This study advances the field of infectious disease forecasting by introducing a novel approach to micro-level contact modeling, leveraging human movement patterns to generate realistic temporal dynamic networks. Through the incorporation of human mobility models and parameter tuning, this research presents an innovative method for simulating micro-level encounters that closely mirror infection dynamics within confined spaces. Central to our methodology is the application of Bayesian optimization for parameter selection, which refines our models to emulate both the properties of real-world infection curves and the characteristics of network properties. By focusing on the distinct aspects of infection propagation within confined spaces, our approach significantly improves the realism of temporal-dynamic contact networks, offering a powerful tool for assessing the impact of specific locations on pandemic dynamics. The resulting models shed light on the role of spatial encounters in disease spread and strengthen the capability to forecast and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. This work not only contributes to the scientific understanding of micro-level transmission patterns but also offers practical insights for public health strategies and digital contact tracing efforts, aiming at more effective intervention and containment measures during pandemics.

Nowadays, microfluidics has become an anarchist interdisciplinary topic with considerable attention in a wide range of biotechnology applications. In this research work, numerical investigation of microfluidic micro-mixer is carried out using hybrid actuation approach with different micropillar shapes and gaps. For this purpose, COMSOL Multiphysics is used with three different physics such as thermoviscous acoustic to solve acoustic governing equations, laminar physics is used to solve fluid flow governing equations and diluted transport species is used to solve mixing governing equations. The simulations were carried out with flow velocity of 200 µm/s at both inlets with an oscillation frequency of 15kHz. The outcomes were in the form of acoustic characteristics such as acoustic pressure, acoustic velocity, acoustic streaming and mixing index. The results revealed that the inclusion of micropillars enhanced the mixing performance and strength of acoustic field resulting in improvement of mixing performance compared to the case without micropillars. In addition, it was also investigated that blade shape micropillars with 0.150 mm gaps deliver best results compared to the other cases with maximum and minimum values of the mixing index 0.95 and 0.72 respectively. The obtained results can be extremely helpful for design and modifications of hybrid microfluidics micro-mixer.

Objectives: This study assessed the performance of a novel fluoride dentifrice containing micro- fibrillated cellulose (MFC) and 7% silica (Protegera™) versus common fluoride dentifrices. Methods: Removal of extrinsic stains was assessed using the pellicle cleaning ratio (PCR) method, and radioactive dentin abrasivity (RDA) was measured, to calculate a cleaning efficiency index (CEI). Fluoride efficacy was evaluated using widely used remineralization and fluoride uptake methods. Results: The MFC dentifrice removed stained pellicle significantly more effectively than the ADA reference material, Crest Cavity Protection™ and Sensodyne Pronamel™, and had equal performance to three known marketed stain-removing dentifrices (Arm & Hammer™ Advanced Whitening, Crest ProHealth™, and Colgate Optic White™). The MFC dentifrice vehicle had a low RDA (88), which was significantly less than Crest ProHealth (166) and Crest 3D-White™ (183). Based on PCR and RDA data, the CEI was 31% greater for the MFC product than for Crest ProHealth. In a 10-day pH cycling study, the fluoride efficacy of the MFC product was superior to a non-fluoridated control and was not significantly different from Sensodyne Pronamel and Crest Cavity Protection. The MFC dentifrice was superior for promoting fluoride uptake into incipient enamel lesions than the USP reference dentifrice. Conclusion: The low dentin abrasivity MFC dentifrice is highly effective in removing stained pellicle, and is an efficacious fluoride source when compared to other relevant commercially available fluoride dentifrices with high dentin abrasivity. Clinical Significance: Including micro-fibrillated cellulose into a fluoride dentifrice may enhance cleaning performance for the removal of external stain, while lowering abrasivity, and providing an effective fluoride source. This combination of benefits seems well suited to enamel protection and caries prevention.

Abstract: Severe land degradation is the principal environmental problem in Ethiopian highlands in the form of soil erosion, and soil fertility loss, which is caused by human intervention for food, shelter, and energy demands. Soil erosion contributes to the loss of precious soil and water resources which are the basis of agricultural production and provide numerous other eco-system services. The Ethiopian highlands are one of the most degraded regions in the world. To combat such problems, the government of Ethiopia has been implementing massive soil and water conservation works at the watershed scale since 2010 to conserve soil and water resources. Mount Yewel is one of the highlands in Northeastern Ethiopia where intensive soil and water conserva-tion has been implemented. Despite the massive investment in soil and water conservation measures, most of the rivers in the highlands of Ethiopia carry huge amounts of sediment with high flood risks in the wet season and streams are dried up in the dry period. Nonetheless, the impact of soil and water conservation measures on flood reduction and dry season flow en-hancement has not yet been quantified and evaluated. This research was then conducted on paired micro-catchments of Mount Yewel with the main objective of evaluating the impact of soil and water conservation measures on base flow modification. Stream flow and rainfall data were col-lected from 22/11/2020 to 8/11/2022 on paired micro-catchments of Mount Yewel at their outlets and centers respectively. Base flow separation was done from the stream hydrograph using Sp. Hydro base flow separation tool and SPSS Ver.21 statistical software were employed for data analysis. Flow duration curves (FDC) for both watersheds were developed to compare the stream flow patterns between treated and untreated micro-catchments of Mount Yewel. The FDC indi-cated that the base flow from treated micro-catchment is higher and sustained in the dry season while it is low and unsustained in untreated micro-catchment. From statistical analysis, there is a significant (P

TAFRO syndrome (TS) is a rare variant of idiopathic multicentric Castleman's disease (iMCD) characterized by a confluence of symptoms: thrombocytopenia (T), anasarca (A), fever (F), reticulin myelofibrosis (R), and organomegaly (O). First described in Japan in 2010, the pathogenesis of the disease remains unclear. Due to its heterogeneous presentation and potential life-threatening delays in diagnosis, precise diagnosis is essential. According to the literature, no specific imaging modality has been recommended for the work-up of patients with suspected TS. Here, we report a case of TS and its management using 18F-FDG-PET/CT imaging as an attractive complementary diagnostic tool.

