bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of the Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Wild Boar (Sus scrofa L.) Foraging in Urban and Suburban Areas
Authors: Pilarczyk Bogumiła , Tomza-Marciniak Agnieszka , Pilarczyk Renata , Felska-Błaszczyk Lidia , Bąkowska Małgorzata , Udała Jan , Juszczak-Czasnojć Marta
Published: January 2024

The aim of this study was to compare the species composition of gastrointestinal parasites in wild boar feeding in the city of Szczecin with those in its suburban area, as well as to determine the prevalence and intensity of this parasite infection. The intestines and stomachs of 57 wild boars were supplied by a municipal hunter from the city of Szczecin. Both analysed groups of animals were infected with the following parasites: Eimeria debliecki, E. suis, E. polita, E. scabra, Isospora suis, Ascaris suum and Oesophagostomum dentatum. Wild boar from the city were characterised as having a significantly higher prevalence of total Eimeria (p = 0.04) and a lower prevalence of noted species of nematodes (p = 0.15) compared to those from the suburban area. Since the wild boars were mainly infected with Eimeria, it should be assumed that they may pose a real health threat to farm pigs and other farm animals for which Eimeria is a pathogenic parasite. The occurrence of coccidiosis leads to serious health problems and economic losses for breeders. Although the prevalence of A. suum was low, it should be taken into account that this nematode is able to both infect and complete their life cycle in humans.
Curcumin Mitigates Oxidative Damage in Broiler Liver and Ileum Caused by Aflatoxin B1-Contaminated Feed through Nrf2 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhang Jingyang , Sun Xue , Chai Xuehong , Jiao Yihan , Sun Jing , Wang Shenao , Yu Hao , Feng Xingjun
Published: January 2024

This experiment aimed to investigate the mitigating effect of CUR on the growth performance and liver and intestinal health of broilers fed AFB1-contaminated diets. In this study, 320 one-day-old healthy male Arbor Acres (AA) broilers were randomly divided into four groups, including the Control group (fed the basal diet), the AFB1 group (fed the AFB1-contaminated diet containing 1 mg/kg AFB1), the AFB1+CUR group (fed the AFB1-contaminated diet with 500 mg/kg CUR), and the CUR group (fed the basal diet containing 500 mg/kg CUR), with eight replicates of ten animals per group and a 28 d experimental period. In terms of the growth performance, the addition of 500 mg/kg CUR significantly improved AFB1-induced significant reductions in the final body weight on day 28 and mean daily gain (p < 0.05) and increased the ratio of the mean daily feed intake to mean daily weight gain in broilers (p < 0.05). In terms of liver health, significant improvements in liver histological lesions occurred in broilers in the AFB1+CUR group compared to the AFB1 group, with significantly higher glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activities (p < 0.05) and significantly higher levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap-1), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1) gene expression (p < 0.05). In terms of intestinal health, CUR addition significantly increased the relative length of ileum (p < 0.05), significantly elevated the height of ileal villi (p < 0.05), significantly reduced D-Lactate (D-LA) and diamine oxidase (DAO) activities in broiler serum (p < 0.05), significantly increased GSH, CAT, and T-SOD activities in ileal tissues (p < 0.05), and significantly elevated the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO-1 genes (p < 0.05) compared to the AFB1 group. In conclusion, CUR showed a protective effect against damage to the liver and intestine caused by AFB1 in broilers through the Nrf2 signaling pathway, thereby improving the growth performance of broilers exposed to AFB1.
Nanotechnology in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Antibiotic-Resistant Infections
Authors: Ioannou Petros , Baliou Stella , Samonis George
Published: January 2024

The development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), along with the relative reduction in the production of new antimicrobials, significantly limits the therapeutic options in infectious diseases. Thus, novel treatments, especially in the current era, where AMR is increasing, are urgently needed. There are several ongoing studies on non-classical therapies for infectious diseases, such as bacteriophages, antimicrobial peptides, and nanotechnology, among others. Nanomaterials involve materials on the nanoscale that could be used in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases. This review provides an overview of the applications of nanotechnology in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases from a clinician’s perspective, with a focus on pathogens with AMR. Applications of nanomaterials in diagnosis, by taking advantage of their electrochemical, optic, magnetic, and fluorescent properties, are described. Moreover, the potential of metallic or organic nanoparticles (NPs) in the treatment of infections is also addressed. Finally, the potential use of NPs in the development of safe and efficient vaccines is also reviewed. Further studies are needed to prove the safety and efficacy of NPs that would facilitate their approval by regulatory authorities for clinical use.
Retinopathy of Prematurity—Targeting Hypoxic and Redox Signaling Pathways
Authors: Zhang Liyu , Buonfiglio Francesco , Fieß Achim , Pfeiffer Norbert , Gericke Adrian
Published: January 2024

