bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metachronous Intramedullary Anaplastic Astrocytoma and Liposarcoma Complicated by Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Authors: Ho Yi-Chia , Shieh Li-Tsun , Shen Wan-Lin , Ho Sheng-Yow
Published: April 2023

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is one of the most frequently encountered familial tumor syndromes. NF1 patients are highly prone to have multiple nervous system tumors, and are also at increased risk for various nonnervous mesenchymal or neuroendocrine tumor developments. This is an NF1 patient who developed two different unusual tumors: an intramedullary anaplastic astrocytoma of the thoracic spine and myxoid liposarcoma of the lower limb. The family members were carefully investigated as per the NF1 diagnostic criteria. A strong cutaneous NF1 penetrance was found in 6 of the 14 family members in four successive generations, two of whom had NF1 and developed breast cancer and bilateral optic gliomas. The NF1 tumor syndrome highlights a wide-ranging tumor spectrum, and clinicians should keep an eye on tumor surveillance and encourage medical counseling, and long-term NF1 family follow-up is warranted for prophylactic warning.
A Selective Histone Deacetylase 6 Inhibitor Showed Antiviral Activity Against Dengue and Zika Viruses
Authors: Shih Hao-Wen , Tsao Chang-Huei , Chang Yu-Hsiu , Yang Chih-Wei , Feng Shao-Wei , Chiu Kuo-Chou
Published: April 2023

Background:

Flavivirus comprises several important viruses, including dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV), and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). A large outbreak of DENV and ZIKV occurred in these years, leading to many cases of illness and death. However, despite the decades of efforts, there are no specific therapeutic drugs against DENV and ZIKV. Several studies had shown that histone deacetylase 6 inhibitors (HDAC6 inhibitors) possess antiviral effects on influenza A virus, hepatitis C virus, and JEV.

Aim:

The purpose of this study is to examine the antiviral effect of the compound J34803, a newly synthesized HDAC6 inhibitor, against DENV and ZIKV in vitro and in vivo.

Methods:

We investigated whether the compound J34803 inhibited viral infection by western blot and virus titer determination. The signaling pathway of inhibition was also determined by western blot.

Results:

The compound J34803 exhibited superior antiviral activities against DENV-2, DENV-4, and ZIKV compared to Tubastatin A (TBSA), and its antiviral mechanism may through suppressing HDAC6 and its downstream signaling pathway. Moreover, treatment with the compound J34803 could reduce viremia levels in DENV-2-and ZIKV-infected AG129 mice.

Conclusion:

We demonstrated that the compound J34803 had better therapeutic efficacy in virus infection as compared to TBSA and could be a potential potent therapeutic drug against emerging flaviviral infections.
Gastrointestinal Polyps with Atypical Presentations
Authors: Bhattacharjee Prosanta Kumar , Chakraborty Sourav
Published: April 2023

Gastrointestinal (GI) polyps are uncommon connective tissue or epithelial tumors that typically affect the colon but can affect any part of the digestive system, from the esophagus to the ano-rectum. They may be solitary or multiple, sporadic or inherited, benign or malignant. The risk of malignancy is strongly associated with the type and size of the polyp. GI lipomas and GI stromal tumors are both rare causes of GI polyps which may present with GI hemorrhage or obstruction. Most polyps are asymptomatic and are detected incidentally when patients are being worked up for unrelated symptoms. When present, the symptoms might vary, but the most frequent ones are abdominal pain, GI bleeding, intussusceptions, and intestinal obstruction. A surgeon with keen clinical suspicion can make an early diagnosis to help avoid serious inherent complications.
Comparison of Regional Cerebral Oxygen Saturation Variations Between Sevoflurane and Propofol Anaesthesia in Gynecological Laparoscopic Surgery
Authors: Aman Atul , Samui Samarendra Nath , Dammalapati Pavan Kumar , Kar Sandeep Kumar
Published: April 2023

Background:

Measurement of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) is a safe, noninvasive, and portable optical method that can be used to monitor activity within the cortical areas of the human brain. Making use of specific wavelengths of light, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) provides measurements of oxygenated hemoglobin (Hb) and deoxygenated Hb that is in direct relation with hemodynamic changes in the brain.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to compare the changes in rSO2 at different time points between propofol and sevoflurane anesthesia during gynecological laparoscopic surgery. After approval by the institutional ethics committee, written informed consent was taken from all eligible patients.

Methods:

This randomized clinical study was conducted in a gynecology operation theater complex. Thirty-four patients aged between 18 and 60 years categorized between the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class I I and II who are scheduled for gynecological laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia were randomized into two groups with 17 patients in each group. The Group 1 patients receive sevoflurane anesthesia and Group 2 patients receive total intravenous anesthesia using an infusion of propofol. The rSO2 values were continuously monitored using NIRS. The bispectral index target range during maintenance was 40–50.

Results:

The sevoflurane group showed significantly higher rSO2 values than the propofol group in gynecological laparoscopic surgery.

