bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Biochar Nanoparticles Performing as Nanocarriers for Fertilizers on the Growth Promotion of Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa (Pekinensis Group))
Authors: Yang Ruiping , Shen Jiamin , Zhang Yuhan , Jiang Lin , Sun Xiaoping , Wang Zhengyang , Tang Boping , Shen Yu
Published: December 2022

Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) belongs to the Pekinensis Group and is grown annually as a salad crop. It is one of the most important food crops in Eastern Asia and the most widely grown vegetable in China, accounting for more one-quarter of the total annual vegetable consumption in northern parts of the country. It is reported that nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizations play important roles in the physio-morphological traits and yields of Chinese cabbage. However, N, P, and K use in agriculture continues to increase. Excessive application of fertilizers has a harmful impact on the environment. Yet how to improve the irrigation effects on Chinese cabbage growth is still limited. In this study, we firstly selected biochar nanoparticles (BNPs) prepared from corn straw, which had been air-dried and heated in a muffle furnace at 350 °C for 120 min, with K (potassium sulfate), N (calcium nitrate tetrahydrate), and P (sodium dihydrogen phosphate dihydrate) fertilizers. Then, a screening experiment (Experiment I) was performed via the response model to find the best solution for Chinese cabbage growth. Treatment with 2 g/kg of N and 2 g/kg of K for 4 weeks was the optimum application to promote Chinese cabbage growth. Then, a comparison experiment (Experiment II) was carried out to test the best formula for Chinese cabbage growth with or without BNPs. After co-irrigation with N and K for 4 weeks, treatment with a combination of 2 g/kg of BNPs, 2 g/kg of N, and 2 g/kg of K was the optimum formula for Chinese cabbage growth. Plant biomass increased by more than 1796.86% and 32.80%, respectively, in two combined treatments of BNPs and fertilizers as compared to the control treatment. After the addition of BNPs, Chinese cabbage height (aboveground) and the dry weight of belowground biomass in the N + K treatment increased to 10.97% and 20.48%, respectively. These results suggest that BNPs have great potential as a nanocarrier for fertilization as they are highly efficient (over 50% increase), reducing fertilizer use while promoting plant growth. The use of BNPs as a nanocarrier for fertilizers represents a step toward more environmentally friendly agriculture.
Mechanical and Anticorrosive Properties of TiNbTa and TiNbTaZr Films on Ti-6Al-4V Alloy
Authors: Chen Yung-I , Chen Yi-Jyun , Lai Cheng-Yi , Chang Li-Chun
Published: December 2022

In this study, TiNbTa and TiNbTaZr films were utilized as protective coatings on a Ti-6Al-4V alloy to inhibit corrosive attacks from NaCl aqueous solution and simulated body fluid. The structural and mechanical properties of multicomponent TiNbTa(Zr) films were investigated. The corrosion resistance of the TiNbTa(Zr)-film-modified Ti-6Al-4V alloy was evaluated using potentiodynamic polarization tests in a NaCl aqueous solution. The results indicate that the TiNbTa(Zr) films with high Ti and Zr contents exhibited inferior corrosive resistance related to the films with high Ta and Nb contents. Moreover, the TiNbTa(Zr)-coated Ti-6Al-4V plates were immersed in Ringer’s solution for eight weeks; this solution was widely used as a simulated body fluid. The formation of surficial oxide layers above the TiNbTa(Zr) films was examined using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which prevented the elution of Al and V from the Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Ti33Nb19Ta21Zr27, Ti15Nb68Ta8Zr9, and Ti8Nb8Ta79Zr5 films are suggested as preferential candidates for TiNbTa(Zr)/Ti-6Al-4V assemblies applied as biocompatible materials.
Advanced Cold-Spraying Technology
Authors: Sun Wen , Tan Adrian Wei-Yee , Chu Xin , Huang Jian
Published: December 2022

Cold-spraying technology is a solid-state, powder-based coating deposition and additive manufacturing (AM) technology, which utilises a high-pressure gas stream to accelerate micron-sized particles through a de-Laval nozzle for supersonic speed and impact on substrates and to generate dense, high-quality deposits [...]
Phase Field Modeling of Air Entrapment in Binary Droplet Impact with Solidification Microstructure Formation
Authors: Shen Mingguang , Li Ben Q.
Published: December 2022

A novel numerical model was developed to investigate air entrapment in binary droplet impact with solidification microstructure formation under practical plasma spraying conditions. The evolving liquid–gas interface was tracked by the explicit finite difference solution to the Cahn–Hilliard equation, coupled with the Navier–Stokes equations. Another diffuse interface model was invoked to trace solid–liquid and grain–grain boundaries. The model was discretized using an explicit finite difference method on a half-staggered grid. The velocity pressure coupling was decoupled with the projection method. The in-house code was written in Fortran and was run with the aid of the shared memory parallelism, OpenMP. The time duration over which gas compressibility matters was estimated. Typical cases with air entrapment were studied with the model. The effect of droplet porosity on air entrapment was probed into as well: the larger the porosity of a droplet, the bigger the trapped air bubble. The grain growth near the air bubble is skewed. Moreover, a case without air entrapment was also shown herein to stress that air bubbles could be suppressed or even eliminated in plasma spraying by adjusting the landing positions of successive droplets.
Recent Progress in Surface and Interface Properties of Nanostructures
Authors: Lenshin Aleksandr S. , Kashkarov Vladimir M.
Published: December 2022

