bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Alternative Audio-Tactile Method of Presenting Structural Information Contained in Mathematical Drawings Adapted to the Needs of the Blind
Authors: Maćkowski Michał , Kawulok Mateusz , Brzoza Piotr , Janczy Marceli , Spinczyk Dominik
Published: September 2023

Alternative methods of presenting the information contained in mathematical images, which are adapted to the needs of blind people, are significant challenges in modern education. This article presents an alternative multimodal method that substitutes the sense of sight with the sense of touch and hearing to convey graphical information. The developed method was evaluated at a center specializing in the education of the blind in Poland, on a group of 46 students aged 15–19. They solved a set of 60 high school-level problems on geometry, mathematical analysis, and various types of graphs. We assessed the mechanisms introduced for the sense of touch and hearing, as well as the overall impression of the users. The system usability scale and the NASA task load index tests were used in the evaluation. The results obtained indicate an overall increase in user satisfaction and usefulness of the proposed approach and a reduction in the workload during exercise solving. The results also show a significant impact of the proposed navigation modes on the average time to reach objects in the drawing. Therefore, the presented method could significantly contribute to the development of systems supporting multimodal education for people with blindness.
Fatigue Assessment of Cable-Girder Anchorage Zone in a Low Ambient Temperature Environment Based on Extended Finite Element Method
Authors: Chen Huating , Zhuo Yifan , Jiao Yubo , Bao Weigang
Published: September 2023

The fatigue safety of cable-girder anchorage structures in cable-stayed bridges under long-term service has attracted much attention. For bridges located in seasonally cold regions, the effect of low-temperature environments should be considered when evaluating fatigue performance. Using the Heilongjiang Bridge in China as a case study, a room-temperature fatigue test with a numerical simulation that considers the low-temperature effect on both load effect and fatigue resistance was proposed. A fatigue test with increased testing load amplitude was performed on a 1:3.75 ratio specimen. After 3.2 million loading cycles and using an acoustic emission technique, no fatigue crack was observed in the anchorage structure. The extended finite element method was then adopted to analyze the anchorage zone’s fatigue crack initiation position and propagation path. Finally, based on the fatigue characteristics of bridge steel, the fatigue resistance to the crack propagation of the vulnerable area was evaluated under three different service conditions. The results show that the fatigue performance of the anchorage zone at low temperatures is sufficient. Moreover, this paper provides a more widely applicable and cost-effective approach for the fatigue evaluation of steel bridges.
Evaluation of Thermodynamic and Chemical Kinetic Models for Hypersonic and High-Temperature Flow Simulation
Authors: Zhao Wei , Yang Xinglian , Wang Jingying , Zheng Yongkang , Zhou Yue
Published: September 2023

Significant thermochemical nonequilibrium effects always exist in the flow field around hypersonic vehicle at extreme flight condition. Previous studies have proposed various thermodynamic and chemical kinetic models to describe the thermochemical nonequilibrium processes in hypersonic and high-temperature flow. However, different selections from such models might lead to remarkable variations in computational burden and prediction accuracy, which is still a matter of being unclear. In the present study, different commonly studied models for calculating the thermochemical nonequilibrium are systematically evaluated. The 5-, 7- and 11-species chemical kinetic models of Dunn-Kang, Gupta and Park together with the one- and two-temperature models are employed respectively to simulate the hypersonic flows over a standard cylinder with the radius of 1 m by HyFLOW, which is a commercial software based on the numerical solution of Navier-Stokes equations. Three flight conditions of FIRE Ⅱ classical flight trajectory are employed in the study. It shows that the differences between the results of the Dunn-Kang, Gupta and Park chemical kinetic models with the same number of species are small, but the Gupta model predicts the most conservative values of the wall heat flux. When only the order of magnitude and distribution trends of the pressure and wall heat flux are concerned, the one-temperature model combined with 5-species chemical reaction model can be used for a rapid prediction. While the accurate flow solution is required, the two-temperature model conjugated with Gupta 11-species model is recommended, especially at the conditions of extremely high altitude and Mach number.
Population Dynamics in the Biogenesis of Single-/Multi-Layered Membrane Vesicles Revealed by Encapsulated GFP-Monitoring Analysis
Authors: Koh Sangho , Noda Shuhei , Taguchi Seiichi
Published: September 2023