Conclusion:

It can be inferred that the sevoflurane group showed significantly higher rSO2 values than the propofol group in gynecological laparoscopic surgery not only during pneumoperitoneum in the Trendelenburg position but also after desufflation of the abdomen in the neutral position (supine).
Refractory Orthostatic Headache
Authors: Wu Chan-Hsu , Yang Fu-Chi , Hsu Yi-Chih , Chang Ping-Ying
Published: April 2023

Headache is a common problem in patients with cancer undergoing active treatment or in cancer survivors. However, severe orthostatic headache is less common and should be carefully differentiated. Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a rare and often misdiagnosed disorder. Neuroimaging is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring SIH. Awareness of SIH is essential because patients with SIH often suffer from severe impairment of quality of life and psychological distress before receiving a correct diagnosis and treatment. We present a case of a 66-year-old man who had squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil, stage IV with multiple metastases, and was diagnosed with SIH during the period of palliative treatment.
A Simple Method for Calculating Acetabular Posterior Wall Fracture Fragment Percentages on Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography Scan Reconstruction Images
Authors: Hsu Chun-Liang , Wu Jia-Lin , Tsai Yao-Tung , Hung Chun-Chi , Li Yuan-Ta , Yeh Tsu-Te
Published: April 2023

Background::

Hip joint congruency and stability in fractures are affected by posterior wall fragment size and percentage compared with the normal side. Computed tomography (CT) scan is a useful tool to precisely evaluate the morphologic features of acetabular fractures.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to establish an accurate and reliable method of measuring acetabular posterior wall fracture fragment percentages on three-dimensional (3D) CT scan reconstruction images.

Methods:

CT scans of eight patients with acetabular posterior wall fractures were reviewed by five orthopedic surgeons. Posterior wall fracture fragment percentages were measured using three methods: (1) linear measurement percentages on axial CT images, (2) linear measurement percentages on 3D reconstruction images, and (3) acetabular posterior surface area measurements using computer software (gold standard). Analysis of variance testing was used to compare these methods. Dunn's multiple comparison test was used to compare the accuracy of the axial CT scan and 3D reconstruction methods to the gold standard method.

Results:

There were no significant differences between two of the eight patients (25%) in fracture fragment percentage measurements using all methods. Dunn's multiple comparison test showed that the axial CT scan method measurement was significantly different from the gold standard measurement in four of the eight patients (50%), three of whom sustained more than an 80% fracture. However, there was no significant difference between the 3D reconstruction and gold standard methods in all study patients. Inter- and intra-observer reliabilities were excellent for all three methods.

Conclusion:

The 3D reconstruction image method is reliable and accurate for measuring acetabular posterior wall fracture fragment percentages.
Difficult Case of Peritoneal Serous Papillary Carcinoma with an Unusual Complication
Authors: Hsu Fu-Chieh , Cheng Yi-Chiao , Wang Yu-Chi
Published: April 2023

Peritoneal serous papillary carcinoma (PSPC) is a rare disease that arises in the peritoneal lining of the abdomen and pelvis, without a discriminative primary tumor site. We are presenting the case of a 72-year-old woman diagnosed with PSPC status postdebulking operation in 2017. This year, she experienced left-sided abdominal pain and had a fever for 2 days. After the series of examinations, an unusual complication of a subcutaneous abscess in the anterior abdomen and chest wall was suspected. We searched for any complications of PSPC; however, subcutaneous emphysema and abscess formation over the chest wall and abdominal wall have not been reported to date. The final diagnosis was carcinomatosis, which invaded and perforated the abdominal wall with tumor necrosis or abscess formation.
Holmium
Authors: Ntasiotis Panteleimon , Peteinaris Angelis , Lattarulo Marco , Tsaturyan Arman , Asutay Mehmet Kazim , Adamou Constantinos , Vagionis Athanasios , Pagonis Konstantinos , Koukiou Georgia , Al-Aown Abdulrahman , Liatsikos Evangelos , Kallidonis Panagiotis
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

The high-power holmium: yttrium–aluminum–garnet lasers provide a wide variety of settings for stone disintegration. The aim of this in vitro study is to evaluate the effect of short and long pulse duration on ablation rates on urinary stones.

Materials and Methods:

Two types of artificial stones were created by BegoStone™ with different compositions (15:3 and 15:6, stone/water ratio). Stones with a 15:3 and 15:6 powder-to-water ratio were defined as hard and soft stones, respectively. Lithotripsy was performed with different laser settings using a custom-made in vitro model consisting of a 60 cm long and 19 mm diameter tube. The ablation rate is defined as the final total mass subtracted from the initial total mass and divided to the time of treatment. Stone ablation rates were measured according to different laser settings with total power of 10W (0,5J-20 Hz, 1J-10 Hz, 2J-5 Hz) and 60W (1J-60 Hz, 1,5J-40 Hz, 2J-30 Hz).

Results:

Higher pulse rates and higher total power settings were related to higher ablation rates. Short pulse duration was more effective on soft stones, whereas long pulse duration was more effective on hard stones. For the same power settings, the highest energy–lowest frequency combination resulted in higher ablation rate in comparison to the lowest energy–higher frequency combination. Finally, short and long pulse average ablation rates do not differ so much.

