bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combined Compact Symplectic Schemes for the Solution of Good Boussinesq Equations
Authors: Lang Zhenyu , Yin Xiuling , Liu Yanqin , Chen Zhiguo , Kong Shuxia
Published: August 2024

Good Boussinesq equations are considered in this work. First, we apply three combined compact schemes to approximate spatial derivatives of good Boussinesq equations. Then, three fully discrete schemes are developed based on a symplectic scheme in the time direction, which preserves the symplectic structure. Meanwhile, the convergence and conservation of the fully discrete schemes are analyzed. Finally, we present numerical experiments to confirm our theoretical analysis. Both our analysis and numerical tests indicate that the fully discrete schemes are efficient in solving the spatial derivative mixed equation.
Investigating the Impact of Estrogen Levels on Voiding Characteristics, Bladder Structure, and Related Proteins in a Mouse Model of Menopause-Induced Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
Authors: Zhang Chenglong , Chen Yuangui , Yin Lingxuan , Deng Guoxian , Xia Xiaowen , Tang Xiaoshuang , Zhang Yifeng , Yan Junan
Published: August 2024

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common in postmenopausal women. These symptoms are often linked to decreased estrogen levels following menopause. This study investigated the relationship between estrogen levels, alterations in bladder tissue structure, bladder function, and the incidence of urinary frequency. An age-appropriate bilateral ovariectomized mouse model (OVX) was developed to simulate conditions of estrogen deficiency. Mice were divided into three groups: a sham-operated control group, OVX, and an estradiol-treated group. The assessments included estrogen level measurement, urination frequency, cystometry, histological analysis, immunofluorescence staining, and real-time quantitative PCR. Additionally, we quantified the expression of the mechanosensitive channel proteins Piezo1 and TRPV4 in mouse bladder tissues. Lower estrogen levels were linked to increased voiding episodes and structural changes in mouse bladder tissues, notably a significant increase in Collagen III fiber deposition. There was a detectable negative relationship between estrogen levels and the expression of Piezo1 and TRPV4, mechanosensitive proteins in mouse bladder tissues, which may influence voiding frequency and nocturia. Estrogen treatment could improve bladder function, decrease urination frequency, and reduce collagen deposition in the bladder tissues. This study explored the connection between estrogen levels and urinary frequency, potentially setting the stage for novel methods to address frequent urination symptoms in postmenopausal women.
Identification and Characterization of Extrachromosomal Circular DNA in Slimming Grass Carp
Authors: He Haobin , Gao Zihan , Hu Zehua , Liang Guanyu , Huang Yanhua , Zhou Meng , Liang Rishen , Zhang Kai
Published: August 2024

Slimming grass carp is a commercial variety with good body form and meat quality, which is cultured by starving common grass carp in a clean flowing water environment. Compared to common grass carp, slimming grass carp has a far higher economic value. Until now, no molecular study has concentrated on the regulation mechanism of the muscle characteristics of slimming grass carp. This study first reported the gene expression profile of the muscle characteristics of slimming grass carp based on the level of extrachromosomal circular DNAs (eccDNAs). EccDNAs are double-stranded circular DNAs derived from genomic DNAs and play crucial roles in the functional regulation of a wide range of biological processes, none of which have been shown to occur in fish. Here, muscle eccDNAs from slimming grass carp and common grass carp were both generally sequenced, and the information, as well as the expression profile of eccDNAs, were compared and analysed. The findings reveal that 82,238 and 25,857 eccDNAs were detected from slimming grass carp and common grass carp, respectively. The length distribution of eccDNAs was in the range of 1~1000 bp, with two peaks at about 200 bp and 400 bp. When the expression profiles of eccDNAs between slimming grass carp and common grass carp were compared, 3523 up-regulated and 175 down-regulated eccDNAs were found. Enrichment analysis showed that these eccDNA genes were correlated with cellular structure and response, cell immunology, enzyme activity, etc. Certain differentially expressed eccDNAs involved in muscle characteristics were detected, which include myosin heavy chain, myosin light chain, muscle segment homeobox C, calsequestrin, calmodulin, etc., among which the majority of genes were linked to muscle structure and contraction. This indicates that during the process of cultivating from common grass carp to slimming grass carp, the treatment primarily affected muscle structure and contraction, making the meat quality of slimming grass carp different from that of common grass carp. This result provides molecular evidence and new insights by which to elucidate the regulating mechanism of muscle phenotypic characterisation in slimming grass carp and other fish.
Novel Factors Regulating Proliferation, Migration, and Differentiation of Fibroblasts, Keratinocytes, and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells during Wound Healing
Authors: Smith Jacob , Rai Vikrant
Published: August 2024