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a proliferative vascular ailment affecting the retina. It is the main risk factor for visual impairment and blindness in infants and young children worldwide. If left undiagnosed and untreated, it can progress to retinal detachment and severe visual impairment. Geographical variations in ROP epidemiology have emerged over recent decades, attributable to differing levels of care provided to preterm infants across countries and regions. Our understanding of the causes of ROP, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and associated risk factors continues to advance. This review article aims to present the pathophysiological mechanisms of ROP, including its treatment. Specifically, it delves into the latest cutting-edge treatment approaches targeting hypoxia and redox signaling pathways for this condition.
Synthesis of Starch-Based Ag2[Fe (CN)5NO] Nanoparticles for Utilization in Antibacterial and Wound-Dressing Applications
Authors: Lu Yuting , Sathiyaseelan Anbazhagan , Zhang Xin , Zhang Lina , Han Kiseok , Wang Myeong Hyeon
Published: January 2024

Bacterial infections can lead to the formation of chronic wounds and delay the wound-healing process. Therefore, it is important to explore safe and efficient antimicrobial agents that have wound-healing and biocompatible properties. In this study, novel starch-fabricated silver nitroprusside nanoparticles (S-AgNP NPs) were prepared for biocompatible wound-healing applications. The study showed that S-AgNP NPs are spherical, with an average size of 356 ± 22.28 d. nm and zeta potential of −27.8 ± 2.80 mV, respectively. Furthermore, the FTIR and XRD results showed that S-AgNP NPs have functional groups and crystal structures from the silver nitroprusside nanoparticles (AgNP NPs) and starch. Additionally, S-AgNP NPs showed excellent bacterial and biofilm inhibition on B. cereus (15.6 μg/mL), L. monocytogenes (15.6 μg/mL), S. aureus (31.3 μg/mL), E. coli (31.3 μg/mL) and S. enterica (62.5 μg/mL). Moreover, S-AgNP NPs promoted cell migration and proliferation at a concentration of 62.5 μg/mL compared to AgNP NPs. Meanwhile, S-AgNP NPs had good biocompatibility and low cytotoxicity compared to AgNP NPs. Therefore, this study provided new ideas for the development of wound-healing agents with bacteriostatic properties in chronic wounds.
Dynamic Malware Classification and API Categorisation of Windows Portable Executable Files Using Machine Learning
Authors: Syeda Durre Zehra , Asghar Mamoona Naveed
Published: January 2024

The rise of malware attacks presents a significant cyber-security challenge, with advanced techniques and offline command-and-control (C2) servers causing disruptions and financial losses. This paper proposes a methodology for dynamic malware analysis and classification using a malware Portable Executable (PE) file from the MalwareBazaar repository. It suggests effective strategies to mitigate the impact of evolving malware threats. For this purpose, a five-level approach for data management and experiments was utilised: (1) generation of a customised dataset by analysing a total of 582 malware and 438 goodware samples from Windows PE files; (2) feature extraction and feature scoring based on Chi2 and Gini importance; (3) empirical evaluation of six state-of-the-art baseline machine learning (ML) models, including Logistic Regression (LR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naive Bayes (NB), Random Forest (RF), XGBoost (XGB), and K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN), with the curated dataset; (4) malware family classification using VirusTotal APIs; and, finally, (5) categorisation of 23 distinct APIs from 266 malware APIs. According to the results, Gini’s method takes a holistic view of feature scoring, considering a wider range of API activities. The RF achieved the highest precision of 0.99, accuracy of 0.96, area under the curve (AUC) of 0.98, and F1-score of 0.96, with a 0.93 true-positive rate (TPR) and 0.0098 false-positive rate (FPR), among all applied ML models. The results show that Trojans (27%) and ransomware (22%) are the most risky among 11 malware families. Windows-based APIs (22%), the file system (12%), and registry manipulation (8.2%) showcased their importance in detecting malicious activity in API categorisation. This paper considers a dual approach for feature reduction and scoring, resulting in an improved F1-score (2%), and the inclusion of AUC and specificity metrics distinguishes it from existing research (Section Comparative Analysis with Existing Approaches). The newly generated dataset is publicly available in the GitHub repository (Data Availability Statement) to facilitate aspirant researchers’ dynamic malware analysis.
Service for Deploying Digital Twins of QKD Networks
Authors: Martin Raul , Lopez Blanca , Vidal Ivan , Valera Francisco , Nogales Borja
Published: January 2024