Conclusion:

Regardless of the stone type and pulse duration, utilization of higher power settings with higher energies increased the ablation rates. Higher ablation rates were demonstrated for hard stones using long pulse duration, and for soft stones with short pulse duration.
Renal BCGosis managed conservatively with antituberculous medications
Authors: Elmekresh Amr , Al Shaikh Yazan , Alhayek Rafe , Saeedi Yaser
Published: April 2023

Intravesical Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) therapy for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer rarely leads to the development of granulomatous renal masses (renal BCGosis). The management includes nephroureterectomy, antitubercular therapy (ATT), or both. Here, we present a case of a 62-year-old male who was treated with ATT alone for renal masses. Six months after intravesical BCG therapy for transitional cell carcinoma, he developed high-grade fever and night sweat and had multiple renal parenchymal hypodensities on computed tomography (CT) scan. Repeat CT scan 6 months after ATT revealed full resolution of renal hypodensities. This case report highlights the importance of follow-up for early detection of adverse effects of BCG treatment.
Urinary tract infection in children
Authors: Alsaywid Basim S. , Alyami Fahad A. , Alqarni Naif , Neel Khalid Fouda , Almaddah Talah O. , Abdulhaq Nada M. , Alajmani Lujin Bassam , Hindi Mawada O. , Alshayie Mohammed A. , Alsufyani Hazim , Alajlan Sarah Abdulrahman , Albulushi Bashaer I. , Labani Safiah K.
Published: April 2023

Background:

Urinary tract infection (UTI) has been a major burden on the community and the health-care systems all over the globe. It is the most common cause of bacterial infection in the pediatric age group, with an annual incidence of 3%. The aim of this study is to review and summarize all available guidelines on the diagnosis and management of children with UTI.

Materials and Methods:

This is a narrative review of the management of children with a UTI. All biomedical databases were searched, and any guidelines published from 2000 to 2022 were retrieved, reviewed, and evaluated to be included in the summary statements. The sections of the articles were formulated according to the availability of information in the included guidelines.

Results:

UTI diagnoses are based on positive urine culture from a specimen of urine obtained through catheterization or suprapubic aspiration, and diagnoses cannot be established on the bases of urine collected from a bag. The criteria for diagnosing UTI are based on the presence of at least 50,000 colony-forming units per milliliter of a uropathogen. Upon confirmation of UTI, the clinician should instruct parents to seek rapid medical assessment (ideally within 48 h) of future febrile disease to ensure that frequent infections can be detected and treated immediately. The choice of therapy depends on several factors, including the age of the child, underlying medical problems, the severity of the disease, the ability to tolerate oral medications, and most importantly local patterns of uropathogens resistance. Initial antibiotic choice of treatment should be according to the sensitivity results or known pathogens patterns with comparable efficacy of oral and parenteral route, for 7 days to 14 days duration. Renal and bladder ultrasonography is the investigation of choice for febrile UTI, and voiding cystourethrography should not be performed routinely unless indicated.

Conclusion:

This review summarizes all the recommendations related to UTIs in the pediatric population. Due to the lack of appropriate data, further high-quality studies are required to improve the level and strength of recommendations in the future.
Early predictors of Brucella epididymo-orchitis
Authors: Alarbid Abdullah , Salem Shady Mohamed , Alenezi Turky , Alenezzi Abdullah , Alali Khaled , Ajrawi Feras , Alhajry Faisal
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

Epididymo-orchitis (EO) is a common urological condition. In endemic areas, EO may be the presenting picture of brucellosis. Early suspicion and proper diagnosis is necessary for patient recovery.

Objective:

The aim of our study is to identify early predictors of Brucella EO.

Patients and Methods:

We retrospectively collected the data of all patients who were treated at the Urology Unit, Farwaniya Hospital, with acute EO above the age of 12 years between April 2017 and February 2019. Data from electronic and hardcopy files were gathered and analyzed. The diagnosis of acute EO was based on clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings. A total of 120 patients under the diagnosis of EO, epididymitis, and orchitis were reviewed. Thirty-one patients were tested for Brucella based on the history of animal contact, ingestion of unpasteurized dairy products, or persistent fever for more than 48 h. of those patients, 11 tested positive for Brucella orchitis.

Results:

A comparison between Brucella-positive and Brucella-negative patients regarding age, presence of fever, complete blood count (CBC) parameters, pyuria, and abscess formation was made. In the Brucella group, 72% of the patients had a history of animal contact compared to 33% in non-Brucella group (P = 0.006). When comparing CBC parameters in the two groups, Brucella group had statistically significant lower total leukocytic count and neutrophil count (mean ± standard deviation [SD]) 13.07 ± 4.22, 6.4 ± 9.98 versus Brucella negative group 17.35 ± 5.28, 7.8 ± 10.53, and P values were 0.037 and 0.004, respectively. Brucella group showed lymphocytosis (mean ± SD) 25.95 ± 9.78 versus non-Brucella group 13.22 ± 8.05 and P < 0.01.