Micro-Raman spectroscopy was carried out to evaluate the localized residual stresses in commercial Gallium Nitride-based devices, specifically AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) in a novel packaging design provided by STMicroelectronics S.r.l. The packaging plays a key role in protecting the device core against the external environment, thus minimizing damages caused by mechanical shocks, exposure to light, and contact with chemicals, conjointly achieving an efficient heat dissipation rate. Even though the packaging is a required step for the proper functioning of ready-to-use electronic devices, its application typically may introduce mechanical stress to AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, which can result in various reliability issues. In this paper, we investigate the impact of packaging on residual stress by analyzing the frequency shift of the E2 Raman peak along GaN layers and at the GaN/Si interface. An extensive evaluation was conducted using both a packaged device and a wafer-level device. The correlation between Raman frequency shifts of the E2 mode was accurately quantified, revealing a stress mitigation of approximately 0.1 GPa. This reduction is ascribed to the compressive stress introduced by the packaging, which partially offsets the intrinsic tensile stress of the wafer-level device. The proposed methodology could, in principle, be implemented to improve the development of a packaging.

Heat transfer enhancement and hydrodynamic characteristics of nanofluid use in a micro heat exchanger is investigated for cooling electronic components working in hot climatic conditions. The cooling fluid employed was water and TiO2 nanoparticles at concentrations of 1% and 5%, Reynolds numbers ranged from 400 to 2000, and inlet temperatures ranged between 35ºC and 65ºC. At a nanofluid inlet temperature of 55ºC and a nanoparticle concentration of 1%, the Nusselt number increased by 23% up to 54% as the Reynolds number varied between 400 and 2000. At a nanoparticle concentration of 5%, the percentages which correspondingly enhanced the Nusselt number were 32% and 63%. The temperature of the electronic heating component decreased by 4.6-5.2ºC when the nanofluid concentration was increased from 0 to 5% at a Reynolds number of 400 and a nanofluid inlet temperature of 35ºC. Small increments in pressure drop of about 6% and 13% were observed at nanofluid concentrations of 1% and 5%, respectively. With nanoparticle concentrations of 1% and 5%, a Reynolds number of 2000 and a nanofluid inlet temperature of 35ºC, performance evaluation criterion (PEC) values of 1.36 and 1.45 were obtained. When the nanofluid inlet temperature was increased to 65ºC, the PEC parameter decreased to 1.02-1.10 for both concentrations.

The literature shows that both in laboratory and in industrial conditions, photocatalytic oxidation method copes quite well with the degradation of the most organic substances, including environmental toxins and molecular components of pathogenic microorganisms. However, the effective utilization of photocatalytic processes for environmental decontamination and disinfection require significant technological advancement both in the area of semiconductor material synthesis and its application. Here we focused on the presence and ‘photocatalytic capability‘ of photocatalysts among soil minerals, and their potential contribution to the environmental decontamination in vitro and in vivo. (The issue is sketched from the perspective of chemists and environmental scientist.) Reactions caused by sunlight on the soil surface are involved in its normal redox activity. It appears that some of them may take part in the soil decontamination. However, their importance for decontamination in vivo cannot be overstated due to diversity of soils on the Earth caused by the environmental conditions, such as climate, parent material, relief, vegetation etc. The solar-light induced reactions are just a part of extremely complicated processes dependent on a plethora of environmental determinates. Such multiplicity of affecting factors, which we tried to sketch from the perspective of chemists and environmental scientist, makes us rather sceptical about the effectiveness of the photocatalytic processes in vivo. On the other hand, there is a huge potential of the soils as the alternative source of useful photocatalytic materials of unique properties

Cancer is a disease caused by the abnormal growth of cells in different parts of body is one of the top causes of death globally. Microarray gene expression data plays a critical role in the identification and classification of cancer tissues. Due to recent advancements in Machine Learning (ML) techniques, researchers are analyzing gene expression data using a variety of such techniques to model the progression rate & treatment of cancer patients with great effect. But high dimensionality alongside the presence of highly correlated columns in gene expression datasets leads to computational difficulties. This paper aims to propose the use of ML classification techniques- Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) & Random Forest (RF) for classifying five types of cancer (breast cancer, kidney cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer and prostate cancer) based on high dimensional microarray gene expression data. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used for dimensionality reduction, and principal component scores of the raw data for classification. Six distinct categorization performance measures were used to evaluate these approaches; RF method provided us with higher accuracy than LDA method. The method and results of this article should be helpful to researchers who are dealing with many genes in microarray data.