Chronic diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a significant complication of diabetes mellitus, often leading to amputation, increased morbidity, and a substantial financial burden. Even with the advancements in the treatment of DFU, the risk of amputation still exists, and this occurs due to the presence of gangrene and osteomyelitis. Nonhealing in a chronic DFU is due to decreased angiogenesis, granulation tissue formation, and extracellular matrix remodeling in the presence of persistent inflammation. During wound healing, the proliferation and migration of fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and keratinocytes play a critical role in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, angiogenesis, and epithelialization. The molecular factors regulating the migration, proliferation, and differentiation of these cells are scarcely discussed in the literature. The literature review identifies the key factors influencing the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of fibroblasts, keratinocytes, and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which are critical in wound healing. This is followed by a discussion on the various novel factors regulating the migration, proliferation, and differentiation of these cells but not in the context of wound healing; however, they may play a role. Using a network analysis, we examined the interactions between various factors, and the findings suggest that the novel factors identified may play a significant role in promoting angiogenesis, granulation tissue formation, and extracellular matrix remodeling during wound healing or DFU healing. However, these interactions warrant further investigation to establish their role alone or synergistically.
Renal Fibrosis: SIRT1 Still of Value
Authors: Wu Huailiang , Qiu Zhen , Wang Liyan , Li Wei
Published: August 2024

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major global health concern. Renal fibrosis, a prevalent outcome regardless of the initial cause, ultimately leads to end-stage renal disease. Glomerulosclerosis and renal interstitial fibrosis are the primary pathological features. Preventing and slowing renal fibrosis are considered effective strategies for delaying CKD progression. However, effective treatments are lacking. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent deacetylase belonging to class III histone deacetylases, is implicated in the physiological regulation and protection of the kidney and is susceptible to a diverse array of pathological influences, as demonstrated in previous studies. Interestingly, controversial conclusions have emerged as research has progressed. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the current understanding and advancements in the field; specifically, the biological roles and mechanisms of SIRT1 in regulating renal fibrosis progression. These include aspects such as lipid metabolism, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, oxidative stress, aging, inflammation, and autophagy. This manuscript explores the potential of SIRT1 as a therapeutic target for renal fibrosis and offers new perspectives on treatment approaches and prognostic assessments.
A Bio-Inspired Dopamine Model for Robots with Autonomous Decision-Making
Authors: Maroto-Gómez Marcos , Burguete-Alventosa Javier , Álvarez-Arias Sofía , Malfaz María , Salichs Miguel Ángel
Published: August 2024

Decision-making systems allow artificial agents to adapt their behaviours, depending on the information they perceive from the environment and internal processes. Human beings possess unique decision-making capabilities, adapting to current situations and anticipating future challenges. Autonomous robots with adaptive and anticipatory decision-making emulating humans can bring robots with skills that users can understand more easily. Human decisions highly depend on dopamine, a brain substance that regulates motivation and reward, acknowledging positive and negative situations. Considering recent neuroscience studies about the dopamine role in the human brain and its influence on decision-making and motivated behaviour, this paper proposes a model based on how dopamine drives human motivation and decision-making. The model allows robots to behave autonomously in dynamic environments, learning the best action selection strategy and anticipating future rewards. The results show the model’s performance in five scenarios, emphasising how dopamine levels vary depending on the robot’s situation and stimuli perception. Moreover, we show the model’s integration into the Mini social robot to provide insights into how dopamine levels drive motivated autonomous behaviour regulating biologically inspired internal processes emulated in the robot.
Development and Validation of a Segment Fiber Model for Simulating Seismic Collapse in Steel-Reinforced Concrete Structures Using the Discrete Element Method
Authors: Duan Qingyu , Wang Qiang , Yang Chunxiao
Published: August 2024

In this study to accurately simulate the entire collapse process of steel-reinforced concrete (SRC) building structures subjected to seismic actions, a segment fiber model of SRC components (SRC-SFM) was constructed based on the segment fiber model of the discrete element method (DEM) with the introduction of steel fiber bundles. The internal steel and reinforcement fiber bundles were modeled using a uniaxial steel constitutive model, while the concrete fiber bundles were represented by a uniaxial concrete constitutive model that considered the confinement provided by the steel and stirrups. Subsequently, the hysteretic performance of the SRC components and frames was simulated, and the results indicate that the model can effectively capture their hysteretic behavior. A dynamic elastoplastic analysis was conducted on an SRC structure model, and the results obtained from the discrete element software DEM-COLLAPSE were compared with those generated using the finite element software ABAQUS6.96.9. The results indicate that when the acceleration amplitude is relatively low, the computational results are highly consistent with those of the ABAQUS6.9-SRC structural model. At higher acceleration amplitudes, while some numerical differences are observed, the overall trend of the curves re-mains consistent. This demonstrates that the results of dynamic elastic-plastic analysis obtained from DEM-COLLAPSE are of significant reference value, which lays a solid foundation for the application of DEM-COLLAPSE in subsequent collapse simulations of SRC building structures.
Investigation of the Impact of Geotextile Incorporation on the Mechanical Properties of Geopolymer
Authors: Zhou Wei , Zhang Xiujie , Li Hongzhong , Yan Rongtao , Huang Xianlun , Gan Jianjun , Zhang Jinping , Cheng Xiaoyong , Yuan Junhong , Yuan Bingxiang
Published: August 2024