Various generations of membrane vesicles (MV) have been observed in Escherichia coli in terms of triggering events and populations of single-layered (s)/multi-layered (m) forms. Previously, we proposed a novel mechanism for MV generation triggered by the intracellular accumulation of biopolyester polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). This was designated as the Polymer Intracellular Accumulation-triggered system for Membrane Vesicle Production (PIA-MVP). Herein, we attempted to determine the conditions for the change in the population between s-MV and m-MV using glucose concentration-dependent PIA-MVP. PIA-MVP was established using the good correlation between the glucose concentration-dependent PHB accumulation and MV generation. Thus, we assumed the presence of a critical glucose concentration could determine the population ratio of s-MV to m-MV, indicating that s-MV generation is a dominant component in the extracellular environment. Cytoplasmic green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used to evaluate the glucose concentration, enabling the selective generation of s-MV. The glucose concentration was determined to be 15 g/L to satisfy this purpose under the culture conditions. In conclusion, we established a biological system allowing us to selectively generate both single- and multi-layered MVs based on PIA-VIP encapsulation of GFP, providing a versatile toolkit to gain insights into the MV generation mechanism and achieve progress in various engineering applications.
Revealing the Effects of Three Different Antimicrobial Agents on E. coli Biofilms by Using Soft-Probe Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy
Authors: Darvishi Sorour , Girault Hubert H.
Published: September 2023

This paper evaluated the use of soft-probe scanning electrochemical microscopy complementarily with confocal laser scanning microscopy to study the effects of different antimicrobial agents and treatments on E. coli DH5α biofilm. The antimicrobial agents were sodium azide, silver nanoparticles, and a flashlight. The effects of these agents were monitored by measuring the change in biofilm properties, such as biofilm biomass, live/dead studies, and surface activity. The results showed that sodium azide, silver nanoparticles, and the flashlight effectively killed E. coli biofilms and explained the mode of action for each treatment. Sodium azide was more effective in killing the biofilm after a short treatment time by blocking the ATPase, while silver nanoparticles were more effective at killing the biofilm after longer treatment times through several antibiofilm actions. This work showed that scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) is a very valuable tool for studying the effects of antimicrobial agents on biofilms. SECM is a sensitive technique that can be used to monitor the changes in biofilm properties in real-time. Additionally, SECM does not require any sample preparation, which makes it a convenient and efficient technique. Overall, the results of this study could be used to develop new strategies for treating E. coli biofilm infections and provide valuable insights into the use of SECM to study the effects of antimicrobial agents on E. coli biofilms.
Comparative Analysis of Ozone Pollution Characteristics between Urban Area and Southern Mountainous Area of Urumqi, China
Authors: Zhu Cuiyun , He Qing , Zhao Zhujun , Liu Xinchun , Pu Zongchao
Published: September 2023

The difference in ozone (O3) concentration between stations in the urban and southern mountainous areas of Urumqi was explored based on mathematical statistics and comparative analysis of pollutant concentrations. Besides, potential source contribution function (PSCF) analysis and concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) analysis were performed to identify the potential sources of PM2.5 and O3. The results showed that the daily and monthly mean O3 concentrations in the urban area of Urumqi showed a bimodal variation from October 2017 to August 2018, and the O3 concentration had obvious seasonal characteristics, with the highest in July (120.57 μg/m3) and the lowest in January (22.38 μg/m3). The overall variation of O3 concentration in the mountainous area in the southern suburb of Urumqi was not significant (56.69–84.06 μg/m3), and the O3 concentration was slightly higher in summer than in other seasons. The daily O3 concentration in the urban area showed a unimodal variation in all seasons, and the daily variation was the smallest in winter and the largest in summer. However, the daily variation in the mountainous area was not significant. The O3 concentration in the urban area showed a significant negative weekend effect in winter and a positive weekend effect in spring and summer. However, the O3 concentration only showed a significant positive weekend effect in the mountainous area in summer. The PSCF and CWT analysis results of urban O3 concentration showed that Urumqi, Shihezi, and Wusu were the main O3 source areas. In addition, some areas bordering Kazakhstan in Xinjiang, China were also important source areas.
Coincidence Point of Edelstein Type Mappings in Fuzzy Metric Spaces and Application to the Stability of Dynamic Markets
Authors: Shukla Satish , Dubey Nikita , Shukla Rahul , Mezník Ivan
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we prove a coincidence point result for a pair of mappings satisfying Edelstein-type contractive condition on fuzzy metric spaces. We describe the equilibrium of a simple demand–supply model of a dynamic market by the coincidence point of demand and supply functions. With the help of the coincidence point theorem in fuzzy metric spaces, it is showed that a dynamic market of a supply-sensitive nature (or demand-sensitive nature) always tends towards its equilibrium.
Leadership Competencies in the Financial Industry during Digital Transformation: An Evaluation Framework Using the Z-DEMATEL Technique
Authors: Wang Min-Hsu , Chen Chien-Cheng , Chen Kai-Ying , Lo Huai-Wei
Published: September 2023