Quantum technologies promise major advances in different areas. From computation to sensing or telecommunications, quantum implementations could bring significant improvements to these fields, arousing the interest of researchers, companies, and governments. In particular, the deployment of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) networks, which enable the secure dissemination of cryptographic keys to remote application entities following Quantum Mechanics Principles, appears to be one of the most attractive and relevant use cases. Quantum devices and equipment are still in a development phase, making their availability low and their price high, hindering the deployment of physical QKD networks and, therefore, the research and experimentation activities related to this field. In this context, this paper focuses on providing research stakeholders with an open-access testbed where it is feasible to emulate the deployment of QKD networks, thus enabling the execution of experiments and trials, where even potential network attacks can be analyzed, without the quantum physical equipment requirement, nor compromising the integrity of an already built QKD network. The designed solution allows users to automatically deploy, configure, and run a digital twin environment of a QKD network, offering cost-effectiveness and great flexibility in the study of the integration of quantum communications in the current network infrastructures. This solution is aligned with the European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI) standardized application interface for QKD, and is built upon open-source technologies. The feasibility of this solution has been validated throughout several functional trials carried out in the 5G Telefónica Open Network Innovation Centre (5TONIC), verifying the service performance in terms of speed and discarded qubits when generating the quantum keys.
The Impact of Different Implant Approaches in Overdenture Rehabilitated Diabetic Patients: A Two-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Ghiraldini Bruna , Corrêa Mônica Grazieli , Ribeiro Fernanda Vieira , Cirano Fabiano Ribeiro , Denófrio Pedro Henrique Faria , Pimentel Suzana Peres , Casati Marcio Z.
Published: January 2024

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is identified as an important condition that leads to implant complications, and the apico-coronal position and the prosthetic abutment seem to interfere with peri-implant tissue behavior This study aimed at assessing the effect on peri-implant parameters after implant loading of two different methodologies in type two diabetics patients (T2DM) who received implant muco-retained overdentures. Twenty-two mandibular edentulous T2DM received two implants: Test group: prosthetic abutment of a diameter smaller than the platform of the implant and a morse taper subcrestal implant level; Control group: prosthetic abutment of diameter identical to the platform and hexagonal external implant placed at crestal bone level. Clinical, inflammatory, and tomographic evaluations were performed at baseline (after prosthesis installation), and twelve and twenty-four months after implant loading. Test implants presented inferior probing depth and clinical attachment level compared to control at baseline and 12 months (p < 0.05). Test implants presented reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines at 24 months compared to the control implants (p < 0.05). The control group had more changes in bone parameters from baseline to the first and second years (p < 0.05). The test group resulted in reduced bone remodeling and better clinical conditions and positively modulated peri-implant immunoinflammatory molecules. Trial identification UTN code: U1111-1239-3638.
Senti-Sequence: Learning to Represent Texts for Sentiment Polarity Classification
Authors: Ramos Magna Andres , Zamora Juan , Allende-Cid Hector
Published: January 2024

The sentiment analysis task seeks to categorize opinionated documents as having overall positive or negative opinions. This task is very important to understand unstructured text content generated by users in different domains, such as online and entertainment platforms and social networks. In this paper, we propose a novel method for predicting the overall polarity in texts. First, a new polarity-aware vector representation is automatically built for each document. Then, a bidirectional recurrent neural architecture is designed to identify the emerging polarity. The attained results outperform all of the algorithms found in the literature in the binary polarity classification task.
Optimizing Cybersecurity Attack Detection in Computer Networks: A Comparative Analysis of Bio-Inspired Optimization Algorithms Using the CSE-CIC-IDS 2018 Dataset
Authors: Najafi Mohsenabad Hadi , Tut Mehmet Ali
Published: January 2024

In computer network security, the escalating use of computer networks and the corresponding increase in cyberattacks have propelled Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) to the forefront of research in computer science. IDSs are a crucial security technology that diligently monitor network traffic and host activities to identify unauthorized or malicious behavior. This study develops highly accurate models for detecting a diverse range of cyberattacks using the fewest possible features, achieved via a meticulous selection of features. We chose 5, 9, and 10 features, respectively, using the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA), and Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) feature-selection techniques. We successfully constructed different models with a remarkable detection accuracy of over 98.8% (approximately 99.0%) with Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), an accuracy of 98.7% with the Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA), and an accuracy of 98.6% with the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC). Another achievement of this study is the minimum model building time achieved in intrusion detection, which was equal to 1 s using the Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA), 2 s using the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), and 3 s using Ant Colony Optimization (ACO). Our research leverages the comprehensive and up-to-date CSE-CIC-IDS2018 dataset and uses the preprocessing Discretize technique to discretize data. Furthermore, our research provides valuable recommendations to network administrators, aiding them in selecting appropriate machine learning algorithms tailored to specific requirements.
A Study on Automated Problem Troubleshooting in Cloud Environments with Rule Induction and Verification
Authors: Poghosyan Arnak , Harutyunyan Ashot , Davtyan Edgar , Petrosyan Karen , Baloian Nelson
Published: January 2024