The surface of any solid-state object is characterized by enhanced surface energy as compared with the volume of a part of the bulk object [...]
A Novel Approach for Maintenance and Repair of Reinforced Concrete Using Building Information Modeling with Integrated Machine-Readable Diagnosis Data
Authors: Morgenstern Hendrik , Raupach Michael
Published: December 2022

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is increasingly establishing a model-based work process in the construction industry. Though it can be considered the standard for the planning of new buildings, the use cases for existing buildings are still limited. Nonetheless, BIM models provide promising possibilities which are increasingly being researched in different fields of application. At the Institute for Building Materials Research (ibac) at RWTH Aachen University, a novel approach for maintenance and repair of reinforced concrete is being developed, using BIM models enriched with machine-readable diagnosis data. This paper proposes a digital workflow and highlights the added value for planning repair measures. Using BIM in maintenance and repair can accelerate the planning process and decrease the required material consumption for the execution.
Effects of Nb on Elevated-Temperature Properties of Fire-Resistant Steel
Authors: Li Yadong , Wan Rongchun , Wang Xing , Zhao Hui , Gong Xun
Published: December 2022

Objective: Two kinds of fire-resistant steel with different Nb content (Nb-free and 0.03 wt.%) were prepared for studying the effects of Nb addition on the elevated-temperature strength of fire-resistant steel. Methods: Two stages of heat treatment were carried out on the steels to obtain different microstructures. Typical microstructures, dislocation, and precipitates morphology of steels were observed by SEM and TEM. The dislocation density was calculated by the X-ray data from the microstructures. High temperature and room temperature mechanical properties of steels were determined by tensile testing. Results: The results showed that the YS of N2-HR steel (addition of 0.03 wt.% Nb) at RT and 600 °C was higher than N1-HR steel (Nb-free) by about 81 and 30 MPa, respectively. This indicates that Nb is an alloying element as effective as Mo in increasing the elevated-temperature strength of fire-resistant steel. The dominant strengthening mechanisms of Nb addition on elevated-temperature yield strength are precipitation strengthening and bainite strengthening. Conclusions: Theoretical analysis shows that there are two precipitation strengthening stages in fire-resistant steel: (1) increasing dislocation density during hot rolling, and (2) blocking dislocation movement and recovery in tensile testing. The results also show that the effect of fine grain strengthening is not obvious at high temperature, but is obvious at room temperature.
Specific Sensitivity Analysis and Imitative Full Stress Method for Optimal BCCZ Lattice Structure by Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Li Haonan , Yang Weidong , Ma Qianchao , Qian Zhihan , Yang Li
Published: December 2022

Additive manufacturing (AM) can quickly and easily obtain lattice structures with light weight and excellent mechanical properties. Body-centered cubic (BCC) lattice structure is a basic type of lattice structure. BCC with Z strut (BCCZ) lattice structure is a derivative structure of BCC lattice structure, and it has good adaptability to AM. Generally, the thickness of each pillar in the BCCZ lattice structure is uniform, which results in the uneven stress distribution of each pillar. This makes the potential of light weight and high strength of the BCCZ lattice structure not fully played, and the utilization rate of materials can be further improved. This paper designs an optimization method. Through the structural analysis of a BCCZ lattice structure, an optimization method of a BCCZ lattice structure based on parametric modeling parameters is presented. The section radius of all pillars in the BCCZ lattice is taken as a design variable, and the specific sensitivity analysis method and simulated full stress optimization idea are successively used to determine the optimal section radius of each pillar. Finally, the corresponding model is designed and samples are manufactured by LPBF technology for simulation and experimental verification. The results of simulation and experiment show that the strength limit of the optimized parts increased by 18.77% and 18.43%, respectively, compared with that before optimization.
Interplay of Particle Suspension and Residence Time Distribution in a Taylor–Couette Crystallizer
Authors: Etmanski Matthias M. , Breloer Max , Weber Marius , Schembecker Gerhard , Wohlgemuth Kerstin
Published: December 2022

In small-scale continuous crystallization, particle suspension and residence time distribution are critical factors determining operability and product quality. Here, the Taylor–Couette crystallizer stands out for its high flexibility. Its characteristic vortex structure intensifies local mixing, thus improving the suspension and simultaneously narrowing the residence time distribution, whereby these effects can be adjusted by operating and design parameters. However, the operating window is limited by the prerequisite of sufficient particle suspension. In this study, we investigated the suspension behavior and its impact on the attainable liquid phase residence time distribution and the flow regimes observed. For this purpose, the just-suspended rotation rate was visually determined for different design and operating parameters. A correlation was regressed from experimental data, showing that this rotation rate was mainly affected by the radius ratio of the rotor and stator. In addition, the liquid phase residence time distribution was measured by tracer experiments in regions of sufficient suspension, validating a correlation from the literature. With a combination of both correlations, the design parameters of the apparatus can thus be optimized according to the goal of, for example, a narrow residence time distribution in the suspended state.
Obtaining Niobium Nitride on n-GaN by Surface Mediated Nitridation Technique
Authors: Mazur Piotr , Sabik Agata , Lewandków Rafał , Trembułowicz Artur , Grodzicki Miłosz
Published: December 2022