The severe and complex COVID-19 symptoms, often needing hospital care, occur suddenly, late in the virus replication stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Hospitalised patients have tissue damage due to micro-clots at multiple sites. Could long-covid, also clinically variable, be a milder form caused by “nano-clots”, too small to cause detectable tissue damage? The timing and suddenness of the onset of serious disease needs an explanation. A paper reported on the first 20 children needing urgent hospital care. No child had any symptoms prior to suddenly becoming seriously ill, only one had a positive PCR test but all had positive SARS-CoV-2 antibody test. That finding indicated to me that this onset occurred at the moment of sero-conversion. An emerging viral moiety, the virion-IgG-antibody complex, has concentrations rapidly increasing, then decreasing. It is known that influenza-IgG-antibody-complex consists of many virions bound together by the antibody. It seems a reasonable step to propose that SARS-2, being a large virus and having many spike proteins, can form larger clumps of virus-IgG-antibody complexes than with influenza, the former being sufficiently large to initiate micro-clots. Therefore, my hypotheses is that the SARS-CoV-2 virion-antibody complex initiates micro-clot formation. Either before or after sero-conversion, the complex will be at too low a concentration to initiate micro-clots. To be useful, a hypothesis should be testable, provide explanations and give predictions. My presentation will give examples. I like the way that several apparently separate pieces of a jig-saw puzzle have come together to form a single picture. [I suggest that the reader scrolls down to the addenda [10,11 & 12] before reading the ICAR Poster]

Microscopic vision plays an important role in automated micro-assembly. However, some uncertain factors in the assembly process, such as occlusion and stains can lead to the mistakes of feature extraction. Herein, to solve the problem, the deep learning techniques are introduced into the feature recognition tasks, focusing on the attention mechanism and visualizing CNNs for DL-based microscopic vision. The main contributions are summarized as follows: The CBAM attention mechanism is combined with the YOLOv5 algorithm to improve the accuracy and robustness of feature extraction. The micropart feature occlusion experiment results show that at 70% occlusion degree, YOLOV5-CBAM can reach 97.9% mAP@0.5, which is 4.6% higher than the original one. Visualization analysis of DL-based model is conducted using Grad-CAM to make the decision result more transparent and avoid potential visual detection risks during assembly. The heatmap matching degree between GT area and high-light area is increased by 27.81% on average, which further verify the effectiveness of attention mechanism in micropart feature localization. Additionally, micropart surface stain and droplet quality classification models based on ResNet50 are trained to replace the manual sorting. The visual results are consistent with human eye discernment and judgement, confirming the reliability of parts and droplets sorting.

The spatial segregation is a characteristic of Latin American cities, resulting in distinct dynamics of social inclusion and exclusion at both spatial and identity levels. Then, specific green spaces may convert into appreciated and contested territories, where various actors negotiate their uses and regulations. Considering a case-study in a green icon of the metropolitan city of Santiago de Chile, the main objective of the present study was to describe and comprehend the uses and meanings of the Quebrada Macul park among different social groups over the past two decades. We employed qualitative methods including six in-depth interviews with key informants (social and ecological leaders, historical neighbors, and park workers), five participant observations in the park, and statistical analysis of visitors. Results reveal that (1) the transition of being a popularly used hill to a metropolitan park rises tensions between public and private statuses of place; (2) conflicts emerge regarding who uses the space and how, reflecting power dynamics among different social groups; (3) the park, beyond being a public space, holds significant identity value for its historical residents, both for those who fought for its recovery and those who have lived closely, so processes of forgetfulness might be resentful. We conclude on enduring meanings of the park associated with the struggle for the place among different groups, highlighting the role of memory for the social integration of groups among natural spaces.

For concrete structures exposed to offshore areas, chloride ion erosion is one of the main factors affecting the durability. It is crucial to evaluate chloride ion permeability resistance of concrete structures. In this article, a finite element simulation of the chloride ion diffusion process in concrete is conducted. A mass diffusion finite element model based on random aggregate approach is established to investigate the influence of aggregate, interface transition zone, and micro-cracks on chloride ion diffusion coefficients in concrete. The results show that the mass diffusion finite element analysis based on the exponential function model and power function model can effectively simulate the chloride ion diffusion process in concrete. In addition, the data reveal that coarse aggregate is the most important factor affecting chloride ion diffusivity in concrete. However, the interface transition zone significantly accelerates chloride ion diffusion in concrete. Moreover, this acceleration effect exceeds the barrier effect of aggregate.

Micro satellites must survive severe mechanical conditions during their launch phase. Therefore, structural design requirements are imposed on the micro satellites. These requirements are the strength requirement and the stiffness requirement. Usually, the structural design of a micro satellite is performed using the internal stress analysis and the natural frequency analysis, which are based on a Finite Element Method (FEM). The validity of this structural design is evaluated through vibration tests. In an early stage of development, which has a FEM model of a satellite in the process of creation, presumption of the natural frequency of a satellite may be difficult. In this study, a simple method for determining the longitudinal and lateral minimum natural frequencies of the micro satellites during the ascent phase was clarified. The structure of the micro satellites used in this research is made of aluminum alloy, and they have a monocoque structure. The Young's modulus and moment of inertia of area used to calculate the minimum natural frequencies were determined using the area ratio of the monocoque structure to the entire satellite. When this method is used, the estimated minimum natural frequencies of the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction are in agreement with the measured values acquired by the vibration tests. In order to shorten the process of micro satellites development, this paper describes a practical estimation method of the minimum natural frequency for micro satellites.