In a vast majority of cases, remediation of IT issues encoded into domain-specific or user-defined alerts occurring in cloud environments and customer ecosystems suffers from accurate recommendations, which could be supplied in a timely manner for recovery of performance degradations. This is hard to realize by furnishing those abnormality definitions with appropriate expert knowledge, which varies from one environment to another. At the same time, in many support cases, the reported problems under Global Support Services (GSS) or Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) treatment ultimately go down to the product teams, making them waste costly development hours on investigating self-monitoring metrics of our solutions. Therefore, the lack of a systematic approach to adopting AI Ops significantly impacts the mean-time-to-resolution (MTTR) rates of problems/alerts. This would imply building, maintaining, and continuously improving/annotating a data store of insights on which ML models are trained and generalized across the whole customer base and corporate cloud services. Our ongoing study aligns with this vision and validates an approach that learns the alert resolution patterns in such a global setting and explains them using interpretable AI methodologies. The knowledge store of causative rules is then applied to predicting potential sources of the application degradation reflected in an active alert instance. In this communication, we share our experiences with a prototype solution and up-to-date analysis demonstrating how root conditions are discovered accurately for a specific type of problem. It is validated against the historical data of resolutions performed by heavy manual development efforts. We also offer experts a Dempster–Shafer theory-based rule verification framework as a what-if analysis tool to test their hypotheses about the underlying environment.
The Impact of Incorporating Five Different Boron Materials into a Dental Composite on Its Mechanical Properties
Authors: Ucuk Mehmet Kutluhan , Ucuncu Musa Kazim
Published: January 2024

The aim of this study is to comparatively investigate changes in mechanical properties by adding five different types of boron derivatives to a microhybrid dental composite structure. In this study, which evaluated upper and lower surface microhardness (VHN), roughness (Ra), and color stability (∆E), a total of 126 discs were used (n = 7; per each subgroup). All boron derivatives were added to the dental composite structure in equal proportions in a dark room to create experimental composites (5% w/w). To enable comparison, a default composite without the addition of any boron derivative served as the negative control group. Before measurements, all samples were incubated at 37 °C for 24 h. For surface microhardness, roughness, and color stability, all experimental groups were statistically significant within themselves (p < 0.001). The group with borax pentahydrate exhibited the highest VHN value on the upper surface, while the lowest value was observed in the group with etifert. It was found that all experimental groups showed a decrease in lower surface microhardness compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Although the eticol-ceramic-added group had the lowest roughness values, this group also exhibited significantly higher ∆E values compared to the other groups. Surface roughness showed a negative correlation with ∆E and upper surface microhardness values for all experimental groups (respectively p = 0.038; r = −0.185/p = 0.006; r = −0.245). To sum up, the addition of boron derivatives to composites, except for etifert, increased upper surface microhardness values; however, except for eticol-ceramic, surface roughness values also increased. Nevertheless, the addition of boron derivatives, except for eticol-ceramic, ensures color stabilization.
Fatigue Performance Analysis of an Underwater Vehicle Rudder Mechanism Considering Arctic Low Temperatures
Authors: Yu Li , Guo Wenyong , Chen Hantao , Wu Zhe , Cao Chenghao , Li Xiaofeng , Chen Siyu
Published: January 2024

For underwater vehicles navigating in Arctic Sea ice-covered waters, fatigue damage is a crucial issue. Many scholars have conducted low-temperature fatigue analysis on low-temperature materials and substrate platforms for ships, and the results show that low temperature is beneficial for improving the mechanical properties of materials. However, they have mainly focused on low-temperature performance experiments and simulation analysis of standard components of materials, and there are very few fatigue life experimental studies on underwater vehicle mechanical structures. This paper conducts experimental investigations on a scaled model of an underwater vehicle rudder mechanism in a polar environment laboratory. Using a comparative analysis method involving simulations and experiments, the low-temperature fatigue test data of the scaled underwater vehicle rudder mechanism are analyzed, and the quantified analysis between fatigue and different low-temperature loading cycles, as well as the influence of icing on the fatigue life, is explored. It is indicated that the Arctic environment can decrease the fatigue life of the underwater vehicle rudder mechanism by deteriorating its material properties. The paper builds the foundation for the fatigue life of an underwater vehicle rudder mechanism in Arctic low-temperature environments.
A Study on the Softening Shear Model of the Energy Pile–Soil Contact Surface
Authors: Wang Huiyuan , Zhao Peng , Li Xiaozhao , Wang Xue , Bian Xia
Published: January 2024

In this paper, a finite element numerical model of thermal-hydro-mechanical of energy piles under multi-layer geological conditions was established, and field tests of ultra-long energy pile (1000-mm-diameter, 44-m-long) were carried out to reveal the temperature distribution and mechanical properties of energy pile under typical working conditions. Based on the analytical results, a softening shear model of the energy–soil interface under the condition of large shear displacement was proposed with the load transfer method, and the reliability of the model was verified. The model can simulate the shear–displacement relationship of the pile–soil interface under different geological conditions.
Evaluation of the Thermal Energy Potential of Waste Products from Fruit Preparation and Processing Industry
Authors: Bača Petr , Mašán Vladimír , Vanýsek Petr , Burg Patrik , Binar Tomáš , Suchý Pavel , Vaňková Lenka
Published: January 2024