Geopolymers assume an irreplaceable position in the engineering field on account of their numerous merits, such as durability and high temperature resistance. Nevertheless, geopolymers also demonstrate brittleness. In this study, geotextiles with different layers were added to geopolymer to study its compressive strength and stability. Laboratory materials such as alkali activators, geotextiles and granite residual soil (GRS) were utilized. The samples were characterized via XRD, TG-DTG, SEM-EDS and FT-IR. The results indicate that the toughness of geopolymer is significantly enhanced by adding geotextiles, and the strength increase is most obvious when adding one layer of geotextile: the strength increased from 2.57 Mpa to 3.26 Mpa on the 14th day, an increase of 27%. Additionally, the D-W cycle has a great influence on geotextile polymers. On the 14th day, the average strength of the D-W cyclic sample (1.935 Mpa) was 1.305 Mpa smaller than that of the naturally cured sample (3.24 Mpa), and the strength decreased by 40%. These discoveries offer a novel approach for further promoting the application of geopolymers, especially in the field of foundation reinforcement.
Experimental Study on the Dynamic Response of Different Grades of Corroded Steel Reinforcement
Authors: Basdeki Maria , Koulouris Konstantinos , Apostolopoulos Charis
Published: August 2024

The mechanical behavior of corroded steel reinforcement under dynamic loadings is crucial for the entire structural response of reinforced concrete elements located in seismic regions. Taking into account the need to assess the structural integrity of existing building stock and the fact that the majority of the existing RC structures in Greece are constructed with the use of steel grades of S400 (equivalent to BSt 420s) and Tempcore B500c, the present study examines the dynamic behavior of rebars of different grades under low cycle fatigue (LCF) at a constant strain amplitude of ±2.5% and compares their performance through a quality material index. In the margin of the current research, the study also included two different grades of hybrid rebars, Tempcore B450 and dual-phase F (DPF). The outcomes demonstrated that single-phase S400 steel underwent mild degradation in its ductility, whereas its bearing capacity was significantly decreased due to corrosion. In contrast, B500c illustrated its superiority in terms of strength, yet recorded extremely limited service life, even in uncorroded conditions, raising questions about its reliability and the structural integrity of existing building stock. However, in corroded conditions, even if B500c corroded rebars showed higher mass loss values than the other examined grades, the degradation of their mechanical behavior due to corrosion was found to be minimal. Furthermore, dual-phase DPF rebars, with their homogeneous microstructure, appeared particularly promising with respect to Tempcore B450 if one considers the span of its service life compared to the extent of corrosion damage.
Irregular Facades: A Dataset for Semantic Segmentation of the Free Facade of Modern Buildings
Authors: Wei Junjie , Hu Yuexia , Zhang Si , Liu Shuyu
Published: August 2024

Semantic segmentation of building facades has enabled much intelligent support for architectural research and practice in the last decade. Faced with the free facade of modern buildings, however, the accuracy of segmentation decreased significantly, partly due to its low regularity of composition. The freely organized facade composition is likely to weaken the features of different elements, thus increasing the difficulty of segmentation. At present, the existing facade datasets for semantic segmentation tasks were mostly developed based on the classical facades, which were organized regularly. To train the pixel-level classifiers for the free facade segmentation, this study developed a finely annotated dataset named Irregular Facades (IRFs). The IRFs consist of 1057 high-quality facade images, mainly in the modernist style. In each image, the pixels were labeled into six classes, i.e., Background, Plant, Wall, Window, Door, and Fence. The multi-network cross-dataset control experiment demonstrated that the IRFs-trained classifiers segment the free facade of modern buildings more accurately than those trained with existing datasets. The formers show a significant advantage in terms of average WMIoU (0.722) and accuracy (0.837) over the latters (average WMIoU: 0.262–0.505; average accuracy: 0.364–0.662). In the future, the IRFs are also expected to be considered the baseline for the coming datasets of freely organized building facades.
Study on Mechanical Properties of Road Cement-Stabilized Macadam Base Material Prepared with Construction Waste Recycled Aggregate
Authors: Yuan Yingjie , Hu Xianhu , Wang Kai , Liu Zhi , Zhong Mingchen , Meng Kun
Published: August 2024

At present, construction waste recycled aggregates only partially replace natural aggregates to prepare road-based materials. This study addressed this limitation and experimentally investigated the mechanical properties of cement-stabilized macadam base materials utilizing a construction waste recycled aggregate. The feasibility of using these raw materials to prepare cement-stabilized macadam bases was established via experimental validation. Subsequently, compaction tests were conducted to ascertain the maximum dry density and optimum moisture content in the mixture. The mechanical characteristics were further examined using unconfined compressive strength tests, analyzing and discussing the influences of varying cement dosages and curing periods on the material strength. The results indicate that the properties of the recycled aggregates satisfied specification requirements, demonstrating satisfactory mechanical properties. The unconfined compressive strength with a 7-day curing period and a 5% cement content fulfilled the technical standards for expressway-grade heavy and extremely heavy traffic, while that with a 6% cement content (with an added curing agent) met these requirements after just 1 day. Additionally, the curing agent enhanced the early strength of the recycled aggregate base material. This study has broken through the technical bottleneck of low content of recycled aggregate, achieved 100% replacement of natural aggregate, and promoted the sustainable development of the industry.
Study on the Mechanical Properties and Durability of Tunnel Lining Concrete in Coastal Areas
Authors: Dong Sihui , Liu Wei , Li Hongyi
Published: August 2024

