of MPC numbers, time-spread, and received power and position, as well as the impact of typical obstructions such as the Catenary, adjacent locomotives, and buildings are drawn. The statistical results and conclusions of this paper are helpful for facilitating the design and performance evaluation of future mmWave communication systems for railway marshaling yards and can also be further extended and applied to the research of mmWave utilization in 6G and other future communication technologies for more scenarios.
The HBIM-GIS Main10ance Platform to Enhance the Maintenance and Conservation of Historical Built Heritage
Authors: Matrone Francesca , Colucci Elisabetta , Iacono Emmanuele , Ventura Gianvito Marino
Published: September 2023

This paper aims to describe the outcomes of the Main10ance project, which focused on developing an integrated HBIM-GIS platform to support the maintenance and conservation plans for the historic built heritage. The pilot case is the UNESCO complex of the Sacri Monti, located in northern Italy and Switzerland, which consists of groups of chapels and architectural artifacts holding significant historical and cultural value. Given their importance, specific maintenance plans involving multiple stakeholders and specialists are required. This study focuses on creating a unified system that semantically and spatially describes the architectural elements of the case study and the surrounding context and indoor assets. After a 3D integrated metric survey and the related data processing, parametric 3D models were created in a BIM environment, and a spatial database was developed to incorporate both geometric and alphanumeric entities. The database enables interoperability among different actors and domains, gathering heritage-related information crucial for restoration and conservation purposes. Additionally, the custom 4MAIN10ANCE web platform was developed with different levels of details (LODs), enabling the retrieval of both 2D and 3D data and establishing connections between the BIM models of the chapels and associated information.
Prognostic and Health Management of Critical Aircraft Systems and Components: An Overview
Authors: Fu Shuai , Avdelidis Nicolas P.
Published: September 2023

Prognostic and health management (PHM) plays a vital role in ensuring the safety and reliability of aircraft systems. The process entails the proactive surveillance and evaluation of the state and functional effectiveness of crucial subsystems. The principal aim of PHM is to predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of subsystems and proactively mitigate future breakdowns in order to minimize consequences. The achievement of this objective is helped by employing predictive modeling techniques and doing real-time data analysis. The incorporation of prognostic methodologies is of utmost importance in the execution of condition-based maintenance (CBM), a strategic approach that emphasizes the prioritization of repairing components that have experienced quantifiable damage. Multiple methodologies are employed to support the advancement of prognostics for aviation systems, encompassing physics-based modeling, data-driven techniques, and hybrid prognosis. These methodologies enable the prediction and mitigation of failures by identifying relevant health indicators. Despite the promising outcomes in the aviation sector pertaining to the implementation of PHM, there exists a deficiency in the research concerning the efficient integration of hybrid PHM applications. The primary aim of this paper is to provide a thorough analysis of the current state of research advancements in prognostics for aircraft systems, with a specific focus on prominent algorithms and their practical applications and challenges. The paper concludes by providing a detailed analysis of prospective directions for future research within the field.
Quick Detection of Proteus and Pseudomonas in Patients’ Urine and Assessing Their Antibiotic Susceptibility Using Infrared Spectroscopy and Machine Learning
Authors: Abu-Aqil George , Lapidot Itshak , Salman Ahmad , Huleihel Mahmoud
Published: September 2023

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a primary global healthcare concern as it hampers the effectiveness of commonly used antibiotics used to treat infectious diseases. The development of bacterial resistance continues to escalate over time. Rapid identification of the infecting bacterium and determination of its antibiotic susceptibility are crucial for optimal treatment and can save lives in many cases. Classical methods for determining bacterial susceptibility take at least 48 h, leading physicians to resort to empirical antibiotic treatment based on their experience. This random and excessive use of antibiotics is one of the most significant drivers of the development of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, posing a severe threat to global healthcare. To address these challenges, considerable efforts are underway to reduce the testing time of taxonomic classification of the infecting bacterium at the species level and its antibiotic susceptibility determination. Infrared spectroscopy is considered a rapid and reliable method for detecting minor molecular changes in cells. Thus, the main goal of this study was the use of infrared spectroscopy to shorten the identification and the susceptibility testing time of Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa from 48 h to approximately 40 min, directly from patients’ urine samples. It was possible to identify the Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa species with 99% accuracy and, simultaneously, to determine their susceptibility to different antibiotics with an accuracy exceeding 80%.
One Definition to Join Them All: The N-Spherical Solution for the EEG Lead Field
Authors: Bruña Ricardo , Fuggetta Giorgio , Pereda Ernesto
Published: September 2023