In today’s digital age, the financial industry, a cornerstone of the global economy, is undergoing monumental shifts. While business performance hinges on proficient leadership, the seismic wave of digital transformation poses new challenges and magnifies the need for specific leadership competencies. The urgency is clear: adapt or become obsolete. However, there is a lack of clarity regarding which competencies are essential during such transformations. To address this gap, the purpose of this study is to identify the leadership competencies that leaders in the financial industry should possess during the digital transformation process and to determine the influential relationships among these competencies and which ones are highly influential. This paper extensively investigates the criteria for evaluating leadership competencies and integrates expert judgments to construct an evaluation framework for leadership competencies during digital transformation. The Z-based decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (Z-DEMATEL) technique was applied to identify the influential relationships among the criteria and generate influence weights for each criterion. In addition, based on the results of Z-DEMATEL, an Influence Classification Map (ICM) was plotted that categorized the criteria into four groups: core, driving, independent, and impact. Management implications and improvement suggestions are provided accordingly. Z-DEMATEL enhances the general form of fuzzy DEMATEL. By integrating the Z-fuzzy theory, Z-DEMATEL not only accounts for the uncertainty of the evaluation environment but also measures the confidence level of experts. Taking Taiwan’s financial industry as a case study, this study revealed that “vision and imagination,” “critical analysis,” and “strategic perspective” were the top three criteria with higher weights, while “critical analysis” and “interpersonal sensitivity” were the core criteria. Business managers can use the results to design leadership training programs that meet the requirements of digital transformation and ultimately improve the performance of organizations during the transformation. Moreover, the concepts and methods presented in this study can be applied to other industries that are embarking on their digital transformation journeys.
Evaluation of a Granular Bone Substitute for Bone Regeneration Using an Optimized In Vivo Alveolar Cleft Model
Authors: Destrez Alban , Colin Emilien , Testelin Sylvie , Devauchelle Bernard , Dakpé Stéphanie , Naudot Marie
Published: September 2023

Alveolar cleft is a common congenital deformity that requires surgical intervention, notably using autologous bone grafts in young children. Bone substitutes, in combination with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), have shown promise in the repair of these defects. This study aimed to evaluate the regenerative capabilities of a granular bone substitute using an optimized alveolar cleft model. Thirty-six rats underwent a surgical procedure for the creation of a defect filled with a fragment of silicone. After 5 weeks, the silicone was removed and the biomaterial, with or without Wharton’s jelly MSCs, was put into the defect, except for the control group. The rats underwent μCT scans immediately and after 4 and 8 weeks. Analyses showed a statistically significant improvement in bone regeneration in the two treatment groups compared with control at weeks 4 and 8, both for bone volume (94.64% ± 10.71% and 91.33% ± 13.30%, vs. 76.09% ± 7.99%) and mineral density (96.13% ± 24.19% and 93.01% ± 27.04%, vs. 51.64% ± 16.51%), but without having fully healed. This study validates our optimized alveolar cleft model in rats, but further work is needed to allow for the use of this granular bone substitute in the treatment of bone defects.
Towards an Affordable Means of Surgical Depth of Anesthesia Monitoring: An EMG-ECG-EEG Case Study
Authors: Nsugbe Ejay , Connelly Stephanie , Mutanga Ian
Published: September 2023

The anesthetic dosing procedure is a key element of safe surgical practice, where it is paramount to ensure sufficient dosing of the anesthetic agent to the patient in order to reach the desired depth of sedation for the necessary procedure. One means of monitoring the depth of anesthesia (DoA) involves the use of the bispectral index (BIS), which decodes electroencephalography (EEG) signals acquired from the frontal cortex in a continuous fashion. The shortcomings of this include the complexity of the decoding of EEG signals, insensitivity to certain anesthetic agents, and the costly nature of the technology, which limits its adoption in resource-constrained settings. In this paper, we investigate an alternative source of physiological measurement modalities that can track DoA sufficiently while being much more affordable. Thus, we investigate this notion with the use of the University of Queensland database, which comprises EEG-EMG-ECG physiological data from patients going through a variety of surgical procedures. As part of this, select patient datasets were utilized in addition to a variety of signal decomposition and machine learning models—which totaled around 200 simulations—in order to investigate the most optimal combination of algorithms to track DoA using different physiological measurement modalities. The results showed that under certain algorithmic combinations and modeling processes, the ECG measurement (a ubiquitous monitor in anesthetic practice) can rival and occasionally surpass the accuracy of the EEG for DoA monitoring. In addition to this, we also propose a 2-phase modeling process that involves an algorithmic selection stage followed by a model deployment stage. Subsequent work in this area is advised to involve the acquisition of more physiological data from a broader mix of patients in order to further validate the consistency of the findings made in this study.
Explanted Skull Flaps after Decompressive Hemicraniectomy Demonstrate Relevant Bone Avitality-Is Their Reimplantation Worth the Risk?
Authors: Gousias Konstantinos , Stricker Ingo , Hoyer Annika , Theocharous Theocharis , Rompf Csilla , Pranada Arthur B. , Tannapfel Andrea , Agrawal Rachit , Tischoff Iris
Published: September 2023