The amorphous Fe77Cu1Si13B9 ribbons were treated with pulsed laser interference heating (PLIH). It was confirmed here that the use of the laser heating process allowed for obtaining two-dimensional crystallised micro-areas, periodically distributed (at a distance of 17µm) on the surface of the amorphous ribbons. The correlation between structural changes (SEM, TEM, HRTEM) and the distribution of magnetic field lines of heated amorphous Fe77Cu1Si13B9 (FeCuSiB) ribbons is presented. Particular attention is paid to structure changes in micro-areas where, by controlling the laser interference heating process, partial crystallisation of amorphous alloys and the formation of clusters or single nanocrystallites (α-Fe(Si)) embedded in an amorphous matrix are given. The addition of copper to the FeSiB alloy promoted inhibition of grain growth. Electron holography of micro-areas confirmed shifts of the magnetic field lines in the areas of nanocrystallites, the presence of which in the structure caused magnetisation of the surrounding amorphous matrix.

Background: This study aimed to assess the impact of a nutrition-care bundle on growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes of micro-preterm infants born in a level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) by two years corrected age. Methods: A nutrition-care bundle emphasizing the prompt initiation of parenteral nutrition at birth, initiation of enteral feeds within 6 hours after birth, and early addition of human milk fortifiers was implemented in 2015 for infants born <26 weeks gestation. This before-and-after study evaluated growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants born between 2012-2013 (before-nutrition-bundle BNB) and 2016-2017 (after-nutrition-bundle ANB). Results: A total of 145 infants were included in the study. Infants in the ANB group (n=73) were smaller (birthweight and gestational age), and there were more male infants and multiples included compared to the BNB group (n=72). Enteral feeds and fortifiers started earlier in the ANB group. Growth velocity and weight-z-score changes were similar in both groups during NICU stay and post-discharge. Systemic steroid use, but not cohort, was linked to lower Bayley scores across all domains. Conclusions: Implementing a nutrition-care bundle was not consistently associated with improved weight-gain and neurodevelopmental outcomes in the micro-preterm infant population, likely due to ongoing high-quality nutritional care by the clinical team.

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality globally. Pulmonary nodules are one of the risk factors and their discovery rate has been increasing. Based on the nodule size and growth rate, their malignancy propensity is determined; however, it is very challenging to distinguish between benign and cancerous nodules. Many tumour-associated antigens (TAA) have been studied as blood biomarkers for lung cancer, most commonly the Cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC Ag), carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Due to their low sensitivity, TAAs are not recommended as tools for the early detection of lung cancer. However, cancer testis antigens (CTAs) are highly specific for carcinomas but their expression is more commonly associated with advanced stages of cancer and poor prognosis. Despite the fact that TAAs may provide useful insights for the diagnosis and prognosis of early lung cancer, their potential to do so has yet to be demonstrated.

The ceramic sherds from approximately 20 samples of lead-glazed tableware, recovered from diverse archaeological sites, including three repurposed storage pits transformed into dumpsters within the medieval city of Santarém (13th-14th century), underwent a meticulous examination. This investigation utilized techniques such as micro-Raman, ground state diffuse reflectance absorption, and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopies, in addition to X-ray diffraction and stereomicroscopy. A parallel study was conducted on contemporaneous European ceramics (glazed sherds) sourced from archaeological sites dating back to the 13th-15th centuries in Saintonge (France), Ardenne, Zomergem, and Bruges (Belgium), as well as Surrey-Hampshire, Kingston, and Cheam (England). The colour of the ceramic bodies is predominantly white or whitish, with a few exhibiting a vivid red hue. Ceramic sherds with a light paste composition were likely crafted using kaolin clays as raw materials. Analyses of fabric, mineralogical, and elemental composition of the sherds suggest that the majority of Santarém's glazed ceramics were locally or regionally produced, potentially derived from a Pliocene kaolin-rich sand formation. However, this conclusion is not supported by the absence of discovered lead glaze kilns or workshops in Santarém for the late Middle Ages. A distinctive feature from the European workshop ceramics lies in the quartz temper content and fabric.

Introduction Blunt carotid injuries (BCI) in pediatric trauma are quite rare. Due to the low number of cases, only a few reports and studies have been conducted on this topic. This review will discuss how frequent BCI/ BCVI on pediatric patients after blunt trauma is, what routine diagnostics look like, if a CT/ CTA scan on pediatric patients after blunt trauma is always necessary and if there are any negative health effects? Methods This literature review includes reviews, systematic reviews, case reports and original studies in english language between 1999 and 2020 that have dealt with pediatric blunt trauma and the diagnostics of BCI and BCVI. Furthermore, publications on the risk of radiation exposure on children were included in the study. For literature research, Medline (PubMed) and the Cochrane library were used. Results Pediatric BCI/ BCVI, shows an overall incidence between 0.03 – 0.5% of confirmed BCI/ BCVI cases due to pediatric blunt trauma. 1.1 – 3.5% of pediatric blunt trauma patients underwent CTA to detect BCI. Only 0.17 – 1.2% of all CTA scans shows a positive diagnosis for BCI. In children, the median volume CT dose index on a non-contrast head CT is 33 milligray, a computed tomography angiography needs at least 138 mGy. A cumulative doses of about 50 mGy almost triples the risk of leukemia, and doses of about 60 mGy triples the risk of brain cancer. Discussion Knowing that a BCI could have extensive neurologic consequences for children, it is necessary to evaluate routine pediatric diagnostics after blunt trauma. Computed tomography scans (CT) and computed tomography angiography (CTA) are mostly used in routine BCI diagnostics. However, since radiation exposure in children should be as low as reasonably achievable, it should be asked if other diagnostic methods could be used to identify risk groups. Trauma guidelines and clinical scores like the McGovern score are reflect established BCI screening options, as well as using duplex ultrasound.