In this work the n-GaN(1000) surface is used as a source of nitrogen atoms in order to obtain niobium nitride film by a surface-mediated nitridation technique. To this end, the physical vapor deposition of the niobium film on GaN is followed by sample annealing at 1123 K. A thermally induced decomposition of GaN and interfacial mixing phenomena lead to the formation of a niobium nitride compound, which contains Nb from thin film and N atoms from the substrate. The processes allowed the obtaining of ordered NbNx films on GaN. Structural and chemical properties of both the GaN substrate and NbNx films were studied in-situ by surface-sensitive techniques, i.e., X-ray and UV photoelectron spectroscopies (XPS/UPS) and a low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). Then, the NbNx/GaN surface morphology was investigated ex-situ by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM).
Surface Modification with Phosphate and Hydroxyapatite of Porous Magnesium Scaffolds Fabricated by Binder Jet Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Kuah Kai Xiang , Salehi Mojtaba , Huang Zihan , Zhang Su Xia , Seet Hang Li , Nai Mui Ling Sharon , Blackwood Daniel John
Published: December 2022

The presence of porosity within magnesium-based orthopaedic implants is known to be beneficial, promoting cell proliferation and vascularisation. However, the presence of porosity increases the surface area available for corrosion, compounding the issue of high corrosion rates which has long been plaguing magnesium-based materials. This work looks at the influence of hydroxyapatite and phosphate conversion coatings on the corrosion performance of conventionally cast, dense Mg-Zn-Zr alloys and binder jet additive manufactured porous Mg-Zn-Zr scaffolds. The performance of coating on dense Mg-Zn-Zr was found to be more effective than the coating on the porous Mg-Zn-Zr scaffold, with the discrepancies attributed to both the microstructure and geometric influence of the binder jet additive manufactured, porous Mg-Zn-Zr scaffold, which not only increases the rate of hydrogen evolution but also reduces the ability of the hydrogen gas generated within the pore channels to escape to the sample’s surface. This restricts the effectiveness of coating application for porous Mg scaffold. Furthermore, the limited diffusion within the pore channels can also result in differing localized corrosion environments, causing discrepancies between the localised corrosion environment within the pore channels and that at the bulk electrolyte.
Distribution Pattern of Fish Richness in the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin
Authors: Li Kai , Wang Jishan , Wang Xiaoai , Wang Mengjun , He Ruchuan , Wang Mo
Published: December 2022

Global warming significantly affects plateau glaciers and surface runoff, and fish are bound to be severely affected. Additionally, an increasing number of human activities (e.g., free captive animals, aquaculture) have led to vulnerable plateau ecosystems being affected by invasive species. To address the above issues, we collected the currently published fish distribution data, and for the first time constructed a richness and fluvial system distribution map of the Yarlung Zangbo River fish (4 orders, 10 families, and 61 species). Based on fish richness and the fluvial system, the native fish in the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin were divided into three clusters, and the non-native fish were divided into six clusters by using Ward’s minimum variance clustering and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Environmental factors related to native or non-native fish richness were selected by the random forest model from 21 environmental factors. Then, the relationship between fish richness and environmental factors was explained by the generalized linear model (GLM). Our results showed that the native fish distribution pattern was different from the non-native fish distribution, but their high richness areas were overlapped. Furthermore, native fish richness responds differently than non-native fish richness to environmental factors. The results provided eco-solutions for the conservation and management of fish biodiversity and natural resources in the Yarlung Zangbo River.
Reduction Data Obtained from Cyclic Voltammetry of Benzophenones and Copper-2-Hydroxyphenone Complexes
Authors: Chiyindiko Emmie , Langner Ernst H. G. , Conradie Jeanet
Published: December 2022

This article provides detailed redox data on nine differently substituted benzophenones and ten square planar copper(II) complexes containing 2-hydroxyphenones obtained by cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments. The information provided is related to the published full research articles “An electrochemical and computational chemistry study of substituted benzophenones” (Electrochim. Acta2021, 373, 137894) and “Electrochemical behaviour of copper(II) complexes containing 2-hydroxyphenones” (Electrochim. Acta2022, 424, 140629), where the CVs and electrochemical data at mainly one scan rate, namely at 0.100 Vs−1, are reported. CVs and the related peak current and voltage values, not reported in the related research article, are provided in this article for nine differently substituted benzophenones and ten differently substituted copper-2-hydroxyphenone complexes at various scan rates over more than two orders of magnitude. The redox data presented are the first reported complete set of electrochemical data of nine 2-hydroxyphenones and ten copper(II) complexes containing 2-hydroxyphenone ligands.
Correction Equation for Hemoglobin Values Obtained Using Point of Care Tests—A Step towards Realistic Anemia Burden Estimates
Authors: Ramaswamy Gomathi , Jaiswal Abhishek , Vohra Kashish , Kaur Ravneet , Bairwa Mohan , Singh Archana , Sethi Vani , Yadav Kapil
Published: December 2022