Background: Reimplantations of autologous skull flaps after decompressive hemicraniectomies (DHs) are associated with high rates of postoperative bone flap resorption (BFR). We histologically assessed the cell viability of explanted bone flaps in certain periods of time after DH, in order to conclude whether precursors of BRF may be developed during their storage. Methods: Skull bone flaps explanted during a DH between 2019 and 2020 were stored in a freezer at either −23 °C or −80 °C. After their thawing process, the skulls were collected. Parameters of bone metabolism, namely PTH1 and OPG, were analyzed via immunohistochemistry. H&E stain was used to assess the degree of avital bone tissue, whereas the repeated assays were performed after 6 months. Results: A total of 17 stored skull flaps (8 at −23 °C; 9 at −80 °C) were analyzed. The duration of cryopreservation varied between 2 and 17 months. A relevant degree of bone avitality was observed in all skull flaps, which significantly increased at the repeated evaluation after 6 months (p < 0.001). Preservation at −23 °C (p = 0.006) as well as longer storage times (p < 0.001) were identified as prognostic factors for higher rates of bone avitality in a linear mixed regression model. Conclusions: Our novel finding shows a clear benefit from storage at −80° C, which should be carefully considered for the future management and storage of explanted skull flaps. Our analysis also further revealed a significant degree of bone avitality, a potential precursor of BFR, in skull flaps stored for several weeks. To this end, we should reconsider whether the reimplantation of autologous skull flaps instead of synthetic skull flaps is still justified.
Transcriptome-Wide Analysis of Neutrophil-Related Circ_22232 in Neuroinflammation from Ischemic Stroke Mice
Authors: Sun Zheng , Zhou Youdong , Liu Yanting , Luo Ran , Tian Chunlei , Chen Qianxue
Published: September 2023

Ischemic stroke (IS) often leads to high rates of disability and mortality worldwide with secondary damage due to neuroinflammation. Identification of potential therapeutic targets via the novel circular RNAs (circRNAs) would advance the field and provide a better treatment option for neuroinflammation after IS. Gene Ontology Term Enrichment (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were applied to identify differentially expressed genes/miRNAs/circRNAs in the genome-wide RNA-seq profiles of ischemic mice. Meanwhile, relevant circRNAs were screened by differential expression analysis and coexpression RNA regulation network analysis. To explore the function of circ_22232 (Specc1l), we generated circ_22232 knockdown mice and applied middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) to study IS. Cytokine levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Morphological changes were observed with immunohistochemical staining and hematoxylin-eosin staining. The circ_22232/miR-847-3p/Bmp1 axis was found to be highly correlated with neutrophil-associated neuroinflammation in cerebral tissue of mice. Immunohistochemical showed a progressive increase in the proportion of neutrophils after IS. In in vivo experiments, the circ_22232 knockdown alleviated cerebral injury by reducing the activation of neutrophils and inflammatory cytokine production. This suggests that circ_22232 is associated with inflammation, which may serve as a potential therapeutic target for IS.
Relationship of Anxiety, Depression, Stress, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms with Disease Severity in Acutely Ill Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Lucijanic Dijana , Mihaljevic Peles Alma , Piskac Zivkovic Nevenka , Lucijanic Marko , Kranjcevic Matija , Muzinic Marinic Lana
Published: September 2023

We aimed to investigate depression, anxiety, stress, and PTSD symptoms and their relationship with disease severity in acutely ill hospitalized Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. A single-center cross-sectional observational survey study screening for psychiatric symptoms using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale—21 Items (DASS-21) and the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) questionnaires was performed including a total of 169 acutely ill COVID-19 patients. All patients were adults and of white race and developed respiratory insufficiency during hospitalization. Demographic, clinical and laboratory data were evaluated as predictors of psychiatric symptoms. We hypothesized that higher intensity of COVID-19 symptoms and higher oxygen requirement would be associated with occurrence of depression, anxiety, stress, and PTSD symptoms. Depressive symptoms were absent in 29%, mild in 16%, moderate in 27.8%, severe in 10.7% and extremely severe in 16.6% patients. Anxiety symptoms were absent in 43.8%, mild in 6.5%, moderate in 17.2%, severe in 5.3% and extremely severe in 27.2% patients. Stress symptoms were absent in 78.7%, mild in 4.7%, moderate in 7.1%, severe in 7.7%, and extremely severe in 1.8% patients. A total of 60.9% patients had no PTSD symptoms, 16% had undiagnosed symptoms, and 23.1% met the criteria for a PTSD diagnosis. All psychiatric symptoms were more pronounced in female patients, depression and anxiety symptoms were associated with prior chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Only depressive symptoms were significantly associated with higher intensity of COVID-19 symptoms and higher oxygen requirement. Acutely ill hospitalized COVID-19 patients presented a high prevalence of emergent psychiatric sequelae, especially in females, and more severe COVID-19 influenced mostly the severity of depressive symptoms.
Intervening on Global Emergencies: The Value of Human Interactions for People’s Health
Authors: Turchi Gian Piero , Bassi Davide , Cavarzan Marco , Camellini Teresa , Moro Christian , Orrù Luisa
Published: September 2023