Albeit its simplicity, the concentric spheres head model is widely used in EEG. The reason behind this is its simple mathematical definition, which allows for the calculation of lead fields with negligible computational cost, for example, for iterative approaches. Nevertheless, the literature shows contradictory formulations for the electrical solution of this head model. In this work, we study several different definitions for the electrical lead field of a four concentric spheres conduction model, finding that their results are contradictory. A thorough exploration of the mathematics used to build these formulations, provided in the original works, allowed for the identification of errors in some of the formulae, which proved to be the reason for the discrepancies. Moreover, this mathematical review revealed the iterative nature of some of these formulations, which allowed us to develop a formulation to solve the lead field in a head model built from an arbitrary number of concentric, homogeneous, and isotropic spheres.
CSI Feedback Model Based on Multi-Source Characterization in FDD Systems
Authors: Pan Fei , Zhao Xiaoyu , Zhang Boda , Xiang Pengjun , Hu Mengdie , Gao Xuesong
Published: September 2023

In wireless communication, to fully utilize the spectrum and energy efficiency of the system, it is necessary to obtain the channel state information (CSI) of the link. However, in Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) systems, CSI feedback wastes part of the spectrum resources. In order to save spectrum resources, the CSI needs to be compressed. However, many current deep-learning algorithms have complex structures and a large number of model parameters. When the computational and storage resources are limited, the large number of model parameters will decrease the accuracy of CSI feedback, which cannot meet the application requirements. In this paper, we propose a neural network-based CSI feedback model, Mix_Multi_TransNet, which considers both the spatial characteristics and temporal sequence of the channel, aiming to provide higher feedback accuracy while reducing the number of model parameters. Through experiments, it is found that Mix_Multi_TransNet achieves higher accuracy than the traditional CSI feedback network in both indoor and outdoor scenes. In the indoor scene, the NMSE gains of Mix_Multi_TransNet are 4.06 dB, 4.92 dB, 4.82 dB, and 6.47 dB for compression ratio η = 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64, respectively. In the outdoor scene, the NMSE gains of Mix_Multi_TransNet are 3.63 dB, 6.24 dB, 4.71 dB, 4.60 dB, and 2.93 dB for compression ratio η = 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64, respectively.
Infância e educação infantil: um breve recorte histórico
Authors: Cintra Rosana Carla Gonçalves Gomes , Sampaio Junior Paulo Sergio Rodrigues
Published: September 2023

A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo investigar sob o olhar da história e das políticas públicas como seu deu o desenvolvimento da educação infantil. A problemática que foi levantada ao longo da pesquisa foi: qual a importância de investigar sob o olhar da história e das políticas públicas o percurso da educação infantil? Como resultados, apontamos que voltar nosso olhar para a caminhada histórica que a educação infantil teve de passar, para ser como ela é em nossa atualidade, ajuda a compreender como seu deu a evolução e os desafios do sistema assistencialista e posteriormente educacional voltado para as crianças, assim como a reflexão sobre como a educação está interligada com a mudança da visão social sobre a infância e as suas especificidades. Por outro lado, sobre as políticas públicas que fundamentam a educação infantil e, como foram concretizados os documentos norteadores, nos levaram a compreender a relação do Estado e suas políticas para com essa etapa da educação. Dessa forma, essa pesquisa pretendeu trazer um breve recorte histórico sobre esses temas que são pertinentes para compreender alguns aspectos da educação infantil. A metodologia da pesquisa é de cunho bibliográfico e documental sobre o tema. Esperamos com essa pesquisa contribuir para aprofundar o conhecimento acerca dos fatores históricos e as políticas públicas que fundamentam a educação infantil, sem a pretensão de esgotar o assunto, mas de evidenciar alguns aspectos marcantes.
Lesão por pressão: fatores extrínsecos e intrínsecos, desenvolvimento de tecido duplo e comunicação de situações de umidade
Authors: Biggi Alessandra Brandani , Santos Washington Luiz Fêlix , Bernardes Suellen Dias , Cecato Maria Eduarda , De Freitas Lucas Gabriel Marchis , Viscovini Ronaldo Celso , Rocha Ana Maria Moreira Ferreira
Published: September 2023