Wafer-scale blue micro-light-emitting diode (micro-LED) arrays are fabricated with a pixel size of 12 μm, a pixel pitch of 15 μm, and a pixel density of 1692 pixels per inch, achieved by optimizing the properties of e-beam-deposited and sputter-deposited indium tin oxide (ITO). Although the sputter-deposited ITO (S-ITO) films exhibit a densely packed morphology and lower resistivity compared to those of the e-beam-deposited ITO (E-ITO) films, the forward voltage (VF) values of a micro-LED with the S-ITO films are higher than those with the E-ITO films. The VF values for a single pixel and for four pixels with E-ITO films are 2.82 V and 2.83 V, respectively, while the corresponding values for S-ITO films are 3.50 V and 3.52 V. This was attributed to ion bombardment damage and nitrogen vacancies in the p-GaN layer. Surprisingly, the VF variations of a single pixel and of four pixels with the optimized E-ITO spreading layer from five different regions are only 0.09 V and 0.10 V, respectively. This extremely uniform VF variation is suitable for realizing micro-LED displays to be used in AR and VR applications, circumventing the bottleneck in the development of long-lifespan and high-brightness organic LED devices for industrial mass production.

This study aimed to demonstrate the potential role of Dual Energy CT in assessing Bone Mineral Density (BMD) in postmenopausal women. A retrospective study was conducted on 51 postmenopausal female patients who underwent DXA and DECT examinations for other clinical reasons. DECT images were acquired with spectral imaging using a 256-slice system. These images were processed and visualized using an HAP(fat) map. Statistical analysis was performed using the Bland-Altman method to assess agreement between DXA and DECT HAP(fat) measurements. Mean BMD, vertebral and femoral T-scores were obtained. For vertebral analysis, the Bland-Altman plot showed an inverse correlation (R2: -0.042; RMSE: 0.690) between T-scores and DECT HAP(fat) values for measurements from L1 to L4, while a good linear correlation (R2: 0.341; RMSE: 0.589) it was found for measurements at the femoral neck. In conclusion, we demonstrated the enhanced accuracy of BMD calculation through DECT, finding a statistically significant correlation only at the femoral neck where BMD results do not seem to be influenced by the overlap of the measurements on cortical and trabecular bone. This outcome could be beneficial in the future by reducing radiation exposure for patients already undergoing follow-up for chronic conditions.

Grape dehydration is practiced widely in the food industry with large yields of sultanas produced globally. This paper proposes an investigation into grape microstructure changes as it is dried by imaging specimens at intervals during dehydration at two temperatures using scanning electron microscopy. Detailed images of the microstructure were obtained, and a unique image processing algorithm was developed to quantitatively analyse the properties of this microstructure. Two main methods were developed to obtain the complex boundaries of cells present in the grape tissue in over 36 SEM images. Segmentation of the binary image using an adapted watershed function obtained the most consistent and accurate morphological shape. This was compared to a secondary method which used Canny’s edge detection function, morphological closing and skeletonizing to outlines the cellular microstructure. MATLAB was utilised to convert these boundaries into measurable areas so that quantitative data on average cell area, perimeter and cell axis lengths was acquired. It was found that over drying time cell area and perimeter reduced as expected. Some variability in the data was clear due to only single samples being analysed for each temperature and time combination. The development of automatic image processing techniques will enable quantitative data to be extracted from these images. Trends in cell perimeter, diameter and shape will be used to demonstrate relationships between morphological structure, drying temperature, and duration.

In this paper, we present an experimental procedure to enhance the dimensional accuracy of fabrication via Stereolithography (SLA) of features at the micro-scale. Using a custom benchmark part, deviations in feature dimensions (micro-pores diameters and depths) were detected and measured by confocal microscopy. Samples characterization and experimental observations allowed the identification of inaccuracy sources, mainly due to the laser beam scanning strategy and to the incomplete removal of uncured liquid resin in post-processing (i.e., IPA washing). As a technology baseline, the measured dimensional errors on pores diameters were up to -46%. A compensation method of the nominal laser spot diameter (85m) was defined and implemented resulting in relevant improvements in dimensional accuracy of 9.8% and 11.3% on full-open pores diameter and depth, respectively. Further investigation was performed on a customized test part to adjust the calibration procedure. The measurements revealed that the estimate of the laser beam spot size is 968m. Measurements on micro-pores having different sizes revealed that a constant compensation parameter (i.e., C=85, 96, 120m) is not fully effective at the micro-scale, where average errors still remain at -24%, -18.8%, and -16% for compensations equals to 85, 96 and 120m, respectively. A further experimental campaign allowed the identification of an effective nonlinear compensation law where the compensation parameter depends on the micro-feature size C= f (D). Results show a sharp improvement in dimensional accuracy on micro-pore fabrication, with errors consistently below +8.2%. The proposed compensation method can be extended for the fabrication of any micro-features without restrictions on the specific technology implementation. Concerning the inaccuracy introduced by the laser path, experimentation with a customized part allowed the optimization of the part orientation to reduce the errors and their differences along the X and Y machine axes.