Digital hemoglobinometers have been used as point-of-care tests (POCT) to estimate the burden of anemia in community-based studies and national-level surveys in India. As the accuracy of hemoglobin estimated in POCT varies, there is a need for adjustments to the POCT-hemoglobin to ensure they are closer to reality and are comparable. We used data (collected between 2016 and 2020) (N = 1145) from four studies from India: three among pregnant women and 6–59-month-old children from Haryana and the fourth from a national nutritional survey among 1–19-year-old children. We compared the same individuals’ POCT-hemoglobin (capillary blood) and automated hematology analyzers (AHA) hemoglobin (venous blood) and developed a predictive linear regression model to obtain the correction equation for POCT-hemoglobin. We analyzed paired data from 1145 participants. The correction equation for obtaining the true hemoglobin value = 3.35 + 0.71 × POCT-hemoglobin using capillary blood (adjusted R2—64.4% and mean squared error −0.841 g/dL). In comparison with the AHA-hemoglobin, the mean difference of POCT-hemoglobin was 0.2 g/dL, while with the predicted Hb obtained from the correction equation it was 0.01 g/dL. The correction equation was the first attempt at deriving the true hemoglobin values from the POCTs. There is a need for multi-country collaborative studies to improve the correction equation by adjusting for factors affecting hemoglobin estimation.
Ensemble Model for Diagnostic Classification of Alzheimer’s Disease Based on Brain Anatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Khan Yusera Farooq , Kaushik Baijnath , Chowdhary Chiranji Lal , Srivastava Gautam
Published: December 2022

Alzheimer’s is one of the fast-growing diseases among people worldwide leading to brain atrophy. Neuroimaging reveals extensive information about the brain’s anatomy and enables the identification of diagnostic features. Artificial intelligence (AI) in neuroimaging has the potential to significantly enhance the treatment process for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The objective of this study is two-fold: (1) to compare existing Machine Learning (ML) algorithms for the classification of AD. (2) To propose an effective ensemble-based model for the same and to perform its comparative analysis. In this study, data from the Alzheimer’s Diseases Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), an online repository, is utilized for experimentation consisting of 2125 neuroimages of Alzheimer’s disease (n = 975), mild cognitive impairment (n = 538) and cognitive normal (n = 612). For classification, the framework incorporates a Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), Naïve Bayes (NB), and K-Nearest Neighbor (K-NN) followed by some variations of Support Vector Machine (SVM), such as SVM (RBF kernel), SVM (Polynomial Kernel), and SVM (Sigmoid kernel), as well as Gradient Boost (GB), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) and Multi-layer Perceptron Neural Network (MLP-NN). Afterwards, an Ensemble Based Generic Kernel is presented where Master-Slave architecture is combined to attain better performance. The proposed model is an ensemble of Extreme Gradient Boosting, Decision Tree and SVM_Polynomial kernel (XGB + DT + SVM). At last, the proposed method is evaluated using cross-validation using statistical techniques along with other ML models. The presented ensemble model (XGB + DT + SVM) outperformed existing state-of-the-art algorithms with an accuracy of 89.77%. The efficiency of all the models was optimized using Grid-based tuning, and the results obtained after such process showed significant improvement. XGB + DT + SVM with optimized parameters outperformed all other models with an efficiency of 95.75%. The implication of the proposed ensemble-based learning approach clearly shows the best results compared to other ML models. This experimental comparative analysis improved understanding of the above-defined methods and enhanced their scope and significance in the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease.
Prevalence and Predictors of Renal Disease in a National Representative Sample of the Romanian Adult Population: Data from the SEPHAR IV Survey
Authors: Pop Călin , Gheorghe Fronea Oana Florentina , Branea Ioana Antonia , Itu Lucian Mihai , Darabont Roxana , Parepa Irinel , Benedek Theodora , Dorobantu Maria
Published: December 2022

Background: The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) correlates with the prevalence of hypertension (HT). We studied the prevalence and predictors of CKD in a representative sample of the Romanian adult population. Methods: A sample of 1470 subjects were enrolled in the SEPHAR IV (Study for the Evaluation of Prevalence of Hypertension and Cardiovascular Risk) survey. All subjects were evaluated for blood pressure (BP) and extensive evaluations of target organ damage, blood, and urine samples were undertaken. Results: A total of 883 subjects were included in the statistical analysis. Those experiencing CKD with an eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 were older at 71.94 ± 7.4 years (n = 19, 2.15%) compared with those without renal impairment at 50.3 ± 16.21 years (n = 864, 97.85%), p < 0.0001. The prevalence of CKD among hypertensives (379 from 883) was 4.49% (17/379), while 17 out of 19 subjects with CKD had HT (89.47%). After adjusting for age, sex, and diabetic status, only serum uric acid (SUR) > 6.9 mg/dL (OR: 6.61; 95% CI: 2.063, 10.83; p = 0.004) was an independent risk factor and a predictor of CKD. Conclusions: The prevalence of CKD in hypertensive Romanian adults was more than ten times higher than in the normotensive population. Levels of SUR > 6.9 mg/dL were predictors of CKD.
Utility of CK8, CK10, CK13, and CK17 in Differential Diagnostics of Benign Lesions, Laryngeal Dysplasia, and Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Boricic Novica , Boricic Ivan , Soldatovic Ivan , Milovanovic Jovica , Trivic Aleksandar , Terzic Tatjana
Published: December 2022