Conclusion:

Brucella orchitis constituted 9% of the orchitis patients treated in our hospital. Patients with a history of animal contact, EO with lymphocytosis, and relative neutropenia should raise the suspicion for Brucella orchitis in endemic areas.
Treatment of a hemorrhage secondary to nephrostomy tube placement for derivation of monstrous hydronephrosis in upper tract urothelial carcinoma
Authors: Meneghetti Iacopo , Tarantino Francesco Paolo , Mosillo Luca , Catalano Chiara
Published: April 2023

A 85-year-old female patient underwent nephrostomy tube insertion for a huge hydronephrosis due to a papillary mass involving the right ureteral ostium diagnosed by at computed tomography scan. As soon as the nephrostomy tube was inserted, a pulsatile bleeding was found and a renal angiography was done. A massive bleeding from the main and unique right renal artery was found such as to require prompt endovascular embolization. A transurethral resection of the bladder was performed and the pathology report confirmed high-grade pTa transitional cell carcinoma. An open drainage was then placed to empty the contents of the pyelocalyceal system of the kidney. Once obtained the volumetric reduction of the abdominal mass the patient underwent the right nephroureterectomy.
The safety and efficacy of ultrasound versus fluoroscopic percutaneous nephrostomy
Authors: Moeen Ahmed M. , Kamel Mostafa , Khalil Mahmoud , Elanany Fathy G. , Sayed Mohamed Abdel Basir , Behnsawy Hosny M.
Published: April 2023

Objective:

The objective of this study is to compare the outcome of percutaneous nephrostomy by ultrasound (US) versus fluoroscopy including access time, volume of anesthesia required, success rate, and complications.

Methods:

One hundred patients were enrolled in a prospective randomized study. Patients were divided into two groups, 50 cases each. Comparing the two groups was done regarding the need for dye, radiation effect, time taken, trial number, rate of complication, volume of anesthesia, and success rate.

Results:

Patient demographics were comparable between both groups with no statistically significant difference. According to the modified Clavien–Dindo classification, the complications were Grade I (pain and mild hematuria) in each group. Procedural pain was present in 41 (82%) patients in Group I and in 48 (96%) patients in Group II. It was treated in both groups with a simple analgesic. Mild hematuria was present in 5 (10%) patients in the US group and 13 (26%) in the fluoroscopic group and treated by hemostatic drugs only. There was a statistically significant difference between both groups regarding the volume of required local anesthesia, the trial numbers, the puncture numbers, bleeding, extravasation, and change in the hemoglobin level.

Conclusion:

US percutaneous renal access is a safe and effective modality with a high success rate, less operative time, and complication rate. However, a minimum of 50 cases with some pelvicalyceal system dilation may be preliminary requisites to achieve good orientation and competence in achieving safe US percutaneous renal access for future endourological procedures.
Awareness of testicular swelling among young adults in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alnizari Osama Saleh , Alhejaily Ranim Fahad , Alhejaili Saffanah Fawaz , Aljohani Akram Faisal , Alnoman Naif Osama , Bokhari Akram
Published: April 2023

Background:

Testicular masses can be a sign of various medical problems, ranging from acute emergencies such as testicular torsion to chronic illnesses such as cancer. Therefore, examinations, including self-examinations, are an important procedure for diagnosis and treatment, which can help prevent complications such as loss of fertility.

Aims:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of awareness about scrotal swelling among adult men in Saudi Arabia.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was administered to 3502 males, aged 18–50 years, from August 2021 to March 2022.

Results:

A total of 3502 participants from different regions of Saudi Arabia responded to our survey over 43 days, from August 21, 2021 to October 3, 2021. Unmarried, Master’s/PhD graduated male, showed a high level of knowledge and attitude toward testicular swelling.

Conclusion:

The prevalence of cases of scrotal swelling, coupled with the lack of reporting or immediate intervention, was one of the reasons for the lack of research about this subject. The study notices several factors which impacted on participants’ awareness of scrotal swelling and the risks it poses. The results also emphasized the importance of self-examination in respect to the avoidance of complications such as testicular cancer.
Assessment of the knowledge and awareness of urinary bladder cancer among the general population in Western Saudi Arabia
Authors: Nassir Anmar , Saada Hesham , Bakry Salah , Al-Zahrani Sulten , Bakry Suhayb
Published: April 2023

Background:

One of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide is cancer; this encompasses a challenging health issue for both health providers and the community. Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer worldwide. However, few studies have been conducted to estimate the level of knowledge and awareness of urinary bladder cancer among the general population globally and nationally. Therefore, the following study aims to assess the magnitude and level of awareness of urinary bladder cancer among citizens in western Saudi Arabia.

Methodology:

The following survey-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Saudi Arabia’s western region from April to May 2019. A structured questionnaire exploring the knowledge of urinary bladder cancer was given to the participants. In addition, participants’ demographics, social determinants, and past personal and family histories were gathered. The sum of the awareness responses was graded as positive or negative and correlated to determinants.

Results:

A total of 927 participants participated in the study. 74.2% were male, and for most participants, the highest educational level was a university degree (64.7%). The majority of the participants were unmarried (single) (51%) and widowed participants represented the lowest response (3.7%). The majority of the participants were aware of the term “urinary bladder cancer” (78.2%), yet only 24.8% acquainted good knowledge about urinary bladder cancer.