Abstract: Due to sever land degradation throughout Ethiopia, the government has been implementing massive soil and water conservation works at the watershed scale since 2010 to conserve soil and water resources. However, most of the rivers in Ethiopia carry huge amount of sediment in rainy season and streams dried up in the dry period. Planned research was conducted on two paired micro-catchments Mt.Yewel with the main objective of evaluating the impact of soil and water conservation measures on base flow modification. Stream flow and rainfall data were collected from 22/11/2020 to 8/11/2022 on both micro-catchments at their outlets and center respectively. Base flow separation was done using Sp. Hydro base flow separation tool and SPSS Ver.21 statistical software was employed for data analysis. Flow duration curve (FDC) for both watersheds were developed. The FDC indicated that the base flow from treated micro-catchment ishigher and sustained in the dry season while it is low and un-sustained in untreated micro-catchment. From statistical analysis, there is a significant difference in base flow enhancement between the treated and untreated micro-catchment (P<0.001). Hence, catchment treatment contributed to improve groundwater recharge and sustain base flow in the dry season by reduce surface runoff during rainy season.

This study aimed to elucidate the similarities and differences between amyloid-forming corpora amylacea (CA) in the prostate and lung, examine the nature of CAs in cystic tumors of the atrioventricular node (CTAVN), and clarify the distinctions between amyloid-forming CA and spheroid-type amyloid deposition. We conducted proteomics analyses using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with laser microdissection and immunohistochemistry to validate the characteristics of CAs in the lung and prostate. Our findings revealed that CAs in these organs primarily consist of common proteins (β2-microglobulin and lysozyme) and locally produced proteins. Moreover, we observed a discrepancy between the histopathological and proteomic analysis results in CTAVN-associated CAs. In addition, while the histopathological appearance of amyloid-forming CAs and spheroid-type amyloid deposits were nearly identical, the latter deposition lacked β2-microglobulin and lysozyme, and exhibited evident destruction of surrounding tissue. A literature review further supported these findings. These results suggest that amyloid-forming CAs in the lung and prostate are formed through a shared mechanism, serving as waste containers (wasteosomes) and/or storage for excess proteins (functional amyloids). In contrast, we hypothesize that while amyloid-forming CA and spheroid-type amyloid deposits are formed, in part, through common mechanisms, the latter are pathological.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has revolutionized the field of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) by offering hope to individuals and couples struggling with infertility. Nevertheless, traditional IVF methods are not exempt from drawbacks, such as suboptimal success rates, intrusive procedures, and ethical considerations. The introduction of micro/nanorobotics in IVF offers a revolutionary chance to tackle these difficulties. This paper presents a short review of the utilization of micro/nanorobotics in IVF, investigating progress in the manipulation of sperm, retrieval of oocytes, culture of embryos, and potential future developments in this fast progressing area. In this discussion, we explore the fundamental concepts, advantages, difficulties, and possible influence of micro/nanorobotics in transforming IVF processes and enhancing patient outcomes.

With the increased emphasis on competition in academic settings, anxiety is becoming more common, which inevitably has some impact on students’ learning process and result. This study aimed to explore how competition-induced anxiety influences the subjective cognitive load (SCL), attention level and test score. Meanwhile, we investigated the mediating role of the behavioral inhibition system/behavioral activation system (BIS/BAS) in those processes. A total of 101 college students were recruited in Study 1 to learn five micro-lectures from massive open online courses (MOOC) under with and without competitive conditions. The results showed that participants’ state anxiety (SA) scores were higher after the experiment, participants in the competition condition had higher test scores, and the relationship between SA/ trait anxiety (TA) and SCL could be mediated by the BIS. To obtain more objective data on learning processes (attention levels), we conducted Study 2, which collected behavioral and EEG data from 42 college students during the online learning. The results showed that the competition group had higher SA, lower attention levels, and worse test scores, and the relationship between SA/TA and attention levels could be mediated through the BIS. The present study not only expands previous research by finding that BIS functioning plays an important role in the effects of anxiety on cognitive load and attention, but also offers implications for using competitive strategies to motivate students according to their aptitude.

Using pumps operating as turbines (PATs) offers the possibility of increasing the sustainability of water and energy systems by recovering the excess of energy that would be otherwise lost in pressure reducing valves or head loss chambers. In on-grid applications, there are many research works and implementations of PATs. However, there is still limited research for the optimization of efficiency and stability of PATs operating in off-grid systems. This work contributes to the development of stable direct current (DC) off-grid electric systems based on PATs, by optimizing and analysing the energy efficiency and stability for a wide range of operation. A self-excited induction generator (SEIG) coupled to the PAT is provided to cover the conventional type of electric ma-chines typically coupled to the hydraulic pumps. In this context, a methodology is proposed, based on the hydraulic, mechanical and electric subsystems, to define the PAT-SEIG operational area, to maximize energy conversion and the system efficiency. This will guarantee stable electric output quantities when operating in a DC off-grid system. In addition, an analytical model is proposed to estimate the PAT-SEIG operation under specific conditions. With this, water managers are suitable to design and optimize an off-grid PAT-SEIG system and to define the best hydraulic machines, electronic equipment, and all different control elements to maximize energy conversion within the target of operational limits. To develop and verify this new methodology, two micro PAT-SEIG setups were implemented in the hydraulic laboratory of IST/CERIS under typical operating conditions. The proposed solution proved to be resilient under a variable load regime. The system's maximum efficiency can be adapted using different capacitor values for the excitation of the SEIG, and the operational range is limited to the electric components. Considering the nominal efficiencies of the system’s components, the maximum p.u. efficiency obtained for each PAT-SEIG system were between 0.7 and 0.8 p.u.