Literature about global emergencies and their impact on people’s health underlines the need to improve the social cohesion of human community and the availability of tools to support people and foster community interactions. This paper illustrates research aimed at describing and measuring human interactions in the Veneto community and its changing during the COVID-19 pandemic. 50,000 text occurrences from social media and newspapers about these topics were analyzed between December 2021 and January 2022. People present themselves as members of different teams, pursuing conflicting aims, and attributing the decision-making responsibility of emergencies management exclusively to governments, without considering themselves as active parts of the community. This delegation process on citizens’ behalf can affect their health: by taking minor responsibility in handling the repercussions of these events on the community and by arguing over the most effective way to deal with them, they risk freezing and waiting for action by third parties, thus leaving mutual interactions and the promotion of their own health at a standstill. Local institutions can use these data to shape prevention policies to manage the community’s emergencies and use them as opportunities to promote public health.
Association of Public Sports Space Perception with Health-Related Quality of Life in Middle-Aged and Older Adults—Evidence from a Survey in Shandong, China
Authors: Liu Chenchen , Gao Yan , Jia Zhihao , Zhao Liangyu
Published: September 2023

Creating a healthy living environment for middle-aged and older adults is a key strategy for countries to address the aging challenge, but the effects of such an environment on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of middle-aged and older adults remain underexplored. This study aimed to examine the link between public sports facilities and the HRQoL of middle-aged and older adult residents in communities. A total of 1169 respondents (average age: 66.84; male: 46.19%) were selected from the Shandong, China. This study measured respondents ‘physical activity (PA) using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the HRQoL of respondents using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, and the Public Sports Space Perception Scale for respondents’ public sports space perception. Correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis were employed to test the relationship among public sports space perception, physical activity (PA), and HRQoL. The mediating role of PA was conducted using the PROCESS macro for SPSS. The results revealed that public sports space perception only influenced the HRQoL of middle-aged and older adults through light-intensity PA (PCS: B  =  0.09, 95% CI 0.01, 0.03; MCS: B  =  0.02, 95% CI 0.01, 0.05) among light-intensity PA, moderate-intensity PA, vigorous-intensity PA., and this mediation model varied across different age groups of middle-aged and older adults. Moreover, digital inclusion only moderated the psychological aspect of HRQoL of middle-aged and older adults (p < 0.05). This study provided empirical evidence for enhancing the HRQoL of middle-aged and older adults and offered useful insights for the planning and design of public sports facilities and the formulation of health management policies for middle-aged and older adults.
Motor–Cognitive Interventions May Effectively Improve Cognitive Function in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Tao Mingda , Liu Huajun , Cheng Jinxuan , Yu Caiyun , Zhao Lili
Published: September 2023

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a syndrome that occurs in the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Early intervention can be effective in preventing Alzheimer’s disease, but further research is needed on intervention methods. To identify interventions that are more suitable for Chinese characteristics and to investigate the effects of motor–cognitive intervention on the cognitive functions of older adults with MCI, we screened 103 community-dwelling older adults with MCI aged 65 years and older in Qingdao, Shandong, China; divided them into an intervention group and a control group; and administered a motor–cognitive intervention to the intervention group for 12 weeks. The study used the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to assess the initial cognitive level of the MCI participants and detect the effects of the intervention. We found that the cognitive abilities of the intervention group were significantly improved at the end of the intervention, as well as at the end of the follow-up, compared with the control group. The results of the current study suggest that the motor–cognitive intervention we used may improve the cognition of older people with MCI in the Chinese community.
Assessing Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Environment Digitally through a People with Alzheimer’s’ Disease Perspective: A Computation-Based Approach Framework
Authors: Elnimr Heidi
Published: September 2023

People with Alzheimer’s disease (PWAD) are impacted by their surroundings, and their performance improves in therapeutic environments designed to meet their specific individual needs, are adjustable in terms of their health status, and are created to accommodate their abilities. A literature review of the field revealed scarce knowledge in using a combination of building information modeling (BIM) and the Internet of Things (IoT) for the purpose of understanding the daily needs and self-orientation ability of PWAD, as well as the architectural barriers they face in their rooms in long-term healthcare centers. In this context, this paper proposes a framework based on computational design approaches to assess the existing therapeutic environment for PWAD using BIM–IoT sensors-based monitoring. The proposed framework used the user experience design concept (UX) and the design thinking framework to evaluate the resident rooms of PWAD. The UX design concept and the design thinking framework core allow for the adoption of user-centered methods to provide a comprehensive image of the issues that affect PWAD in their therapeutic environment. The proposed framework-structured approach will enable healthcare architects/designers to (1) digitalize old building architecture plans using BIM; (2) strategize IoT sensor selection; (3) recognize the activities performed by PWAD and detect any anomaly; and (4) integrate IoT real-time data into the BIM system. The proposed framework supports three types of professionals: (1) architects in decision-making processes, (2) researchers in collecting/analyzing accurate data for shadow observations, and (3) neurologists in following up the health statuses of PWAD.
Key Barriers and Feasibility of Implementing Green Roofs on Buildings in Malaysia
Authors: Hamid Hadhirra Nurdiana Abdul , Romali Noor Suraya , Rahman Rahimi A.
Published: September 2023