Conclusion:

We found that the citizens in Saudi Arabia have insufficient knowledge of urinary bladder cancer and its detriments.
Extrarenal calyces in a pelvic kidney with ureteropelvic junction obstruction in an adult male – A rare case report
Authors: Singh Vikram , Tripathi Shashank Shekhar , Sandhu Arjun Singh , Bhirud Deepak Prakash , Singh Mahendra
Published: April 2023

Extrarenal calyces (ERC) is a rare renal anomaly. First described in 1925, and till now, >60 cases have been reported worldwide. The association of ERC in ectopic kidneys with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is a very rare presentation. We encountered a case of an adult male with ERC in a pelvic kidney with UPJO, in which the dilated ERC mimicked the ureter and created intraoperative confusion.
A Multicenter, Prospective, Observational Study to Evaluate Ethanol-Induced Symptoms in Patients Receiving Docetaxel Chemotherapy
Authors: Won Young-Woong , Kang Jin-Hyoung , Kwon Jung Hye , Koo Dong-Hoe , Kang Jung Hun , Maeng Chi Hoon , Ahn Hee Kyung , Oh Sung Yong , Lee Dae-Won , Sohn Joohyuk , Oh So Yeon , Lee Kyung Hee , Koh Su-Jin , Lee Keun Seok , Kim Chan-Kyu , Kim Ji-Yeon , Ji Jun Ho , Kim Sung-Bae , Ha Joo Young , Kim Ho Young
Published: April 2023

Purpose Several previous studies and case reports have reported ethanol-induced symptoms in patients receiving anticancer drugs containing ethanol. Most docetaxel formulations contain ethanol as a solvent. However, there are insufficient data on ethanol-induced symptoms when docetaxel-containing ethanol is administered. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency and pattern of ethanol-induced symptoms during and after docetaxel administration. The secondary purpose was to explore the risk factors for ethanol-induced symptoms.Materials and Methods This was a prospective, multicenter, observational study. The participants filled out ethanol-induced symptom questionnaire on the day of chemotherapy and the following day.Results Data from 451 patients were analyzed. The overall occurrence rate of ethanol-induced symptoms was 44.3% (200/451 patients). The occurrence rate of facial flushing was highest at 19.7% (89/451 patients), followed by nausea in 18.2% (82/451 patients), and dizziness in 17.5% (79/451 patients). Although infrequent, unsteady walking and impaired balance occurred in 4.2% and 3.3% of patients, respectively. Female sex, presence of underlying disease, younger age, docetaxel dose, and docetaxel-containing ethanol amount were significantly associated with the occurrence of ethanol-induced symptoms.Conclusion The occurrence of ethanol-induced symptoms was not low in patients receiving docetaxel-containing ethanol. Physicians need to pay more attention to the occurrence of ethanol-induced symptoms and prescribe ethanol-free or low-ethanol-containing formulations to high-risk patients.
Development of a Detailed 3D Finite Element Model for a Lithium-Ion Battery Subject to Abuse Loading
Authors: Zhu Feng , Zhou Runzhou , Sypeck David , Deng Jie , Kim Sangyeon
Published: April 2023

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been used as the main power source for Electric vehicles (EVs) in recent years. The mechanical behavior of LIBs subject to crush loading is crucial in assessing and improving the impact safety of battery systems and EVs. In this work, a detailed 3D finite element model for a commercial vehicle battery was built, in order to better understand battery failure behavior under various loading conditions. The model included the major components of a prismatic battery jellyroll, i.e., cathodes, anodes, and separators. The models for these components were validated against the corresponding material coupon tests (e.g., tension and compression). Then the components were integrated into the cell level model for simulation of jellyroll loading and damage behavior under three types of compressive indenter loading: (1) Flat-end punch, (2) Hemispherical punch and (3) Round-edge wedge. The comparisons showed reasonable agreement between modeling and experiments. With the validated numerical model, parametric studies were further performed to analyze the effect of separator anisotropy, to highlight its important role in the overall structural response of LIBs.
Tensile Properties of Rat Skin in Dorsal and Ventral Regions
Authors: Yang Shuaijun , Song Xuewei , Qiu Jinlong , Wang Peng , Zhao Hui
Published: April 2023

In this paper, tensile experiments were performed on the dorsal and ventral skin of rats, and the mechanical properties of the skin in these two sites were compared and analyzed.

A three-factor experimental protocol of site (dorsal and ventral), strain rate (0.71s-1, 7.1×10-3s-1), and sampling orientation (0°, 45° and 90° relative to the spine) was established for tensile test using the L6(31×22) orthogonal table modified from the standard orthogonal table L4 (23). Uniaxial tensile experiments were performed on rat skin samples to calculate the stress-strain curve. The failure strain energy was selected as the index, and the sum of squared deviations of the factors to the index was calculated by analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the contributions of the factors to the failure strain energy were evaluated.