There are no reliable immunohistochemical markers for diagnosing laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or diagnosing and grading laryngeal dysplasia. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of CK8, CK10, CK13, and CK17 in benign laryngeal lesions, laryngeal dysplasia, and laryngeal SCC. This retrospective study included 151 patients diagnosed with laryngeal papilloma, laryngeal polyps, laryngeal dysplasia, and laryngeal SCC who underwent surgical treatment between 2010 and 2020. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was carried out using specific monoclonal antibodies against CK8, CK10, CK13, and CK17. Two experienced pathologists performed semi-quantitative scoring of IHC positivity. The diagnostic significance of the markers was analyzed. CK13 showed a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 82.5% for distinguishing between laryngeal SCC and laryngeal dysplasia and benign lesions. CK17 showed a sensitivity of 78.3% and specificity of 57.1% for the detection of laryngeal SCC vs. laryngeal dysplasia. CK10 showed a sensitivity of 80.0% for discriminating between low-grade and high-grade dysplasia, and a specificity of 61.1%. Loss of CK13 expression is a reliable diagnostic tool for diagnosing laryngeal lesions with malignant potential and determining resection lines. In lesions with diminished CK13 expression, CK17 could be used as an auxiliary immunohistochemical marker in diagnosing laryngeal SCC. In CK13-negative and CK17-positive lesions, CK10 positivity could be used to determine low-grade dysplasia. CK8 is not a useful IHC marker in differentiating between benign laryngeal lesions, laryngeal dysplasia, and laryngeal SCC.
Superficial and Deep Capillary Plexuses: Potential Biomarkers of Focal Retinal Defects in Eyes Affected by Macular Idiopatic Epiretinal Membranes? A Pilot Study
Authors: Coppe Andrea Maria , Lapucci Giuliana , Buzzonetti Luca , Ripandelli Guido , Iarossi Giancarlo
Published: December 2022

Inner macular layers are the most involved in the retinal distortion caused by idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM). They represent the anatomical structures in which the superficial (SCP) and deep (DCP) capillary plexus are embedded. We quantified flow signal (FS) in these capillary plexuses using Swept Source OCT angiography to identify possible markers for postoperative outcome. The software ImageJ was used to quantify the FS in a 150 µm radius area around each point analyzed by MAIA microperimeter. In 16 patients with unilateral iERM, focal light sensitivity (FLS) in the para- and perimacular areas was measured to evaluate macular function in 24 points overlapping macular plexuses and compared with normal fellow eyes (FEs). t-Test for independent samples iERM eyes (iERMEs) vs. fellow eyes (FEs) and Pearson correlation coefficient of FS vs. FLS in each point were calculated. A level of p < 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. As a whole, FLS was significantly higher in FEs vs. ERMEs (p < 0.001); FS in both SCP and DCP was not significantly different between ERMEs and FEs (p = 0.827, p = 0.791). Correlation in focal retinal areas between FLS and FS in ERMEs was significant in SCP (p = 0.002) and not significant in DCP (p = 0.205); in FEs was significant in both SCP (p < 0.001) and DCP (p = 0.022). As previously described, these defective areas were located mainly in sites of distortion of retinal layers; therefore, it can be hypothesized that a focal change in FS, occurring mostly in SCP, could be involved in the onset of the functional defect.
Superpixel-Based Optic Nerve Head Segmentation Method of Fundus Images for Glaucoma Assessment
Authors: Ávila Francisco J. , Bueno Juan M. , Remón Laura
Published: December 2022

Glaucoma disease is the second leading cause of blindness in the world. This progressive ocular neuropathy is mainly caused by uncontrolled high intraocular pressure. Although there is still no cure, early detection and appropriate treatment can stop the disease progression to low vision and blindness. In the clinical practice, the gold standard used by ophthalmologists for glaucoma diagnosis is fundus retinal imaging, in particular optic nerve head (ONH) subjective/manual examination. In this work, we propose an unsupervised superpixel-based method for the optic nerve head (ONH) segmentation. An automatic algorithm based on linear iterative clustering is used to compute an ellipse fitting for the automatic detection of the ONH contour. The tool has been tested using a public retinal fundus images dataset with medical expert ground truths of the ONH contour and validated with a classified (control vs. glaucoma eyes) database. Results showed that the automatic segmentation method provides similar results in ellipse fitting of the ONH that those obtained from the ground truth experts within the statistical range of inter-observation variability. Our method is a user-friendly available program that provides fast and reliable results for clinicians working on glaucoma screening using retinal fundus images.
Computer-Aided Assessment of Three-Dimensional Standard Bone Morphology of the Distal Radius
Authors: Ikumi Akira , Yoshii Yuichi , Eda Yusuke , Ishii Tomoo
Published: December 2022