The implementation of green roofs in buildings offers various environmental, social, and economic advantages. Despite Malaysia’s rapid urbanization, green roofs are not commonly integrated into existing or new buildings, which limits their potential benefits. Identifying the reasons behind this lack of implementation is crucial to promoting the widespread implementation of green roofs. Although previous works have explored barriers in developed urban areas, little attention has been given to Malaysia, where green roof implementation is still in its early stages. To address this research gap, our study aims to investigate the key barriers to implementing green roofs in buildings in Malaysia. Additionally, the study aims to assess the feasibility and level of support for green roof implementation in Malaysia. We utilized a combination of literature review, questionnaire surveys, and structured face-to-face interviews. Through the utilization of both normalization and the Relative Importance Index (RII) analysis, the findings highlight the presence of three primary barriers that impede the effective implementation of green roofs in Malaysia. Notably, the key barriers are: high/additional construction costs, high/increased maintenance costs, and lack of owner/client interest. Understanding and prioritizing these root causes can empower building owners, developers, and policymakers to develop effective strategies for green roof implementation. Our findings offer valuable insights for promoting sustainable development in Malaysian buildings and contribute to the advancement of green roof practices in the country.
Between Safety and Conservation—Procedure for the Assessment of Heritage Buildings Based on Historic Research
Authors: Saisi Antonella , Borlenghi Paolo , Gentile Carmelo
Published: September 2023

Correct approaches to the assessment of historic structures involve the collection of data related to materials, building technology, eventual damage and decay, and transformation that has occurred over time. The procedure proposed by the authors is based on multidisciplinary research, merging data ranging from documentary and archive research to structural modeling. In the developed procedure, the minimization of the costs and timing of the structural assessment were the main requirements. The procedure, implemented on the Arengario, the 13th-century Town Hall of Monza, focuses on the key role of historic and documentary research in order to highlight the difference in the building technology. The overall research program involves the following steps: (i) historical analysis and documentary research; (ii) visual inspections, geometric survey, and decay/damage identification and mapping; and (iii) dynamic testing and modal identification, with these steps driving the choices involved in the subsequent step: (iv) FE modeling and updating.
Evaluation of the Refined Decomposition Effect of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Materials
Authors: Wang Peng , Chen Junwei , Wang Jie , Li Jian , Ning Hualong , Liang Chunming , Ge Xiaogang , Wang Xiaojun
Published: September 2023

To improve the quality of reclaimed asphalt pavement materials (RAPs) and reduce the variability of RAPs, a refined decomposition process was applied to treat RAPs. The change rule and variability of aggregate gradation, asphalt content, aged asphalt properties and aggregate (extracted) properties of RAPs were analyzed with different frequency parameters. In addition, the gradation variability control method and the asphalt content variability control method were used to calculate the maximum addition proportion of RAPs according to the quality control requirements of hot-mixing asphalt mixtures. The results indicate that the variability of aggregate gradation, asphalt content and asphalt properties significantly reduced for the refined decomposition RAP. Compared with the original RAP (0 Hz) of 4.75–9.5 mm and 9.5–19 mm, the “false particle” content of the refined decomposition RAP (50 Hz) reduced by 75.6% and 64.3%, respectively. The refined decomposition process is conducive to the road performance of recycled asphalt mixtures, especially the dynamic stability and the maximum bending tensile strain. Comparing the recycled asphalt mixture with the original RAP (0 Hz), the maximum bending strain of the recycled asphalt mixture with the refined decomposition RAP (50 Hz) increased by 69%, and the immersion residual stability increased to 87.9%. The refined decomposition process improves the quality of the RAP and provides a reference for recycled asphalt mixtures with a high proportion of RAPs. This study contributes to RAP high-level recycling and carbon reduction in the highway maintenance industry.
Seismic Design and Performance Evaluation of Coupled Steel Plate and Reinforced Concrete Composite Walls
Authors: Liu Aozhou , Wu Yuntian , Wang Bin , Chen Xiyue
Published: September 2023