In the context of a changing climate and increasing efforts to use renewable energy sources and waste materials and to green the environment, new sources and technologies for energy recovery from waste are being sought. This study evaluates the possibilities of energy generation potential from waste products of fruit species used in the food processing industry. The results indicate good potential for energy use of materials from fruit processing due to low input moisture content of around 15 wt. %, an average energy lower heating value (LHV) of 16.5 MJ·kg−1, an average low ash content of 4.9% and meeting most of the emission limits of similar biofuels. Elemental analysis and combustion residue studies indicate safe operation within existing standards. The results of our analyses and experience from similar studies allow us to recommend most of the studied waste materials for energy generation use directly in processing plants at the local level.
Planetary Boundary Layer Flow over Complex Terrain during a Cold Surge Event: A Case Study
Authors: Lee Young-Hee , Lim Hee-Jeong , Lee Gyuwon
Published: January 2024

Planetary boundary layer (PBL) flow over complex terrain during a cold surge event was investigated using 3-hourly radiosonde measurements in upwind, near ridge, and downwind locations of mountains in the northeastern part of Republic of Korea and using a high-resolution (333-m) numerical simulation. A cold surge occurred on 23 January 2018 and lasted for 4 days. We analyzed onset day of the cold surge when air temperature dropped rapidly. Analysis of the radiosonde data shows that the PBL was characterized by an adiabatic layer with strong capping inversion in early morning and evening as well as during daytime in the upwind and near-ridge sites. The PBL flow at the near-ridge site was strongest among three sites except at 0600 local standard time (LST) when the PBL flow in the lee was strongest. We performed high-resolution (333-m) numerical simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The adiabatic PBL in the upwind site at 0600 LST was simulated, although its depth was underestimated. The model reproduced the strong low-level wind at 0600 LST and large wind shear during the daytime in the lee, but it did not capture the exact timing of the large wind shear. The model showed overall good performance in simulating the vertical profile of the virtual potential temperature and wind below 2 km above ground level at the three sites, with a high index of agreement (IOA) except for the wind at 1200 and 1500 LST in the lee. To examine the cause for the different behavior of PBL flow in the lee of mountains between 0600 LST and the daytime, we calculated the Froude number for PBL flow using radiosonde measurements based on reduced gravity shallow water (RGSW) theory. At 0600 LST, the upwind Froude number F0 was close to 1, while during the daytime, it was much lower than 1. The observed lee flow behavior was consistent with the flow regime change of a single layer over an obstacle with changing F0; the flow with a propagating lee jump changes into that with a stationary lee jump with decreasing F0. Numerical simulation shows that the steepening of streamlines of lee-wave field leads to a jump-like structure in the lee of mountains during the daytime.
Operational Assessment of High Resolution Weather Radar Based Precipitation Nowcasting System
Authors: Raj Bibraj , Sahoo Swaroop , Puviarasan N. , Chandrasekar V.
Published: January 2024

North East Monsoon (NEM) is the major source of rainfall for the south-eastern parts of peninsular India. Short time rainfall prediction data (i.e., nowcasting) are based on the observations from Doppler weather radars which has a high spatial and temporal resolution. This study focuses on the short-term ensemble prediction system using weather radar data to predict precipitation during the NEM and is the first of its kind in the Indian region to make an assessment of the operational performance of the prediction system. Six rainfall events have been studied for the assessment of short-term prediction system where the precipitation systems are different and include a tropical storm observed over different days during the 2022 NEM season. To assess the performance of the system, Fractional Skill Scores (FSS) at a 1 km window have been computed for a lead time of 0–2 h for all the rainfall events with more than 750 samples using different optical flow methods and ensemble sizes. The best average skill score and maximum skill score obtained at a 2 h lead time is 0.65 and 0.78 for tropical storms, 0.5 and 0.78 for stratiform and 0.15 and 0.38 for convective precipitation. It has found that the performance of the model is best for precipitation systems that are widespread and have a longer life period.
Fractional q-Calculus Operators Pertaining to the q-Analogue of
M-Function and Its Application to Fractional q-Kinetic Equations
Authors: Shimelis Biniyam , Suthar Daya Lal , Kumar Dinesh
Published: January 2024

In this article, the authors introduce the q-analogue of the M-function, and establish four theorems related to the Riemann–Liouville fractional q-calculus operators pertaining to the newly defined q-analogue of M-functions. In addition, to establish the solution of fractional q-kinetic equations involving the q-analogue of the M-function, we apply the technique of the q-Laplace transform and the q-Sumudu transform and its inverse to obtain the solution in closed form. Due to the general nature of the q-calculus operators and defined functions, a variety of results involving special functions can only be obtained by setting the parameters appropriately.
Optimal Image Characterization for In-Bed Posture Classification by Using SVM Algorithm
Authors: Rivera-Romero Claudia Angelica , Munoz-Minjares Jorge Ulises , Lastre-Dominguez Carlos , Lopez-Ramirez Misael
Published: January 2024