The present study attempted to define the three-dimensional (3D) locations of reference points and standard measures of the distal radius of a normal wrist joint. One hundred wrists from 50 males and 50 females who matched the age distribution (19–95 years old, mean: 56.0 years old) were evaluated. Computed tomography (CT) images of normal wrist joints acquired for comparison with the affected side were used. The absence of a previous history and complaints in the unaffected wrist was confirmed in an interview and with medical records. Three-dimensional images of the distal radius were reconstructed using the data obtained from CT scans. The site at which the major axis of the radial diaphysis contacted the distal radius joint surface was defined as the origin. The 3D coordinates of reference points for the radial styloid process (1), sigmoid notch volar edge (2), and sigmoid notch dorsal edge (3) as well as the barycenter for the joint surface and joint surface area were evaluated. A slope of the line connecting coordinates 1–2 in the coronal plane was evaluated as the 3D radial inclination (3DRI) and that connecting coordinates 2–3 in the sagittal plane as the 3D palmar tilt (3DPT). Each measurement value was compared between males and females. The positions of each reference point from the origin were as follows: (1) 14.2 ± 1.3/12.6 ± 1.1 mm for the distal-palmar-radial position; (2) 19.3 ± 1.3/16.9 ± 1.3 mm for the proximal-palmar-ulnar position; (3) 15.6 ± 1.4/14.1 ± 0.9 mm for the proximal-dorsal-ulnar position; and (barycenter) 4.1 ± 0.7/3.7 ± 0.7 mm for the proximal-volar-ulnar position for males and females, respectively. The areas of the radius articular surface were 429.0 ± 67.9/347.6 ± 44.6 mm2 for males and females, respectively. The 3DRI and 3DPT were 24.2 ± 4.0/25.7 ± 3.1° and 10.9 ± 5.1/13.2 ± 4.4° for males and females, respectively. Significant differences were observed in all measurement values between males and females (p < 0.01). The reference points and measured values obtained in the present study will serve as criteria for identifying the dislocation direction and reduction conditions of distal radius fractures in 3D images.
HaTU-Net: Harmonic Attention Network for Automated Ovarian Ultrasound Quantification in Assisted Pregnancy
Authors: Singh Vivek Kumar , Yousef Kalafi Elham , Cheah Eugene , Wang Shuhang , Wang Jingchao , Ozturk Arinc , Li Qian , Eldar Yonina C. , Samir Anthony E. , Kumar Viksit
Published: December 2022

Antral follicle Count (AFC) is a non-invasive biomarker used to assess ovarian reserves through transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) imaging. Antral follicles’ diameter is usually in the range of 2–10 mm. The primary aim of ovarian reserve monitoring is to measure the size of ovarian follicles and the number of antral follicles. Manual follicle measurement is inhibited by operator time, expertise and the subjectivity of delineating the two axes of the follicles. This necessitates an automated framework capable of quantifying follicle size and count in a clinical setting. This paper proposes a novel Harmonic Attention-based U-Net network, HaTU-Net, to precisely segment the ovary and follicles in ultrasound images. We replace the standard convolution operation with a harmonic block that convolves the features with a window-based discrete cosine transform (DCT). Additionally, we proposed a harmonic attention mechanism that helps to promote the extraction of rich features. The suggested technique allows for capturing the most relevant features, such as boundaries, shape, and textural patterns, in the presence of various noise sources (i.e., shadows, poor contrast between tissues, and speckle noise). We evaluated the proposed model on our in-house private dataset of 197 patients undergoing TransVaginal UltraSound (TVUS) exam. The experimental results on an independent test set confirm that HaTU-Net achieved a Dice coefficient score of 90% for ovaries and 81% for antral follicles, an improvement of 2% and 10%, respectively, when compared to a standard U-Net. Further, we accurately measure the follicle size, yielding the recall, and precision rates of 91.01% and 76.49%, respectively.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Detection and Localization of Unobturated Second Mesial Buccal (MB2) Canals in Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT)
Authors: Albitar Lina , Zhao Tianyun , Huang Chuan , Mahdian Mina
Published: December 2022

The aim of this study was to develop a deep learning model to automatically detect and segment unobturated mesial buccal 2 (MB2) canals on endodontically obturated maxillary molars depicted in CBCT studies. Fifty-seven deidentified CBCT studies of maxillary molars with clinically confirmed unobturated MB2 canals were retrieved from a dental institution radiology database. One-hundred and two maxillary molar roots with and without unobturated MB2 canals were segmented using ITK-SNAP. The data were split into training and testing samples designated to train and evaluate the performance, respectively, of a convolutional neural network (CNN), U-Net. The detection performance revealed a sensitivity of 0.8, a specificity of 1, a high PPV of 1, and a NPV of 0.83 for the testing set, along with an accuracy of 0.9. The segmentation performance of unobturated MB2 canals, assessed using the custom metric, rendered a mean value of 0.3018 for the testing set. The current AI algorithm has the potential to identify obturated and unobturated canals in endodontically treated teeth. However, the AI algorithm is still somewhat affected by metallic artifacts, variations in canal calcifications, and the applied configuration. Thus, further development is needed to improve the algorithm and validate the accuracy using external validation data sets.
Deep Learning Classifies Low- and High-Grade Glioma Patients with High Accuracy, Sensitivity, and Specificity Based on Their Brain White Matter Networks Derived from Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Authors: Vidyadharan Sreejith , Prabhakar Rao Budhiraju Veera Venkata Satya Naga , Perumal Yogeeswari , Chandrasekharan Kesavadas , Rajagopalan Venkateswaran
Published: December 2022