Coupled steel plate and reinforced concrete (SPRC) composite shear walls have been widely constructed in the core tube of super tall buildings in seismic regions. However, relevant research progress is far behind the practical application of this coupled composite wall system. Particularly, the current seismic design method does not consider the coupling mechanism and lacks efficiency in the computation of seismic base shear. In this research, the energy balance-based plastic design (EBPD) method is developed and used to design twelve prototype structures considering different structural heights and coupling ratios (CR). With the ABAQUS-based numerical techniques verified by relevant experimental results, all the prototype cases were studied by pushover analysis and nonlinear dynamic analysis to examine the effectiveness of the EBPD method in ensuring satisfactory seismic performance of coupled SPRC composite walls. The results indicate that the coupled SPRC composite walls designed by the EBPD method can satisfy the code requirements on lateral deformation under moderate and rare earthquakes. The analytical average story shear and bending moment distribution patterns have acceptable agreement with the relevant design assumptions. Favorable CR ranges are suggested for the coupled SPRC composite walls with different story numbers to achieve good earthquake-induced deformation characteristics.
Effect of Shear Keys on the Quasi-Isolated Behavior of Small-to-Medium-Span Girder Bridges
Authors: Yue Kefeng , Xu Lueqin , Fan Lei , Liu Jie , Luo Hao
Published: September 2023

Small-to-medium-span girder bridges equipped with shear keys play a significant role in the Chinese highway bridge system. However, shear key failure was observed during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, which resulted in excessive superstructure displacements and even catastrophic span collapse. For this, six refined bridges were investigated for the quasi-isolated behaviors under different shear key strengths by using the Pushover and IDA methods. Results indicate that the bridges exhibit two distinct damage states upon the shear key strengths. The shear key failure and bearing sliding create a natural quasi-isolated mechanism, with the following damage sequence: shear key failure → bearing sliding → pier undamaged or slight damage. Quasi-isolated behavior leads to higher displacement demands for beams, especially when the peak ground acceleration (PGA) exceeds 0.45 g. By selecting suitable shear key strength, below 9% for 20 m piers and 30% for 10 m piers, quasi-isolated damage is expected to occur in bridges. The study offers a fresh perspective on the concept of seismic design for highway girder bridges in China.
The Five “Ws” of Frailty Assessment and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Who, What, Where, Why, and When
Authors: González-Gascón-y-Marín Isabel , Ballesteros-Andrés Mónica , Martínez-Flores Sara , Rodríguez-Vicente Ana-E , Pérez-Carretero Claudia , Quijada-Álamo Miguel , Rodríguez-Sánchez Alberto , Hernández-Rivas José-Ángel
Published: September 2023

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a disease of the elderly, but chronological age does not accurately discriminate frailty status at the inter-individual level. Frailty describes a person’s overall resilience. Since CLL is a stressful situation, it is relevant to assess the patient´s degree of frailty, especially before starting antineoplastic treatment. We are in the era of targeted therapies, which have helped to control the disease more effectively and avoid the toxicity of chemo (immuno) therapy. However, these drugs are not free of side effects and other aspects arise that should not be neglected, such as interactions, previous comorbidities, or adherence to treatment, since most of these medications are taken continuously. The challenge we face is to balance the risk of toxicity and efficacy in a personalized way and without forgetting that the most frequent cause of death in CLL is related to the disease. For this purpose, comprehensive geriatric assessment (GA) provides us with the opportunity to evaluate multiple domains that may affect tolerance to treatment and that could be improved with appropriate interventions. In this review, we will analyze the state of the art of GA in CLL through the five Ws.
Development and Validation of the Oxidative Stress Related lncRNAs for Prognosis in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Zheng Xuan , Liu Wei , Zhu Yingze , Kong Wenyue , Su Xin , Huang Lanxiang , Cui Yishuang , Sun Guogui
Published: September 2023

Esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) is an aggressive disease associated with a poor prognosis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and oxidative stress play crucial roles in tumor progression. We aimed to identify an oxidative stress-related lncRNA signature that could predict the prognosis in ESCC. In the GSE53625 dataset, we identified 332 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) between ESCC and control samples, out of which 174 were oxidative stress-related DElncRNAs. Subsequently, seven oxidative stress-related DElncRNAs (CCR5AS, LINC01749, PCDH9-AS1, TMEM220-AS1, KCNMA1-AS1, SNHG1, LINC01672) were selected based on univariate and LASSO Cox to build a prognostic risk model, and their expression was detected by RT-qPCR. The model exhibited an excellent ability for the prediction of overall survival (OS) and other clinicopathological traits using Kaplan–Meier (K-M) survival curves, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and the Wilcoxon test. Additionally, analysis of infiltrated immune cells and immune checkpoints indicated differences in immune status between the two risk groups. Finally, the in vitro experiments showed that PCDH9-AS1 overexpression inhibited proliferation ability and promoted apoptosis and oxidative stress levels in ESCC cells. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that a novel oxidative stress-related DElncRNA prognostic model performed favorably in predicting ESCC patient prognosis and benefits personalized clinical applications.
PET/CT and Conventional Imaging for the Assessment of Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review
Authors: Dondi Francesco , Antonelli Alessandro , Suardi Nazareno , Guerini Andrea Emanuele , Albano Domenico , Lucchini Silvia , Camoni Luca , Treglia Giorgio , Bertagna Francesco
Published: September 2023