To address the problems of the lining cracking and spalling in tunnel structures in coastal areas under the influence of special geological conditions, environmental loading, and the coupling effect of chemical erosion, hybrid fibers were introduced to fly ash concrete in this study. The working performance, compressive strength, split tensile strength, and flexural strength of the hybrid fiber fly ash concrete were tested. A chloride diffusion coefficient under steady-state conditions and a durability test for resistance to sulfate corrosion were carried out. Thus, in-depth analyses of the comprehensive performance of the hybrid fiber fly ash concrete used for the tunnel lining were carried out and the damage mechanism was explored. The results showed that the hybrid fiber fly ash concrete exhibited higher strength compared to the concrete in the control group. However, when the fibers exceeded a certain dosage, the reduction in the working properties of the concrete structure led to the creation of larger pores in the matrix structure, which in turn affected the mechanical properties of the concrete. The most significant reduction in the chloride diffusion coefficient was observed when both steel fibers and coconut fibers were added at a 1.0% volumetric parameter, compared to the control group. The apparent state and compressive strength after sulfate corrosion were also minimally affected. This study ensured that the mechanical properties of the concrete were improved and the corrosion resistance of the matrix also substantially improved, providing a scientific basis for improving the performance of tunnel lining concrete, and confirming that steel–coconut hybrid fiber fly ash concrete has a great potential to improve the structural load-bearing capacity and durability, which may provide theoretical support for its continued use in tunneling projects and construction processes.
Static and Seismic Safety of the Inclined Tower of Portogruaro: A Preliminary Numerical Approach
Authors: Shehu Rafael
Published: August 2024

Masonry towers are peculiar structures with complex structural behavior despite biased conclusions deriving from their geometrical regularity and simplicity. Their geometrical features and the epistemic uncertainty that masonry material bears strongly influence their static and seismic behavior. This paper investigates a remarkable and representative case study. The bell tower of Portogruaro (Italy) is a 57 m high tall construction, built in the XII-th century, and has a notable inclination. The Italian Guideline for the safety assessment of masonry towers is a key focus in this paper, highlighting the pros and cons of different suggested approaches. Some relevant proposals are presented in this paper in order to address the seismic safety assessment of masonry bell towers. The findings show that very slender structures do not meet the guidelines recommendations due to limitations in their current stress state. In addition, in similar cases, the recommended values for the mechanical properties of masonry material led to predicting non-withstanding structural behavior, questioning the correct choice of the adapted material properties. Advanced pushover analysis has been conducted in order to investigate the results of the simplified approach in terms of failure patterns and seismic safety estimation. The simulations are implemented for four different hypothetical scenarios of the existing masonry mechanical properties. The results obtained for the case study tower reflect a different perspective in the seismic assessment of masonry towers when specific approaches are defined. The preliminary results on the safety of Portogruaro Tower show a significant variability of seismic safety based on the adopted scenario, highlighting the necessity to pay attention to the preservation state of the present case and of similar ones.
Thermal Performance and Building Energy Simulation of Precast Insulation Walls in Two Climate Zones
Authors: Luo Xiaoyong , Xu Dudu , Bing Yiwen , He Yang , Chen Qi
Published: August 2024

Traditional concrete buildings exhibit low energy consumption and high heat loss, which results in a larger environmental problem. Precast insulation walls are proposed for strengthening thermal insulation efficiency and mitigating heat loss. Numerous studies have investigated the thermal performance of insulation walls over the past decades. However, gaps remain in practical engineering applications. This study aims to bridge these gaps by providing practical design recommendations based on experimental research. Nine different types of precast insulation walls were tested to examine the thermal performance, and the parameters of the insulation material, insulation form, insulation layer thickness, and concrete rib width were investigated. Then, numerical models of these walls were developed for simulating the thermal performance of the tested specimens. Finally, a six-story student apartment model using designed walls was developed to assess energy consumption in two distinct climate zones: the hot summer and cold winter zone of Changsha City, and the cold zone of Harbin City. The results indicate that the precast insulation wall with external insulation form shows better thermal performance than the sandwich insulation form. It is recommended to use precast insulation walls with 50 mm extruded polystyrene (XPS) external thermal insulation form in Changsha City and 80 mm XPS external thermal insulation form in Harbin City. Furthermore, buildings using precast insulation walls can significantly reduce energy consumption by 49.25% in Changsha and 49.38% in Harbin compared to traditional concrete wall buildings. Based on these findings, suitable design suggestions for this precast concrete wall panel building composed of insulation walls are given.
Inflammatory Pseudotumor of the Liver or Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma, That’s the Question: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Barabino Matteo , Piccolo Gaetano , Tramacere Andrea , Volponi Stefano , Cigala Claudia , Gianelli Umberto , Codecà Carla , Patella Francesca , Ghilardi Giorgio , Lecchi Francesca , Bianchi Paolo Pietro
Published: August 2024

An inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver is a rare tumor-like lesion composed of polymorphous inflammatory cell infiltrates and variable amounts of fibrosis that can often mimic a malignant liver neoplasm. The etiology of inflammatory pseudotumors of the liver is unknown; symptoms are faint and imaging non-specific. Thus, it is often hard to make a diagnosis preoperatively and it is not so rare to over-treat patients with this disease or vice versa. Thus, more profound knowledge is necessary to plan appropriate disease management. We reported our two cases and systematically searched the literature regarding IPTL. We selected articles published in English from four databases, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar, and we included only articles with consistent data. Twenty nine papers fulfilling criteria for the review were selected. The analysis of 69 cases published from 1953 confirmed that the risk factors are unclear, the imaging data is not specific, and biopsy is crucial but not so widely used in clinical practice due to the procedure’s related risks, and relatively low effectiveness and improvement in imaging analysis. Regarding treatment, surgeons have moved towards a more conservative attitude over the years due to better imaging quality and patient surveillance. However, surgery remains the modality of choice for most cases with an indeterminate diagnosis. Even if an inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver is a benign tumor with a good prognosis, not requiring any treatment in most cases, sometimes it remains challenging to differentiate it from ICC; therefore, there is a solid recommendation to manage this condition with a multidisciplinary team.
Efficacy and Safety of Cryoablation in Barrett’s Esophagus and Comparison with Radiofrequency Ablation: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Papaefthymiou Apostolis , Norton Benjamin , Telese Andrea , Ramai Daryl , Murino Alberto , Gkolfakis Paraskevas , Vargo John , Haidry Rehan J.
Published: August 2024

Background: The mainstay approach in endoscopic eradication therapy (EET) for dysplastic Barrett’s esophagus (BE) includes the endoscopic resection of visible lesions, accompanied by ablation of the residual metaplastic epithelium. Cryoablation therapy is one such emerging ablation technique in this field. This systematic review with a meta-analysis aims to accumulate pooled data on cryoablation performance in the treatment of patients with BE and to compare this technique to the standard of care radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Methods: The MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Scopus databases were searched until June 2024 for studies evaluating BE management using cryoablation for cumulative results. The primary outcome was the complete eradication of dysplasia (CED) and intestinal metaplasia (CEIM) in BE compared to RFA, while secondary outcomes included the respective pooled rates using cryoablation, recurrence, and adverse events, with a separate analysis for strictures. The meta-analyses were based on a random-effects model, and the results were reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses by type of cryoablation were also performed. Results: Twenty-three studies (1604 patients) were finally included, four of which were comparative. CED and CEIM did not differ significantly between cryoablation and RFA [OR= 0.95 (95%CI: 0.50–1.81) and OR = 0.57 (95%CI: 0.20–1.63), respectively)]. The pooled rates of CED, CEIM, and recurrence after cryoablation were 84.2% (95%CI: 79.1–89.3), 64.1% (95%CI: 49.2–79.0), and 8.3% (95%CI: 4.7–11.9), accompanied by high rates of heterogeneity. Adverse events were noted in 14.5% (95%CI: 9.9–19.2) of cases, and 6.5% (95%CI: 4.1–9.0) developed strictures. In the subgroup analysis, the cryoballoon achieved a reduction in heterogeneity in CED, adverse events, and stricture formation, whereas spray catheters provided homogenous results in terms of recurrence. Conclusions: Cryoablation provides equal outcomes compared to RFA in the treatment of patients with BE, with the cryoballoon achieving relatively homogenous rates of CED and adverse events.
Therapeutic Antisense Oligonucleotides in Oncology: From Bench to Bedside
Authors: Çakan Elif , Lara Olivia D. , Szymanowska Anna , Bayraktar Emine , Chavez-Reyes Arturo , Lopez-Berestein Gabriel , Amero Paola , Rodriguez-Aguayo Cristian
Published: August 2024

Advancements in our comprehension of tumor biology and chemoresistance have spurred the development of treatments that precisely target specific molecules within the body. Despite the expanding landscape of therapeutic options, there persists a demand for innovative approaches to address unmet clinical needs. RNA therapeutics have emerged as a promising frontier in this realm, offering novel avenues for intervention such as RNA interference and the utilization of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). ASOs represent a versatile class of therapeutics capable of selectively targeting messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and silencing disease-associated proteins, thereby disrupting pathogenic processes at the molecular level. Recent advancements in chemical modification and carrier molecule design have significantly enhanced the stability, biodistribution, and intracellular uptake of ASOs, thereby bolstering their therapeutic potential. While ASO therapy holds promise across various disease domains, including oncology, coronary angioplasty, neurological disorders, viral, and parasitic diseases, our review manuscript focuses specifically on the application of ASOs in targeted cancer therapies. Through a comprehensive examination of the latest research findings and clinical developments, we delve into the intricacies of ASO-based approaches to cancer treatment, shedding light on their mechanisms of action, therapeutic efficacy, and prospects.
DM–AHR: A Self-Supervised Conditional Diffusion Model for AI-Generated Hairless Imaging for Enhanced Skin Diagnosis Applications
Authors: Benjdira Bilel , M. Ali Anas , Koubaa Anis , Ammar Adel , Boulila Wadii
Published: August 2024