Dental pulp chamber volume is a fundamental measurement in the field of endodontics, but also in forensic sciences, teaching and training, or tissue engineering. This study evaluates the precision of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in comparison with computed micro-tomography (micro-CT) in evaluating pulp chamber volume of upper central incisors ex vivo. The intra-operator and inter-operator error were evaluated, and the results for the two techniques were compared with a T-test for paired samples. Intra-operator and inter-operator errors were >0.05, indicating an adequate reproducibility in each operator and no significant differences between their meas-urements. On the other hand, no significant differences between the two measurement techniques. The present results demonstrate that CBCT is a precise, feasible and reproducible technique for evaluation of dental pulp chamber volume ex vivo. Results provided with this method are suitable for different medical branches but also for teaching and training of undergraduate and post-graduate students. Furthermore, the findings of this study carry significant clinical implications, as accurate assessment of pulp chamber volume is critical in the diagnosis and treatment of various endodontic conditions. The ability of CBCT to provide reliable 3D dental anatomy measurements can enhance the planning of endodontic treatments by allowing for a better understanding of internal tooth morphology. Additionally, the precision and reproducibility of CBCT in assessing pulp chamber volume can contribute to improved clinical outcomes and reduced complications during endodontic procedures. These findings further support the increasingly vital role of CBCT in modern clinical practice and underscore its value as an indispensable tool in the field of dentistry.

Micro nano bubbles (MNBs) can generate ·OH in situ, which provides a new idea for the safe and efficient removal of pollutants in water supply systems. However, the difficulty in obtaining stable MNBs causes the low efficiency of ·OH generation, which makes the inability to guarantee the removal efficiency of pollutants. This paper reviews the application research of MNBs technology in water security from three aspects: the generation process of MNBs in water, the generation rule of ·OH during MNBs collapse, and the control mechanism of MNBs on pollutants and biofilms. We found that MNBs generation methods are divided into chemical and mechanical (about 10 kinds) categories, and the instability of bubble size restricts the application of MNBs technology. The generation of ·OH by MNBs is affected by pH, gas source, bubble size, temperature, external stimulation. And pH and external stimulus have more influence on ·OH generation in situ than other factors. Adjusting pH to alkaline or acidic conditions and selecting ozone or oxygen as the gas source can promote the ·OH generation. MNBs’ collapse also releases a large amount of energy, which the temperature and pressure can reach 3000K and 5Gpa respectively, making it efficient to remove ≈90 % of pollutants (i.e., trichloroethylene, benzene, and chlorobenzene). The biofilm can also be removed by physical, chemical, and thermal effect. MNBs technology also has great application potential in drinking water, which can be applied to improve water quality, optimize household water purifiers, and enhance the taste of bottled water. Under the premise of safety, let people of different ages taste, finding that compared with ordinary drinking water, 85.7 % of people think MNBs water is softer, 73.3 % of people think MNBs water is sweeter. This further proves that MNBs water has a great prospect in the drinking water application. This review provides innovative theoretical support for solving the problem of drinking water safety.

Evaluating soil quality across various altitudinal gradients, both with and without vegetative cover, is crucial for the proper functioning of soil and optimal crop growth, thereby contributing to the sustainability of agroecosystems. Although the altitudinal gradient significantly influences soil quality, the ability to predict this quality, expressed through an index, in soils with and without vegetative cover, is still insufficiently explored. This study aimed to assess soil quality in the Jun Jun micro-watershed, located in the Tungurahua region, Ecuador. To achieve this objective, three categories of altitudinal gradients were selected: less than 2800 meters above sea level (masl), between 2800 and 2900 masl, and greater than 2900 masl. A total of 24 soil samples were collected in the mentioned gradients, considering both areas with and without vegetative cover. The indicators used included chemical and biological parameters such as soil organic carbon (OC), earthworm density (WD), earthworm biomass (WB), organic matter (OM), pH, total nitrogen (TN), and organic carbon (OC). The results revealed that in areas with altitudinal gradients below 2800 masl, soil quality index values were higher compared to other altitudes. In vegetated areas, a decrease in index values was observed as the altitudinal gradient increased, indicating a deterioration in soil quality with altitude. These findings are significant in providing a quantitative assessment of the effects of altitudinal gradient and vegetative cover influence on soil quality.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in adopting novel sensing technologies for the continuous monitoring of structural systems. In this respect, Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensors are widely used in several applications, including Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). Thanks to their significantly lower cost, ease of installation on the structure, and lower power consumption, they enable extensive, pervasive, and battery-less monitoring systems. This paper presents an innovative high-performance device for SHM applications, based on a low-noise triaxial MEMS accelerometer, providing a guideline and insightful results about the opportunities and capabilities of these devices. Sensor nodes have been designed, developed, and calibrated to meet structural vibration monitoring and modal identification requirements. These components include a protocol for reliable command dissemination through the network and data collection, and improvements to software components for data pipelining, jitter control, and high-frequency sampling. Devices were tested in the lab using shaker excitation. Results demonstrate that MEMS-based accelerometers are a feasible solution to replace expensive piezo-based accelerometers. Deploying MEMS is promising to minimize sensor node energy consumption. Time and frequency domain analysis show that MEMS can correctly detect modal frequencies, useful parameters for damage detection. The acquired data from the test bed were used to examine the functioning of the network, data transmission, and data quality. The proposed architecture has been successfully deployed in a real case study to monitor the structural health of the Marcus Aurelius Exedra Hall within the Capitoline Museum of Rome. The performance robustness was demonstrated and the results showed that the wired sensor network provides dense and accurate vibration data for structural continuous monitoring.