Background: Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is a rare neoplasm, and the role of both conventional imaging (CI) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for its assessment has not been clearly evaluated and demonstrated. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the diagnostic performances of these imaging modalities in this setting. Methods: A wide literature search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was made to find relevant published articles about the role of CI and PET/CT for the evaluation of NEPC. Results: 13 studies were included in the systematic review. PET/CT imaging with different radiopharmaceuticals has been evaluated in many studies (10) compared to CI (3 studies), which has only a limited role in NEPC. Focusing on PET/CT, a study used [18F]FDG, labeled somatostatin analogs were used in 5 cases, a study used [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04, [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 was evaluated in a single case, and two works used different tracers. Conclusion: Published data on the role of PET/CT for the assessment of NEPC are limited. At present, it is still uncertain which tracer performs best, and although [18F]FDG has been evaluated and seems to offer some advantages in availability and clinical staging, other tracers may be more useful to understand tumor biology or identify targets for subsequent radioligand therapy. Further research is therefore desirable. In contrast, data are still limited to draw a final conclusion on the role and the specific characteristics of CI in this rare form of neoplasm, and therefore, more studies are needed in this setting.
High-Throughput Drug Screening Revealed That Ciclopirox Olamine Can Engender Gastric Cancer Stem-like Cells
Authors: Pádua Diana , Figueira Paula , Pinto Mariana , Maia André Filipe , Peixoto Joana , Lima Raquel T. , Pombinho António , Pereira Carlos Filipe , Almeida Raquel , Mesquita Patrícia
Published: September 2023

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are relevant therapeutic targets for cancer treatment. Still, the molecular circuits behind CSC characteristics are not fully understood. The low number of CSCs can sometimes be an obstacle to carrying out assays that explore their properties. Thus, increasing CSC numbers via small molecule-mediated cellular reprogramming appears to be a valid alternative tool. Using the SORE6-GFP reporter system embedded in gastric non-CSCs (SORE6−), we performed a high-throughput image-based drug screen with 1200 small molecules to identify compounds capable of converting SORE6− to SORE6+ (CSCs). Here, we report that the antifungal agent ciclopirox olamine (CPX), a potential candidate for drug repurposing in cancer treatment, is able to reprogram gastric non-CSCs into cancer stem-like cells via activation of SOX2 expression and increased expression of C-MYC, HIF-1α, KLF4, and HMGA1. This reprogramming depends on the CPX concentration and treatment duration. CPX can also induce cellular senescence and the metabolic shift from oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to glycolysis. We also disclose that the mechanism underlying the cellular reprogramming is similar to that of cobalt chloride (CoCl2), a hypoxia-mimetic agent.
Can High-Frequency Intraoral Ultrasound Predict Histological Risk Factors in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma? A Preliminary Experience
Authors: Caprioli Simone , Giordano Giorgio-Gregory , Pennacchi Alessia , Campagnari Valentina , Iandelli Andrea , Parrinello Giampiero , Conforti Cristina , Gili Riccardo , Giannini Edoardo , Marabotto Elisa , Kayali Stefano , Bianchi Bernardo , Peretti Giorgio , Cittadini Giuseppe , Marchi Filippo
Published: September 2023

Despite advancements in multidisciplinary care, oncologic outcomes of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) have not substantially improved: still, one-third of patients affected by stage I and II can develop locoregional recurrences. Imaging plays a pivotal role in preoperative staging of OSCC, providing depth of invasion (DOI) measurements. However, locoregional recurrences have a strong association with adverse histopathological factors not included in the staging system, and any imaging features linked to them have been lacking. In this study, the possibility to predict histological risk factors in OSCC with high-frequency intraoral ultrasonography (IOUS) was evaluated. Thirty-four patients were enrolled. The agreement between ultrasonographic and pathological DOI was evaluated, and ultrasonographic margins’ appearance was compared to the Brandwein-Gensler score and the worst pattern of invasion (WPOI). Excellent agreement between ultrasonographic and pathological DOI was found (mean difference: 0.2 mm). A significant relationship was found between ultrasonographic morphology of the front of infiltration and both Brandwein-Gensler score ≥ 3 (p < 0.0001) and WPOI ≥4 (p = 0.0001). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for the IOUS to predict a Brandwein-Gensler score ≥3 were 93.33%, 89.47%, 87.50%, and 94.44%, respectively. The present study demonstrated the promising role of IOUS in aiding risk stratification for OSCC patients.