Accurate skin diagnosis through end-user applications is important for early detection and cure of severe skin diseases. However, the low quality of dermoscopic images hampers this mission, especially with the presence of hair on these kinds of images. This paper introduces DM–AHR, a novel, self-supervised conditional diffusion model designed specifically for the automatic generation of hairless dermoscopic images to improve the quality of skin diagnosis applications. The current research contributes in three significant ways to the field of dermatologic imaging. First, we develop a customized diffusion model that adeptly differentiates between hair and skin features. Second, we pioneer a novel self-supervised learning strategy that is specifically tailored to optimize performance for hairless imaging. Third, we introduce a new dataset, named DERMAHAIR (DERMatologic Automatic HAIR Removal Dataset), that is designed to advance and benchmark research in this specialized domain. These contributions significantly enhance the clarity of dermoscopic images, improving the accuracy of skin diagnosis procedures. We elaborate on the architecture of DM–AHR and demonstrate its effective performance in removing hair while preserving critical details of skin lesions. Our results show an enhancement in the accuracy of skin lesion analysis when compared to existing techniques. Given its robust performance, DM–AHR holds considerable promise for broader application in medical image enhancement.
Properties, Industrial Applications and Future Perspectives of Catalytic Materials Based on Nickel and Alumina: A Critical Review
Authors: Busca Guido , Spennati Elena , Riani Paola , Garbarino Gabriella
Published: August 2024

The bulk and surface properties of materials based on nickel and aluminum oxides and hydroxides, as such or after reduction processes, are reviewed and discussed critically. The actual and potential industrial applications of these materials, both in reducing conditions and in oxidizing conditions, are summarized. Mechanisms for reactant molecule activation are also discussed.
Boosting Benzene’s Ozone Catalytic Oxidation at Mild Temperatures over Highly Dispersed Ag-Doped Mn3O4
Authors: Guo Hao , Cen Liwei , Deng Kui , Mo Wenlong , Hajime Hojo , Hu Di , Zhang Pan , Shangguan Wenfeng , Huang Haibao , Einaga Hisahiro
Published: August 2024

Transition metal oxides show high activity while still facing the challenges of low mineralization and poor durability in the ozone catalytic oxidation (OCO) of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Improving the oxygen mobility and low-temperature reducibility of transition metal oxides was found to be an effective way to address the above challenges. Here, highly dispersed Ag was added to Mn3O4 via the co-precipitation oxalate route, and the obtained Ag/Mn3O4 exhibited higher mineralization and stability in benzene catalytic ozonation at room temperature. Compared to Mn3O4, the concentration of CO2 formed from benzene oxidation over Ag/Mn3O4 was significantly increased, from 585.4 ppm to 810.9 ppm, while CO generation was greatly suppressed to only one tenth of its original value (194 ppm vs. 19 ppm). In addition, Ag/Mn3O4 exhibited higher catalytic stability than Mn3O4. The introduction of Ag obviously improved the oxygen mobility and low-temperature reducibility of Mn3O4. Moreover, the highly dispersed Ag also promoted the activity of surface oxygen species and the chemisorption of benzene on Mn3O4. The above physicochemical properties contributed to the excellent catalytic performance and durability of Ag/Mn3O4. This research could shed light on the improvement in VOC mineralization via ozone catalytic oxidation.
The Alteration of Circulating Invariant Natural Killer T, γδT, and Natural Killer Cells after Ischemic Stroke in Relation to Clinical Outcomes: A Prospective Case–Control Study
Authors: Frydrychowicz Magdalena , Telec Magdalena , Anioła Jacek , Kazmierski Radosław , Chowaniec Hanna , Dworacki Grzegorz , Wojtasz Izabela , Kozubski Wojciech , Łukasik Maria
Published: August 2024

The adaptive response occurs only after 7–10 days of antigen presentation. Nevertheless, the autoreactive T cells infiltrate the stroke lesion within the first 48 h. Thus, we hypothesized that the unconventional lymphocytes as invariant natural killer T cells (iNKT) and γδT cells that share immediate innate and delayed adaptive response features are involved in acute stroke pathophysiology. We assessed prospectively the quantity of circulating iNKT cells, γδT cells, and NK cells with flow cytometry in 52 subjects within three months after stroke, and we compared the results with those obtained in age-, sex-, and vascular risk factor-matched controls. We studied lymphocyte parameters regarding clinical outcomes, infarct volume, stroke-associated infection (SAI), and burden risk factors. The reduced number of circulating γδT cells and decreased percentage of the Vδ2 subset in the acute phase of stroke correlated with worse neurological status in the recovery phase. In subjects treated with thrombolysis and those who developed SAI, a lower percentage of γδT cells in the 90-day follow-up was observed. An increased percentage of iNKT cells in the acute and subacute phases of stroke was observed, and it was related to the worse clinical status. The circulating NK cells do not change temporarily or affect the outcomes after stroke. It seems that γδT cells play a long-lasting role in ischemic stroke, mainly related to the Vδ2 subset. The role of iNKT cells appears to be detrimental, especially in the acute and subacute phases of stroke. The effect of circulating NK cells on the outcome after stroke seems negligible.
Three-Dimensional Point Cloud Stitching Method in Infrared Images of High-Voltage Cables
Authors: Yu Guang , Huang Yan , Cheng Yujia
Published: August 2024