Classifying low-grade glioma (LGG) patients from high-grade glioma (HGG) is one of the most challenging tasks in planning treatment strategies for brain tumor patients. Previous studies derived several handcrafted features based on the tumor’s texture and volume from magnetic resonance images (MRI) to classify LGG and HGG patients. The accuracy of classification was moderate. We aimed to classify LGG from HGG with high accuracy using the brain white matter (WM) network connectivity matrix constructed using diffusion tensor tractography. We obtained diffusion tensor images (DTI) of 44 LGG and 48 HGG patients using routine clinical imaging. Fiber tractography and brain parcellation were performed for each patient to obtain the fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity, radial diffusivity, and mean diffusivity weighted connectivity matrices. We used a deep convolutional neural network (DNN) for classification and the gradient class activation map (GRAD-CAM) technique to identify the neural connectivity features focused on by the DNN. DNN could classify both LGG and HGG with 98% accuracy. The sensitivity and specificity values were above 0.98. GRAD-CAM analysis revealed a distinct WM network pattern between LGG and HGG patients in the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes. Our results demonstrate that glioma affects the WM network in LGG and HGG patients differently.
Pulmonary Fibrosis Related to Amiodarone—Is It a Standard Pathophysiological Pattern? A Case-Based Literature Review
Authors: Budin Corina Eugenia , Cocuz Iuliu Gabriel , Sabău Adrian Horațiu , Niculescu Raluca , Ianosi Ingrid Renata , Ioan Vladimir , Cotoi Ovidiu Simion
Published: December 2022

Amiodarone hydrochloride is an antiarrhythmic drug, with proven efficacy in prevention and treatment of numerous arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation especially, or ventricular arrhythmias, with a long half-life (55–60 days). The increased risk of developing amiodarone-induced pulmonary fibrosis is directly related to the dose and the duration of the intake. Amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity is conditioned by dose, patient’s age, and pre-existent pulmonary pathologies. The pattern for drug-induced lung injury may vary in many forms, but the amiodarone can cause polymorphous injuries such as diffuse alveolar damage, chronical interstitial pneumonia, organizing pneumonia, pulmonary hemorrhage, lung nodules or pleural disease. The pathological mechanism of pulmonary injury induced by amiodarone consists of the accumulation of phospholipid complexes in histocytes and type II pneumocytes. Differential diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis induced by amiodarone is made mainly with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, left ventricular failure or infectious disease. Before starting treatment with amiodarone, patients should be informed of potential adverse effects and any new respiratory symptoms should promptly be reported to their family physician or attending physician. The assessment carried out at the initiation of amiodarone treatment should include at least chest X-ray and respiratory function tests and extrapulmonary evaluation.
Image Fusion Involving Real-Time Transabdominal or Endoscopic Ultrasound for Gastrointestinal Malignancies: Review of Current and Future Applications
Authors: Singh Ben S. , Cazacu Irina M. , Deza Carlos A. , Rigaud Bastien S. , Saftoiu Adrian , Gruionu Gabriel , Guionu Lucian , Brock Kristy K. , Koay Eugene J. , Herman Joseph M. , Bhutani Manoop S.
Published: December 2022

Image fusion of CT, MRI, and PET with endoscopic ultrasound and transabdominal ultrasound can be promising for GI malignancies as it has the potential to allow for a more precise lesion characterization with higher accuracy in tumor detection, staging, and interventional/image guidance. We conducted a literature review to identify the current possibilities of real-time image fusion involving US with a focus on clinical applications in the management of GI malignancies. Liver applications have been the most extensively investigated, either in experimental or commercially available systems. Real-time US fusion imaging of the liver is gaining more acceptance as it enables further diagnosis and interventional therapy of focal liver lesions that are difficult to visualize using conventional B-mode ultrasound. Clinical studies on EUS guided image fusion, to date, are limited. EUS–CT image fusion allowed for easier navigation and profiling of the target tumor and/or surrounding anatomical structure. Image fusion techniques encompassing multiple imaging modalities appear to be feasible and have been observed to increase visualization accuracy during interventional and diagnostic applications.
An Extremely Rare Case of Disseminated Peritoneal Leiomyomatosis with a Pelvic Leiomyosarcoma and Omental Metastasis after Laparoscopic Morcellation: Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Vimercati Antonella , Santarsiero Carla Mariaflavia , Esposito Angela , Putino Carmela , Malvasi Antonio , Damiani Gianluca Raffaello , Laganà Antonio Simone , Vitagliano Amerigo , Marinaccio Marco , Resta Leonardo , Cicinelli Ettore , Cazzato Gerardo , Cascardi Eliano , Dellino Miriam
Published: December 2022

Minimally invasive treatment of uterine fibroids usually requires a power morcellation, which could be associated with several complications. A rare sequela is disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis. Indeed, recurrence or metastasis in these cases could be attributed to iatrogenic or under-evaluation of primary tumors, although a subset of cases is a sporadic sample of biological progression. We present an extremely rare case of a patient who underwent laparoscopic morcellation and after 12 years developed a pelvic leiomyosarcoma with two omental metastases, disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis with a parasite leiomyoma with bizarre nuclei and a parasite cellular leiomyoma simultaneously. The diagnosis was predicted preoperatively by an expert sonographer who recognized the ultrasound characteristics of uterine sarcoma and the localization of some of the masses, so the patient was referred to the gynaecological oncologists who could appropriately treat her. We present here a case report and a systematic review that could be a useful tool for further discussion and future clinical practice guidelines.
The Pitfall of Ganglioneuroblastoma-Nodular Diagnosis: Clinical and Imaging Considerations over a Rare Bifocal Sporadic Case
Authors: Montante Claudio , Fabozzi Francesco , Villani Maria Felicia , D’Andrea Maria Luisa , Stracuzzi Alessandra , Natali Gian Luigi , Del Baldo Giada , Del Bufalo Francesca , Garganese Maria Carmen , Serra Annalisa , Tomà Paolo , Alaggio Rita , Vennarini Sabina , Colafati Giovanna Stefania , Mastronuzzi Angela , De Ioris Maria Antonietta
Published: December 2022