Identifying patient posture while they are lying in bed is an important task in medical applications such as monitoring a patient after a surgical intervention, sleep supervision to identify behavioral and physiological markers, or for bedsore prevention. An acceptable strategy to identify the patient’s position is the classification of images created from a grid of pressure sensors located in the bed. These samples can be arranged based on supervised learning methods. Usually, image conditioning is required before images are loaded into a learning method to increase classification accuracy. However, continuous monitoring of a person requires large amounts of time and computational resources if complex pre-processing algorithms are used. So, the problem is to classify the image posture of patients with different weights, heights, and positions by using minimal sample conditioning for a specific supervised learning method. In this work, it is proposed to identify the patient posture from pressure sensor images by using well-known and simple conditioning techniques and selecting the optimal texture descriptors for the Support Vector Machine (SVM) method. This is in order to obtain the best classification and to avoid image over-processing in the conditioning stage for the SVM. The experimental stages are performed with the color models Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) and Hue, Saturation, and Value (HSV). The results show an increase in accuracy from 86.9% to 92.9% and in kappa value from 0.825 to 0.904 using image conditioning with histogram equalization and a median filter, respectively.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines for the Prevention of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Patients Living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Rapid Review
Authors: Boylan Paul M. , Fleischman Megan E. , Pinner Nathan , Woods Joseph Andrew , Welch Adam
Published: January 2024

Background: Patients living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at risk for lower respiratory tract infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The first RSV vaccines were approved in 2023 for adults ages 60 years and older. The safety and efficacy of the RSV vaccines and their clinical implications in patients living with COPD, apart from composite comorbidity results, are under-reported. Methods: This rapid review aimed to collect and report data pertaining to RSV vaccine safety and efficacy in patients living with COPD. Resources searched included Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, published peer-reviewed abstracts, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website. Results: Seven records were included: five research manuscripts and two ongoing clinical trials. Patients living with COPD were included in RSV vaccine clinical trials, but outcomes of RSV vaccine safety and efficacy in patients living with COPD were grossly unreported. Conclusions: Future clinical trials of patients living with COPD and subgroup analyses of patients living with COPD within existing studies evaluating RSV vaccine safety and efficacy are necessary to substantiate outcomes in this population.
Short- and Long-Term Outcomes of Patients with Postoperative Arrhythmia after Liver Surgery
Authors: Rühlmann Felix , Engelhardt Deborah , Mackert Alma Franziska , Hedicke Mara Sophie , Tichelbäcker Tobias , Leha Andreas , Bernhardt Markus , Ghadimi Michael , Perl Thorsten , Azizian Azadeh , Gaedcke Jochen
Published: January 2024

Background: New-onset postoperative arrhythmia (PA) has previously been described as a pivotal risk factor for postoperative morbidity and mortality after visceral surgery. However, there is a lack of data concerning liver surgery. The incidence and impact of new-onset postoperative arrhythmia after liver surgery was, therefore, analyzed in a monocentric study. Methods: In total, n = 460 patients (221 female, 239 male) who underwent liver surgery between January 2012 and April 2020 without any prior arrhythmia in their medical history were included in this retrospective analysis. Clinical monitoring started with the induction of anesthesia and was terminated with discharge from the intensive care unit (ICU) or intermediate care unit (IMC). Follow-up included documentation of complications during the hospital stay, as well as long-term survival analysis. Results: Postoperative arrhythmia after liver surgery was observed in 25 patients, corresponding to an incidence of 5.4%. The occurrence of arrhythmia was significantly associated with intraoperative complications (p < 0.05), liver fibrosis/cirrhosis (p < 0.05), bile fistula/bile leakage/bilioma (p < 0.05), and organ failure (p < 0.01). Survival analysis showed a significantly poorer overall survival of patients who developed postoperative arrhythmia after liver surgery (p < 0.001). Conclusions: New-onset postoperative arrhythmia after liver surgery has an incidence of only 5.4% but is significantly associated with higher postoperative morbidity and poorer overall survival.
Wnt Signaling in Atherosclerosis: Mechanisms to Therapeutic Implications
Authors: Afroz Rizwana , Goodwin Julie E.
Published: January 2024