High-voltage power cables are crucial to the normal operation of all electrical equipment. The insulation surrounding these cables is subject to faults. The traditional methods for detecting cable insulation characteristics primarily focus on breakdown performance tests. However, the measurement precision is low, the risk coefficient is high, and the test cost is high. Additionally, it is difficult to precisely pinpoint high-voltage cable faults. Therefore, in this study, a method for inspecting high-voltage cable faults using infrared stereoscopic vision is proposed. This method enables non-contact remote safety measurements to be conducted. For a limited lens angle in an infrared camera, an area matching stitching method that incorporates feature point matching is developed. The key technologies for three-dimensional (3D) point cloud stitching include feature point extraction and image matching. To address the problem of the Harris algorithm not having scale invariance, Gaussian multi-scale transform parameters were added to the algorithm. During the matching process, a random sampling consistency algorithm is used to eliminate incorrect pairs of matching points. Subsequently, a 3D point cloud stitching experiment on infrared cable images was conducted. The feasibility of the stitching algorithm was verified through qualitative and quantitative analyses of the experimental results. Based on the mechanism by which thermal breakdowns occur, a method for detecting anomalous temperatures in cables is developed based on infrared stereoscopic vision. In this manuscript, the infrared technique, 3D point cloud stitching, and cables inspection are combined for the first time. The detection precision is high, which contributes to the development of high-voltage electrical equipment nondestructive testing.
Preparation and Properties of Conductive Aluminum Powder (Al@Si@C) for Water-Borne Heavy-Duty Anticorrosive Coatings
Authors: Li Qingpeng , Liu Jiaxing , Jiang Tiancheng , An Xiaoyun , Wang Na , Xu Zhixiu , Guo Wanyuan , Zhang Liang , Liu Xiaofeng
Published: August 2024

To improve the storage stability and conductivity of aluminum powder in an aqueous environment, the surface of aluminum powder was treated to form silica film by the sol–gel method, then was treated with conductive modification to introduce nanocarbon black particles so that conductive aluminum powder could be prepared to solve the application bottleneck of aluminum powder in water-borne heavy-duty anticorrosive coatings. The structure, surface morphology, and composition of the modified aluminum powder were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The corrosion resistance and electrochemical properties were measured using a hydrogen evolution test and an 2electrochemical test. The results showed that there was a compact SiO2 film formed on the surface of the prepared conductive aluminum powder, and the conductive filler nanocarbon black was uniformly grafted on the surface. According to the hydrogen evolution test at 100 h/50 °C, conductive aluminum powder with 5 wt% carbon black exhibited the best hydrogen evolution effect, with a hydrogen evolution amount of only 0.5 mL. The prepared conductive aluminum powder was applied to the water-borne coatings, and the storage stability test, electrochemical polarization test, and neutral salt spray test were further conducted. The water-borne coatings prepared with conductive aluminum powder still showed good performance and had no reaction after 6 months of storage. Compared with the coating containing SiO2-modified aluminum powder, the coating exhibited better corrosion resistance.
A Study of a Drawing Exactness Assessment Method Using Localized Normalized Cross-Correlations in a Portrait Drawing Learning Assistant System
Authors: Zhang Yue , Kong Zitong , Funabiki Nobuo , Hsu Chen-Chien
Published: August 2024

Nowadays, portrait drawing has gained significance in cultivating painting skills and human sentiments. In practice, novices often struggle with this art form without proper guidance from professionals, since they lack understanding of the proportions and structures of facial features. To solve this limitation, we have developed a Portrait Drawing Learning Assistant System (PDLAS) to assist novices in learning portrait drawing. The PDLAS provides auxiliary lines as references for facial features that are extracted by applying OpenPose and OpenCV libraries to a face photo image of the target. A learner can draw a portrait on an iPad using drawing software where the auxiliary lines appear on a different layer to the portrait. However, in the current implementation, the PDLAS does not offer a function to assess the exactness of the drawing result for feedback to the learner. In this paper, we present a drawing exactness assessment method using a Localized Normalized Cross-Correlation (NCC) algorithm in the PDLAS. NCC gives a similarity score between the original face photo and drawing result images by calculating the correlation of the brightness distributions. For precise feedback, the method calculates the NCC for each face component by extracting the bounding box. In addition, in this paper, we improve the auxiliary lines for the nose. For evaluations, we asked students at Okayama University, Japan, to draw portraits using the PDLAS, and applied the proposed method to their drawing results, where the application results validated the effectiveness by suggesting improvements in drawing components. The system usability was also confirmed through a questionnaire with a SUS score. The main finding of this research is that the implementation of the NCC algorithm within the PDLAS significantly enhances the accuracy of novice portrait drawings by providing detailed feedback on specific facial features, proving the system’s efficacy in art education and training.
Using Deep Learning to Classify Environmental Sounds in the Habitat of Western Black-Crested Gibbons
Authors: Hu Ruiqi , Hu Kunrong , Wang Leiguang , Guan Zhenhua , Zhou Xiaotao , Wang Ning , Ye Longjia
Published: August 2024