The results showed that the site factor has the largest effect on the tensile strain energy with a contribution of 88.9% and a confidence level of 95%. The strain rate has a small effect on tensile strain energy with a contribution of 10.4% and a confidence level of 90%. Orientation makes almost no contribution to the tensile strain energy. The mean index value of the dorsal skin was 6.492, which was 3.5 times higher than that of the ventral skin. The mean index value of the skin at high strain rates was 4.970, which was 1.5 times higher than that at low strain rates. There was no significant difference in the mean index value among the three orientations.
Non-pneumatic Tire-Mars Soil Interaction Using Advanced Computational Techniques
Authors: Sidhu Charanpreet Singh , El-Sayegh Zeinab , Ly Alfonse
Published: April 2023

The physical characteristics of Mars's soil have an impact on how easily a spacecraft can land and navigate the planet's surface. On the surface of Mars, wheeled robots known as "rovers" were planted to carry out scientific investigations on the planet's historical temperature, surface geology, and possibilities for past or current life. The challenges of guiding mobile robots across terrain that is sloping, rocky, and deformable have brought to light the significance of creating precise simulation models of the tire and mars soil interaction. In this paper, current efforts to create a terramechanics-based model of rover movement using a Non-Pneumatic (NP) tire on planetary surfaces are discussed. Since no rocks or soils have been brought back to Earth from Mars, Martian simulants are frequently used for testing rovers and other devices for Mars terrain research. Using a Finite Element Analysis-based NP tire model that is modeled and tested, in addition to a dry loose Martian soil that is modeled using Smoothed-Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) technique and calibrated using pressure-sinkage and direct shear test. The rolling resistance coefficient on a Mars simulant can be investigated and analyzed. Results obtained from this research will validate the sustainability of NP tires for future Exploration of Mars.
Robust Optimization of an Electric Bus Body Frame Based on the Mesh Morphing Technology
Authors: Fan Dian , Yang Xiujian , Song Yi , Zhang Shengbin
Published: April 2023

The traditional design optimization of the bus body frame are mainly limited to the optimization of the thickness of the parts. In this work, we perform the optimization design of the bus body frame by optimizing the sectional shape of the tube beams based on the mesh morphing technology. Several groups of finite element analysis are performed for the body frame and the sectional sizes of the rectangular tube beams of the chassis and the side structure of the body that have a greater impact on the body performance are selected for optimization. The mesh morphing technology is used to establish shape design variables for the selected tube beams, and the design variables are comprised of the length, width, and thickness of the sections of the selected tube beams. Based on the entropy weight method and the order preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS) comprehensive weight method, the design variable with a higher comprehensive contribution is obtained. Next, the multi-objective optimization of the structure of the bus body frame is carried out by combining the Latin hypercube experimental design, radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) and the multi-objective non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II). Finally, the six-sigma robust design optimization is performed to improve the reliability and the sigma level of response. After robust optimization, finite element analysis is carried out to verify and evaluate the optimization results. It is shown that the prediction errors are all within 0.3%. The stiffness of the bus body frame has been improved remarkably, and the lightweight rate of bus body substructure reaches 5.9%.
Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities for Off-Board Commercial Vehicle Diagnostics
Authors: Kumar Sharika , Daily Jeremy , Ahmed Qadeer , Arora Anish
Published: April 2023

The lack of inherent security controls makes traditional Controller Area Network (CAN) buses vulnerable to Machine-In-The-Middle (MitM) cybersecurity attacks. Conventional vehicular MitM attacks involve tampering with the hardware to directly manipulate CAN bus traffic. We show, however, that MitM attacks can be realized without direct tampering of any CAN hardware. Our demonstration leverages how diagnostic applications based on RP1210 are vulnerable to Machine-In-The-Middle attacks. Test results show SAE J1939 communications, including single frame and multi-framed broadcast and on-request messages, are susceptible to data manipulation attacks where a shim DLL is used as a Machine-In-The-Middle. The demonstration shows these attacks can manipulate data that may mislead vehicle operators into taking the wrong actions. A solution is proposed to mitigate these attacks by utilizing machine authentication codes or authenticated encryption with pre-shared keys between the communicating parties. Various tradeoffs, such as communication overhead encryption time and J1939 protocol compliance, are presented while implementing the mitigation strategy. One of our key findings is that the data flowing through RP1210-based diagnostic systems are vulnerable to MitM attacks launched from the host diagnostics computer. Security models should include controls to detect and mitigate these data flows. An example of a cryptographic security control to mitigate the risk of an MitM attack was implemented and demonstrated by using the SAE J1939 DM18 message. This approach, however, utilizes over twice the bandwidth as normal communications. Sensitive data should utilize such a security control.
Deep Generative Networks for Nondestructive Cylinder Liner Inspection in Large Internal Combustion Engines
Authors: Angermann Christoph , Laubichler Christian , Kiesling Constantin , Dreier Florian , Haltmeier Markus , Jonsson Steinbjörn
Published: April 2023