Atherosclerosis is a vascular disease in which inflammation plays a pivotal role. Receptor-mediated signaling pathways regulate vascular inflammation and the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. Emerging evidence has revealed the role of the Wnt pathway in atherosclerosis progression. The Wnt pathway influences almost all stages of atherosclerosis progression, including endothelial dysfunction, monocyte infiltration, smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, and plaque formation. Targeting the Wnt pathway to treat atherosclerosis represents a promising therapeutic approach that remains understudied. Blocking Wnt signaling utilizing small molecule inhibitors, recombinant proteins, and/or neutralizing antibodies ameliorates atherosclerosis in preclinical models. The Wnt pathway can be potentially manipulated through targeting Wnt ligands, receptors, co-receptors, and downstream signaling molecules. However, there are challenges associated with developing a real world therapeutic compound that targets the Wnt pathway. This review focuses on the role of Wnt signaling in atherosclerosis development, and the rationale for targeting this pathway for the treatment of atherosclerosis.
Synergistic Differential DNA Demethylation Activity of Danshensu (Salvia miltiorrhiza) Associated with Different Probiotics in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Hassan Amr , Rijo Patrícia , Abuamara Tamer M. M. , Ali Lashin Lashin Saad , Kamar Sherif A. , Bangay Gabrielle , Al-Sawahli Majid Mohammed , Fouad Marina K. , Zoair Mohammad A. , Abdalrhman Tamer I. , Elebeedy Dalia , Ibrahim Ibrahim A. , Mohamed Aly F. , Abd El Maksoud Ahmed I.
Published: January 2024

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major hepatic disorder occurring in non-alcohol-drinking individuals. Salvianic acid A or Danshensu (DSS, 3-(3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl)-(2R)-lactic acid), derived from the root of Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza), has demonstrated heart and liver protective properties. In this work, we investigated the antioxidant activity and hepatoprotective activity of Danshensu alone and in combination with different agents, such as probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus acidophilus), against several assays. The inhibition mechanism of the methylation gene biomarkers, such as DNMT-1, MS, STAT-3, and TET-1, against DSS was evaluated by molecular docking and RT-PCR techniques. The physicochemical and pharmacokinetic ADMET properties of DSS were determined by SwissADME and pkCSM. The results indicated that all lipid blood test profiles, including cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), were reduced after the oral administration of Danshensu combined with probiotics (L. casei and L. acidophilus) that demonstrated good, efficient free radical scavenging activity, measured using anti-oxidant assays. ADMET and drug-likeness properties certify that the DSS could be utilized as a feasible drug since DSS showed satisfactory physicochemical and pharmacokinetic ADMET properties.
Four-Channel Ultrasonic Sensor for Bulk Liquid and Biochemical Surface Interrogation
Authors: Pelenis Donatas , Barauskas Dovydas , Dzikaras Mindaugas , Viržonis Darius
Published: January 2024

Custom electronics tailored for ultrasonic applications with four ultrasonic transmit-receive channels and a nominal 25 MHz single channel frequency were developed for ultrasound BAW and SAW biosensor uses. The designed integrated microcontroller, supported by Python with a SciPy library, and the developed system measured the time of flight (TOF) and other wave properties to characterize the acoustic properties of a bulk of the liquid in a microchannel or acoustic properties of biological species attached to an analytic surface in real time. The system can utilize both piezoelectric and capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducers. The device demonstrated a linear response to changes in water salinity. This response was primarily attributed to the time-of-flight (TOF) changes related to the varying solution density. Furthermore, real-time DNA oligonucleotide-based interactions between oligonucleotides immobilized on the device’s analytical area and oligonucleotides attached to gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in the solution were demonstrated. The biological interaction led to an exponential decrease in the acoustic interfacial wave propagating across the interface between the solution and the solid surface of the sensor, the TOF signal. This decrease was attributed to the increase in the effective density of the solution in the vicinity of the sensor’s analytical area, as Au NPs modified by oligonucleotides were binding to the analytical area. The utilization of Au NPs in oligonucleotide surface binding yields a considerably stronger sensor signal than previously observed in earlier CMUT-based TOF biosensor prototypes.
A Narrative Commentary on the Use of a Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy-Informed Group to Address Irrational Beliefs, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Comorbidities
Authors: Grove Allen B. , Green Brooke A. , Kaye Savannah M. , Sheerin Christina M.
Published: January 2024

Irrational beliefs of Demandingness, Catastrophizing, Low Frustration Tolerance, and Depreciation have demonstrated prevalence in disparate areas of life, including psychopathology, the military, politics, religion, and education. Individuals with mental health concerns, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), endorse elevations in such thoughts compared to the general population. This commentary describes the rationale for focusing on irrational beliefs in efforts to address PTSD and presents the Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)-Informed Group for PTSD as a potential novel application of a well-established intervention. In support of these suggestions, we present a narrative review of the published work on irrational beliefs and REBT tenets as relevant for PTSD. We then introduce and describe the REBT-Informed Group intervention, summarize the prior preliminary research conducted by our group, and present some novel data from a re-analysis of this prior work. We end with commentary related to future directions of REBT approaches for PTSD to address limitations and expand the impact of the treatment to military and other Veteran or civilian populations.
Cyclic Loading Test Conducted on the Bottom Joints of a Hybrid Precast Utility Tunnel Composed of Double-Skin Sidewalls and a Precast Bottom Slab
Authors: Xue Weichen , Chen Shengyang , Wang Qinghua
Published: January 2024