The western black-crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor) is a rare and endangered primate that inhabits southern China and northern Vietnam, and has become a key conservation target due to its distinctive call and highly endangered status, making its identification and monitoring particularly urgent. Identifying calls of the western black-crested gibbon using passive acoustic monitoring data is a crucial method for studying and analyzing these gibbons; however, traditional call recognition models often overlook the temporal information in audio features and fail to adapt to channel-feature weights. To address these issues, we propose an innovative deep learning model, VBSNet, designed to recognize and classify a variety of biological calls, including those of endangered western black-crested gibbons and certain bird species. The model incorporates the image feature extraction capability of the VGG16 convolutional network, the sequence modeling capability of bi-directional LSTM, and the feature selection capability of the SE attention module, realizing the multimodal fusion of image, sequence and attention information. In the constructed dataset, the VBSNet model achieved the best performance in the evaluation metrics of accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score, realizing an accuracy of 98.35%, demonstrating high accuracy and generalization ability. This study provides an effective deep learning method in the field of automated bioacoustic monitoring, which is of great theoretical and practical significance for supporting wildlife conservation and maintaining biodiversity.
Bond Strength of Nanocomposite Hard Liner to CAD-CAM Milled, 3D Printed, and Conventionally Fabricated Denture Base Resins
Authors: Albazroun Zainab , Alabdullatif Atheer , Aldehaileb Sarah , Alhalimi Ferdoos , Alshahrani Faris A. , Khan Soban Q. , Fouda Shaimaa M. , AlRumaih Hamad S. , Gad Mohammed M.
Published: August 2024

Background: To investigate the effect of zirconium dioxide nanoparticles (ZrO2NPs) on the shear bond strength (SBS) of hard denture lines bonded to different denture base resins. Methods: Five different denture bases were used in this study: conventional heat-cured resin, IvoCad, AvaDent, NextDent, and FormLabs, in acrylic specimens of 10 × 10 × 2.5 mm3 (N = 150, n = 10). Specimens were centered at the bottom of a silicon mold to create an auto-polymerized holder. Three major groups of reline material were used: no ZrO2NPs (control), 2 wt.%, and 4 wt.% ZrO2NPs. Reline was bonded to the resin surface using a customized jig. After polymerization, specimens were stored in distilled water, and 5000 thermal cycles were performed. Each specimen was fixed to an Instron machine, and SBS was tested using a blade loaded (1 mm/min) at the resin interface until failure. Data was collected and analyzed using two-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey test (α = 0.05). Results: AvaDent showed the highest SBS when compared with other denture base materials (p < 0.001) except for IvoCad. The addition of ZrO2NPs significantly decreased the SBS of AvaDent (p = 0.003) and IvoCad (p = 0.001), while heat polymerized resin, Formlabs, and NextDent showed no significant change in SBS (p > 0.05). Conclusion: CAD-CAM milled denture base resin showed higher SBS with pure denture reline. The addition of ZrO2NPs decreased the SBS of reline with CAD-CAM milled denture base resins but did not change bond strength with 3D printed and conventional denture base resins.
A Robust Handover Optimization Based on Velocity-Aware Fuzzy Logic in 5G Ultra-Dense Small Cell HetNets
Authors: Riaz Hamidullah , Öztürk Sıtkı , Çalhan Ali
Published: August 2024

In 5G networks and beyond, managing handovers (HOs) becomes complex because of frequent user transitions through small coverage areas. The abundance of small cells (SCs) also complicates HO decisions, potentially leading to inefficient resource utilization. To optimize this process, we propose an intelligent algorithm based on a method that utilizes a fuzzy logic controller (FLC), leveraging prior expertise to dynamically adjust the time-to-trigger (TTT), and handover margin (HOM) in a 5G ultra-dense SC heterogeneous network (HetNet). FLC refines TTT based on the user’s velocity to improve the response to movement. Simultaneously, it adapts HOM by considering inputs such as the reference signal received power (RSRP), user equipment (UE) speed, and cell load. The proposed approach enhances HO decisions, thereby improving the overall system performance. Evaluation using metrics such as handover rate (HOR), handover failure (HOF), radio link failure (RLF), and handover ping-pong (HOPP) demonstrate the superiority of the proposed algorithm over existing approaches.