Digitalization offers a variety of promising tools for improving large internal combustion engine technology. This also includes the inspection of important engine components such as cylinder liners. Modern concepts for condition monitoring of the inner surfaces of cylinder liners are often based on indirect methods such as lubricating oil or vibration condition monitoring. However, a position-based inspection of roughness and lubrication properties of the liner surface is currently not possible during operation, nor is it feasible during engine standstill. For large engines in particular, the evaluation of surface properties currently requires disassembly and cutting of the inspected liner, followed by a sophisticated microscopic surface depth measurement. Although this process provides a high-resolution three-dimensional surface model, such measurement methods are destructive and costly. The goal of the research presented here is to develop a simpler and nondestructive method for generating reasonable 3D models of the inner surfaces of cylinder liners in large engines for stationary power generation. A deep learning framework is proposed that allows prediction of surface texture depth from RGB images that can be collected with a handheld microscope. The proposed method is trained on a self-built database of liner surfaces that contains over 2400 RGB images and 1200 depth measurements from 190 cylinder liners with a representative variance of accumulated operating hours taken from large gas engines. The use of convolutional neural networks and adversarial learning techniques makes possible the reliable prediction of surface texture depth in the micrometer range. These textures are comprehensively evaluated using standard measures of surface condition. In addition, recent advances in the field of uncertainty quantification are deployed to detect quality deficiencies in the input images in advance, thereby strengthening the reliability of the approach. The observed success of the proposed method suggests its great potential for nondestructive liner inspection during engine servicing.
Suction Cup Quality Predication by Digital Image Correlation
Authors: Guo Bicheng , Zheng Xiaowan , Fang Siyuan , Yang Lianxiang
Published: April 2023

Vacuum suction cups are used as transforming handles in stamping lines, which are essential in developing automation and mechanization. However, the vacuum suction cup will crack due to fatigue or long-term operation or installation angle, which directly affects production productivity and safety. The better design will help increase the cups' service life. If the location of stress concentration can be predicted, this can prevent the occurrence of cracks in advance and effectively increase the service life. However, the traditional strain measurement technology cannot meet the requirements of tracking large-field stains and precise point tracking simultaneously in the same area, especially for stacking or narrow parts of the suction cups. The application must allow multiple measurements of hidden component strain information in different fields of view, which would add cost. In this study, a unique multi-camera three-dimensional digital image correlation (3D-DIC) system was designed and applied to measure the strain concentration of the suction cups while the cups were running the pulling progress. In this technique, a multiplexed quad-cameras DIC system which contains two sets of 3D-DIC system (4 cameras) with different field of view or different measurement directions enables simultaneous measurement of full-filed and hidden parts under the same calibration progress. The first two cameras built a sub-group of the 3D-DIC system, which was used to measure the local strain of the narrow or stacked prats. The other system was used to acquire the strain fields of the entire suction cup. In addition to the experimental test, the fatigue test to see the cracks appeared location. The results of DIC were compared to the fatigue data, and the DIC experimental data validated the crack location. This project aims to help designers and operators thoroughly understand the performance of vacuum cups by investigating the strain concentration and crack location.
Effect of Fiber Content on Anisotropic Behavior of 3D Printed Fiber Composites
Authors: Garcia Jordan , Smith Sayer , Sibley Brian , Lu Y Charles
Published: April 2023

Discontinuous or short-fiber composites are traditionally less expensive and are normally less difficult to manufacture than continuous fiber composites, while still retaining some of the benefits of reinforcing fibers. Similarly to continuous fibers, the volume ratio influences the mechanical properties of the composite. In addition the ratio of the length and diameter of the reinforcing fibers also plays a significant role. This ratio (also known as the aspect ratio) adds another variable to the anisotropic properties of lamina plies where now not only the content of fibers but also the dimensions of the fibers themselves play a role. Short fiber reinforced composites are already used in additive manufacturing techniques; however, the amount of carbon fiber and the length of the discontinuous strands in the filaments are normally not stated or vary greatly. An investigation in conducted on how the dimensional properties of the carbon fiber, (volume fraction and aspect ratio), affect the mechanical properties of 3D printed parts. Rectangular bending samples were fabricated using a Pulse XE 3D-printer using filament rolls of varying carbon-fiber content and carbon-fiber length. The results showed that the orientation of the reinforcing fibers can play a significant role in the mechanical responses of the final product. The amount of fiber by content also influence how much of a brittle/ductile response the samples exhibited. Additionally the aspect ratio of the carbon-fiber strands appears to influence how susceptible the final products are to artifacts of the 3D-printing process. Finally it is shown how using a combination of the Halpin-Tsai model with Classical-Laminate-Composite-Theory can predict how the samples will respond based on the carbon-fiber content, aspect ratio, and print/fiber orientation. This can theoretically be used to tailor a 3D-printed products anisotropic mechanical properties based on the loading conditions expected by manipulating the reinforcing fibers.
Analysis of Geo-Location Data to Determine Combat Vehicle Idling Times
Authors: Mittal Vikram , Lawrence Brandon , Rodriguez Andrew , Evangelista Paul , Novoselich Brian
Published: April 2023