As lesões por pressão ocorrem na pele e são causadas pela deficiência prolongada na irrigação de sangue e na oferta de nutrientes em virtude de pressão, normalmente sobre uma proeminência óssea. As pessoas com maior risco de desenvolver são aquelas com uma reduzida capacidade de mudança de posição de forma independente, como os pacientes com lesão medular, debilitados ou cronicamente doentes. Levam ao desenvolvimento de infecções graves e têm sido associadas a internações prolongadas, sepse e mortalidade. Diante deste contexto, este artigo apresenta uma pesquisa sobre os fatores extrínsecos e intrínsecos relacionados a formação das lesões por pressão. Os resultados demonstraram que a pressão e a umidade são fatores a considerar no desenvolvimento de novas estruturas para evitar a formação da lesão por pressão. Foi desenvolvido um tecido duplo, para ser utilizado como coberturas para colchões ou cadeiras, para favorecer o alívio e a distribuição da pressão e foram inseridos filamentos condutores no tecido para atuarem na detecção de umidade. Devido à necessidade de melhorar a intervenção precoce, e tecnologicamente impulsionada pelos avanços da tecnologia de sensores, desenvolvemos um sistema de detecção e comunicação de umidade. O cuidador do paciente poderá efetuar a troca do tecido duplo, e, consequentemente evitar a formação das lesões por pressão causada por situações de umidade.
Determination of HMF Value and Diastase Activities in Strained Honeys Sold in Markets
Authors: KORKMAZ Seda Dicle
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to determine HMF values and diastase activities of the strained honeys collected from various markets in Türkiye and to evaluate their suitability to Turkish Food Codex, Directive on Honey. The samples were obtained with original package and their shelf lifes were remarked by companies. A total of 90 honey samples, 45 were flower honey and 45 were honeydew honey, were analysed for HMF using High Performance Liquid Chromatography and for diastase activity using UV spectrophotometer. According to the results, it was observed that the 35.5% of flower honey samples and the 20% of honeydew honey samples were not fulfilled the HMF value and/or diastase activity standards of the Turkish Food Codex. The highest HMF value of the samples was 119.8 mg/kg, while the lowest diastase activity of samples was 0.9. Furthermore, 15 of 45 flower honey and 8 of 45 honeydew honey samples were in critical limits for the mentioned standards. In conclusion, in strained honey offered for consumption, either heat treatment that is applied during the production or increasing HMF value and decreasing diastase activity depending on storage temperature limit the product's shelf life. HMF in honey is known to be a potential risk for food safety and public health. Appropriate production and storage conditions for honey should be ensured until it reaches the consumer, and all quality criteria, especially HMF and diastase, should be targeted to comply with the Turkish Food Codex Directive on Honey, until the end of the shelf life. Thus, it will be possible to ensure food safety by protecting both public health and producer rights. In addition, raising consumers' awareness on the subject will enable the development of internal control at both manufacturers and markets.
Conceptual demarkation between concepts «national security» and «state security» in the Ukrainian political discourse
Authors: Kuts Halyna
Published: September 2023

The article is devoted to the conceptual demarcation of the concepts of «national security» and «state security» in the Ukrainian political discourse. In particular, the analysis of the categories «national security» and «state security» was carried out in the political and legal context. It was concluded that the category of national security is broader than the category of state security, which is an important marker of the democracy of the political system of a certain state. It is reasoned that the type of political regime in the state acquires significant importance in the conceptual demarcation of the concepts of «national security» and «state security». The more developed a democratic society is, the easier it is to identify conceptual differences between the two definitions. Under the conditions of dominance of an undemocratic political regime in the state (totalitarianism/authoritarianism), the conceptual features of these concepts «merge», which eventually leads to their identification.
The problem of bankruptcy in EU countries in modern conditions
Authors: Cvetkova Irina
Published: September 2023

The relevance of the study is due to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, which fundamentally changed the global economy, provoking a global recession. Legal entities suffered significant losses, being the main subjects of economic activity and, as a result, individuals became insolvent. This was followed by the energy crisis, which caused a second recession and massive bankruptcy of businesses and individuals - consumers. In the conditions of a difficult epidemiological, economic and geopolitical situation, the EU countries were forced to create additional legal mechanisms in order to more effectively regulate the institution of bankruptcy. The purpose of the study is to analyze the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis, their impact on the growth of bankruptcies in the EU countries and measures taken to improve the economy and protect the fundamental rights of individuals to return them to economic circulation. The trends and conclusions formulated by the author made it possible to emphasize the importance of applying bankruptcy proceedings. The article uses theoretical and empirical research methods.
Zjawisko phishingu w Polsce
Authors: Matacz Mariusz , Vodičková Weronika
Published: September 2023

Phishing to stosunkowo nowe zjawisko, szczególnie w obecnej formie. W świetle danych statystycznych phishing to najpopularniejszy typ cyberataku w Polsce, zatem bez wątpienia jest bardzo istotnym przestępstwem wymagającym sporo uwagi. Cyberprzestępcy stosujący phishing tworzą coraz to nowsze sposoby swoich działań i narażają ofiary na ogromne straty finansowe. Celem artykułu jest omówienie zjawiska phishingu w Polsce jako przestępstwa. Aby dokładnie zobrazować to zagadnienie konieczne jest zapoznanie się z głównymi pojęciami omawianego tematu oraz ukazanie skali zjawiska. Na początku zostaną nakreślone ramy definicyjne środowiska, w którym funkcjonuje phishing, czyli cyberprzestrzeni oraz przedstawiona zostanie liczebność jej użytkowników. Następnie scharakteryzowane zostanie pojęcie phishingu i poddana analizie będzie skala omawianego zjawiska. Poruszony zostanie temat odpowiedzialności karnej sprawców phishingu oraz profilaktyki tego przestępstwa. Problem badawczy pracy brzmi następująco: jak kształtuje się przestępstwo phishingu w Polsce? Hipoteza badawcza to: wraz ze wzrostem liczby użytkowników sieci Internet zjawisko phishingu stanowi coraz większe zagrożenie w Polsce i istotne wyzwanie dla polskiego cyberbezpieczeństwa. Na potrzeby pracy wykorzystano metodę analizy literatury przedmiotu oraz metodę syntezy – w tym analizę dostępnych statystyk NASK i CERT Polska.