Four full-scale specimens were constructed, including two hybrid precast specimens with a haunch (height: 150 mm, PUT-H) and without a haunch (PUT). Additionally, two cast-in-place (CIP) comparative specimens (referred to as RUT-H and RUT) were included, all of which underwent reversed cyclic loading. The results showed that the four specimens suffered flexural damage at the ends of the sidewall and displayed similar hysteresis loops shapes. The bearing capacity of the PUT specimen was 2.7% higher than that of the RUT, while the bearing capacity of the PUT-H specimen was 8.5% lower than that of the RUT-H. Additionally, the displacement ductility values of the precast specimens PUT and PUT-H were 2.98 and 2.46, respectively, which are 11.3% and 3.53% lower than those of the corresponding CIP specimens. The haunch increases the local stiffness of the component, exerting a notable influence on the bearing capacity and displacement ductility of the specimens, increasing the bearing capacity by 20% and decreasing the ductility by 21%. Moreover, an assessment conducted using the criteria outlined in ACI 374.1-05 indicated that the four specimens exhibit excellent seismic performance.
Microstructural Evolution of Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement during the Wet-Carbonation Process
Authors: Zhang Yangyang , Yang Hang , Zhang Qunli , Qian Quan , Zhang Chengwei , Wu Kai , Shen Peiliang
Published: January 2024

Calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement, as a type of low-carbon cement, can contribute to further reduction in carbon emissions with carbonation technologies. However, the detailed microstructure development of CSA cement during the carbonation process has been rarely analyzed. In this paper, wet carbonation was applied to CSA cement to investigate the microstructure evolution of carbonation products and carbon absorption capacity of CSA cement by means of pH measurement, X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement, thermogravimetric (TG) measurement, Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) measurement and scanning electron microscope measurement. During the carbonation process, the formed ettringite product and the dicalcium silicate clinker were carbonated immediately to generate calcium carbonate crystals, silica gel and aluminum hydroxide (AH3) gel. With the trend of pH increasing first and notably decreasing later, the coupling interaction between the hydration and carbonation reactions of CSA cement was revealed. From the XRD and TG results, three types of calcium carbonate crystal forms (calcite, vaterite and aragonite) were detected, and the content of calcium carbonate increased with the increase in carbonation time. FT-IR analysis further confirmed the existence of calcium carbonate, silica gel and AH3 gel with their characteristic vibrations. Moreover, the microstructure of carbonation products with different morphologies was observed. The application of wet carbonation to CSA cement provides a more comprehensive insight to the carbonation mechanism of this low-carbon cement.
Elastic Local Buckling and Width-to-Thickness Limits of I-Beams Incorporating Flange–Web Interactions
Authors: Zhang Lei , Zhang Qianjing , Tong Genshu , Zhu Qunhong
Published: January 2024

The local buckling of I-section beams is investigated with the flange–web interactions taken into account. Using numerical results employing the finite element method and a semi-analytical method, the flange–web interactions of I-sections and their effects on the buckling stresses are explored and discussed. Simple approximate solutions for the buckling coefficients of the web and compressive flange are developed using the energy method, and they are refined using the numerical results. Using the simple solutions for buckling coefficients, the limits for the width-to-thickness ratio of the compressive flange and web of I-section beams are then proposed. Comparisons with the results of existing solutions and provisions in design codes imply that the proposed solutions are superior in predicting the limits for width-to-thickness ratios, and they are capable of accounting for the flange–web interactions at the local buckling of I-section beams.
Durability Enhancement of Concrete with Recycled Concrete Aggregate: The Role of Nano-ZnO
Authors: Al-Kheetan Mazen J. , Jweihan Yazeed S. , Rabi Musab , Ghaffar Seyed Hamidreza
Published: January 2024

The replacement of virgin aggregate with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) in concrete mixtures offers an eco-strategy to mitigate the environmental limitations linked with traditional recycling techniques of RCA. However, the inferior properties of RCA, in contrast to virgin aggregate, present an obstacle to efficiently proceeding with this approach. Therefore, the aim of this study is to enhance the characteristics of concrete that contains RCA using nano-ZnO particles. Virgin aggregate was replaced with RCA in 30 wt.% and 50 wt.% ratios, followed by the addition of 0.5 wt.% nano-ZnO. The performance of concrete mixtures was evaluated in terms of their physical, mechanical, and durability properties. The addition of nano-ZnO particles to concrete with RCA resulted in refining its pore structure and reducing its water absorption, where the impermeability of concrete with 30 wt.% and 50 wt.% treated RCA decreased by 14.5% and 18%, respectively. Moreover, nano-ZnO treatment increased the compressive strength of mixtures with 30 wt.% and 50 wt.% RCA by 2.8% and 4%, respectively. All mixtures underwent a reduction in their 28-day compressive strength after exposure to a 5% sulphuric acid solution, where concrete with 30 wt.% and 50 wt.% RCA showed 20.2% and 22.8% strength loss, respectively. However, there was a 17.6% and 19.6% drop in the compressive strength of concrete with 30 wt.% and 50 wt.% RCA and treated with nano-ZnO.