As the United States Army strives for electrification and hybridization of tactical and combat vehicles in alignment with its Climate Strategy, it is necessary to capture all aspects of the drive cycle. One key area for consideration is the amount of time that the vehicles spend idling. Indeed, military vehicles can idle for a considerable amount of time, especially given that soldiers must keep their vehicles running to power critical electronic subsystems. Current, standardized drive cycles do not fully capture the degree that military vehicles idle. This study begins to address this gap by analyzing geo-location data collected from the National Training Center (NTC) for several different tactical vehicles including the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and the Abrams Main Battle Tank. This paper details the extraction, cleaning, and analysis of the geo-location data. The analysis provides insight to how often each vehicle type was stationary over the course of a multi-week training exercise. When coupled with common tactics required in this operating environment, the total amount of time that each vehicle was idling may be approximated. The analysis found that over a given training rotation at NTC, the vehicles spent a considerable amount of time idling, leading to a significant amount of fuel consumption. The paper concludes by evaluating opportunities to mitigate vehicle idle fuel consumption including anti-idle kits and auxiliary power units.
A Standard Set of Courses to Assess the Quality of Driving Off-Road Combat Vehicles
Authors: Green Paul
Published: April 2023

Making manned and remotely-controlled wheeled and tracked vehicles easier to drive, especially off-road, is of great interest to the U.S. Army. If vehicles are easier to drive (especially closed hatch) or if they are driven autonomously, then drivers could perform additional tasks (e.g., operating weapons or communication systems), leading to reduced crew sizes. Further, poorly driven vehicles are more likely to get stuck, roll over, or encounter mines or improvised explosive devices, whereby the vehicle can no longer perform its mission and crew member safety is jeopardized.

HMI technology and systems to support human drivers (e.g., autonomous driving systems, in-vehicle monitors or head-mounted displays, various control devices (including game controllers), navigation and route-planning systems) need to be evaluated, which traditionally occurs in mission-specific (and incomparable) evaluations.

To support the use of comparable test conditions, a set of combat-relevant driving courses was developed for usability evaluations. This set of courses has been implemented in simulation (the Detroit Arsenal TBMS/CS simulator) and in the field (Camp Grayling). The 9 courses are: (1) on-road driving, (2) slalom (to avoid obstacles), (3) mogul (to assess rollover propensity), (4) ditches (which are difficult to see), (5) minefield (where the path is narrow), (6) berm drill (a defensive maneuver), (7) urban cover (scampering between buildings), (8) urban drive (narrow alleys), and (9) formation change (e.g., line to column). The courses used at Camp Grayling are documented here and representative driving data are provided to support use of these courses by others. Improvements are also suggested.
Synthesis of Statistically Representative Driving Cycle for Tracked Vehicles
Authors: Egan Daniel , Sundar Anirudh , Kumar Asit , Zhu Qilun , Prucka Robert , Filipi Zoran , Barron Morgan , Figueroa-Santos PhD Miriam , Castanier Matthew
Published: April 2023

Drive cycles are a core piece of vehicle development testing methodology. The control and calibration of the vehicle is often tuned over drive cycles as they are the best representation of the real-world driving the vehicle will see during deployment. To obtain general performance numerous drive cycles must be generated to ensure final control and calibration avoids overfitting to the specifics of a single drive cycle. When real-world driving cycles are difficult to acquire methods can be used to create statistically similar synthetic drive cycles to avoid the overfitting problem. This subject has been well addressed within the passenger vehicle domain but must be expanded upon for utilization with tracked off-road vehicles. Development of hybrid tracked vehicles has increased this need further. This study shows that turning dynamics have significant influence on the vehicle power demand and on the power demand on each individual track. Hybrid tracked vehicle development must consider both power demands as they are a key factor when deciding location and sizing of electrified powertrain components. This study identifies four key parameters that must be included in drive cycle development for tracked vehicles and proposes a Markov chain model framework to generate synthetic drive cycles from limited reference data.
Aerodynamics of Landing Maneuvering of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in Close Proximity to a Ground Vehicle
Authors: Uddin Mesbah , Nichols Spencer , Hahn Cortney , Misar Adit , Desai Shishir , Tison Nathan , Korivi Vamshi
Published: April 2023

Autonomous takeoff and landing maneuvers of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from/on a moving ground vehicle (GV) have been an area of active research for the past several years. For military missions requiring repeated flight operations of the UAV, precise landing ability is important for autonomous docking into a recharging station, since such stations are often mounted on a ground vehicle. The development of precise and efficient control algorithms for this autonomous maneuvering has two key challenges; one is related to flight aerodynamics and the other is related to a precise detection of the landing zone. The aerodynamic challenges include understanding the complex interaction of the flows over the UAV and GV, potential ground effects at the proximity of the landing surface, and the impact of the variations in the surrounding wind flow and ambient conditions. While a large body of work in this area can be found on the control aspect of the UAV landing and takeoff maneuvers, research on the aerodynamic aspects of such maneuvers is non-existent. This paper presents an in-depth computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based aerodynamic characterization of the transient flow fields associated with the landing of a hobby-model quadcopter (the UAV) on an idealized road vehicle (the GV), the 35-degree slant angle Ahmed body. Transient improved delayed detached eddy simulations (IDDES) are carried out using the commercial CFD code STAR-CCM+. Our study indicates that the pressure field is the first flow property that gets impacted by the proximity of the UAV to the GV.