Neuroblastic tumors (NTs) represent the most common extracranial neoplasm occurring in childhood. Although ganglioneuroblastoma intermixed (GNBI) and ganglioneuroma (GN) are classified as very low-risk tumors, neuroblastoma (NB) and ganglioneuroblastoma-nodular (GNBN) may represent a serious risk to survival. Unfortunately, areas of GNBI and GNBN can coexist in the same mass, leading to incorrect risk staging when only biopsy is performed. Herein, we describe a case of multifocal NT (thoracic and abdominal localization) occurring in a 4-year-old male. Different histological subtypes, namely GNBI and GNBN, were revealed in the two lesions. We focus on the difficulties of proper diagnosis and risk stratification, underlining the usefulness of several diagnostic tools for appropriate management and therapeutic choices.
Mapping HPV 16 Sub-Lineages in Anal Cancer and Implications for Disease Outcomes
Authors: Guerendiain Daniel , Mühr Laila Sara Arroyo , Grigorescu Raluca , Holden Matthew T. G. , Cuschieri Kate
Published: December 2022

The incidence of anal cancer is rising worldwide. As identified in cervical cancer management, an improvement in the early detection and management of anal pre-cancer is essential. In other cancers associated with human papillomavirus (HPV), HPV 16 sub-lineages have been shown to be associated with disease status and prognosis. However, in anal cancer, they have been under-explored. A total of 119 HPV 16-positive anal cancer lesions diagnosed between 2009 and 2018 in Scotland and 134 HPV 16-positive residual rectal swabs from asymptomatic men collected in 2016/7 were whole genome sequenced. The association of HPV 16 sub-lineages with underlying disease status (cancer vs. asymptomatic) and overall survival in anal cancer samples was assessed (comparing A1 vs non-A1 sub-lineages). A1 was the dominant sub-lineage present in the anal cancer (76.5%) and the asymptomatic (76.1%) cohorts. A2 was the second most dominant sub-lineage in both groups (16.8% and 17.2%, respectively). We did not observe significant associations of sub-lineage with demographics, clinical variables or survival (A1 vs. non-A1 sub-lineages (HR 0.83, 0.28–2.46 p = 0.743)). HPV 16 sub-lineages do to not appear to cluster with disease vs asymptomatic carriage or be independently associated with outcomes in anal cancer patients. Further international studies on anal HPV sub-lineage mapping will help to determine whether this is a consistent observation.
Artificial Intelligence in Emergency Radiology: Where Are We Going?
Authors: Cellina Michaela , Cè Maurizio , Irmici Giovanni , Ascenti Velio , Caloro Elena , Bianchi Lorenzo , Pellegrino Giuseppe , D’Amico Natascha , Papa Sergio , Carrafiello Gianpaolo
Published: December 2022

Emergency Radiology is a unique branch of imaging, as rapidity in the diagnosis and management of different pathologies is essential to saving patients’ lives. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has many potential applications in emergency radiology: firstly, image acquisition can be facilitated by reducing acquisition times through automatic positioning and minimizing artifacts with AI-based reconstruction systems to optimize image quality, even in critical patients; secondly, it enables an efficient workflow (AI algorithms integrated with RIS–PACS workflow), by analyzing the characteristics and images of patients, detecting high-priority examinations and patients with emergent critical findings. Different machine and deep learning algorithms have been trained for the automated detection of different types of emergency disorders (e.g., intracranial hemorrhage, bone fractures, pneumonia), to help radiologists to detect relevant findings. AI-based smart reporting, summarizing patients’ clinical data, and analyzing the grading of the imaging abnormalities, can provide an objective indicator of the disease’s severity, resulting in quick and optimized treatment planning. In this review, we provide an overview of the different AI tools available in emergency radiology, to keep radiologists up to date on the current technological evolution in this field.
Application and Development of Autonomous Robots in Concrete Construction: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Zhao Shun , Wang Qiang , Fang Xinjun , Liang Wei , Cao Yu , Zhao Changyi , Li Lu , Liu Chunbao , Wang Kunyang
Published: December 2022

Updated concrete construction robots are designed to optimize equipment operation, improve safety, enhance workspace awareness, and further ensure a proper working environment for construction workers. The importance of concrete construction robots has been constantly highlighted, as they have a profound impact on construction quality and efficiency. Autonomous vehicle driving monitoring has been widely employed in concrete construction robots; however, they lack clear relevance to the key functions in the building process. This paper aims to bridge this knowledge gap by systematically classifying and summarizing the existing concrete construction robots, analyzing their existing problems, and providing direction for their future development. The prescription criteria and selection of robots depend on the concrete construction process, which includes six common functional levels: distribution, leveling and compaction, floor finishing, surface painting, 3D printing, and surveillance. Misunderstood functions and the improper adjustment of construction robots may lead to increased cost, reduced effectiveness, and restricted application scenarios. Our review identifies current commercial and recently studied concrete construction robots to facilitate the standardization and optimization of robotic construction design. Moreover, this study may be able to guide future research and technology development efforts for autonomous robots in concrete construction.