Recent technological advances, including capsule endoscopy (CE) and balloon-assisted endoscopy (BAE), have revealed that small intestinal disease is more common than previously thought. CE has advantages including, high diagnostic yield, discom-fort-free, outpatient basis, and physiological images. BAE enabled endoscopic diagnosis and treatment in the deep small bowel. Computed tomography (CT) enterography with negative oral contrast can evaluate masses, wall thickening, and narrowing of the small intestine. In addition, Enhanced CT can detect abnormalities outside the gastrointestinal tract that endoscopy cannot evalu-ate. Each modality has its advantages and disadvantages, and a good combination of multiple modalities leads to an accurate diagnosis. As a first-line modality, three-phase enhanced CT is preferred. If CT shows a mass, stenosis, or wall thickening, a BAE should be selected. If there are no abnormal findings on CT and no obstructive symptoms, CE should be selected. If there are sig-nificant findings in the CE, determine the indication for BAE and its insertion route based on these findings. Early diagnosis of small intestinal tumors is essential for favorable outcomes. For early diagnosis, the possibility of small bowel lesions should be considered in patients with unexplained symptoms and signs after examination of the upper and lower gastro-intestinal tract.

With the increasing demand for energy worldwide, researchers from different fields have been striving to improve the sustainability and proper utilization of energy resources. Passive radiative cooling, as a natural energy transport method, can achieve cooling without additional external energy input. This review provides a comprehensive examination of passive radiative cooling, including its fundamental theories and latest development. A particular emphasis is placed on the diverse range of fields where passive radiative cooling has been applied, notably including but not limited to construction and architecture. The current state of applications, potential challenges that may arise with wider adaption and promising research directions for each field are thoroughly discussed. This review underscores the universal applicability and feasibility of passive radiative cooling and contributes to its future development by identifying promising areas for further exploration.

The 1060 aluminium alloy is widely applied to electronic industry, construction area, aerospace field, traffic engineering, decoration and consumption goods market for its good chemical, physical and mechanical properties. In general, excellent processing property is necessary and important for manufacturing of complicated panels. In this paper, a special 2D ultrasonic vibration incremental forming method is designed to improve its plasticity and mechanical properties. Three kind of processing methods including traditional single point incremental forming, longitudinal ultrasonic vibration incremental forming and 2D ultrasonic vibration incremental forming are conducted for flexible manufacture of conical parts of 1060 aluminium alloy sheet. Then micro-hardness tests, residual stress tests and scanning electron microscopy tests are carried out to probe its revolution of micro-structure and mechanical properties and to analysis the effects of different types of ultrasonic vibration on plasticity and fracture characteristic of 1060 aluminium alloy. It is proved that 2D ultrasonic vibration is facilitated to improvement of plasticity and surface qualities of 1060 aluminium alloy than the other two processing methods. So, the novel 2D ultrasonic vibration incremental forming possesses substantial application values on flexible and rapid manufacturing of complicated thin-walled component of aluminium alloy.

Following the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO), and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) joint guide-lines (2018) for the management of patients with cervical cancer, treatment decisions should be guided by modern imaging techniques. After five years (2023), an update of the ES-GO-ESTRO-ESP recommendations was performed furtherly confirming this statement. Trans-vaginal/transrectal ultrasound (TRS/TVS) or pelvic magnetic resonance (MRI) enables tumour delineation and precise assessment of its local extent, including the evaluation of the depth of infiltration in the bladder- or rectal wall. Additionally, both techniques have very high specificity to confirm the presence of metastatic pelvic lymph nodes but fail to exclude them due to insuffi-cient sensitivity to detect small-volume metastases, as any other currently available imaging modality. In early-stage disease (T1a to T2a1, except T1b3) with negative lymph nodes on TVS/TRS or MRI, surgicopathological staging should be performed. In all other situations, con-trast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) or 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in combination with CT (PET-CT) are recommended to assess extrapelvic spread. The aim of this paper is to review the evidence supporting the implementation of diagnostic imaging with a focus on ultrasound at primary diagnostic workup of cervical cancer.

Motivated by the increasing need of optimised micro-devices for droplets production in medical and biological applications, this paper introduces an integrated approach for the study of the liquid-liquid droplet creation in flow-focusing micro cross-junctions. The micro-junction considered is characterised by a restriction of the channels cross-sections in the junction, which has the function of focusing the flow in the region of the droplet formation. The problem is studied numerically in OpenFOAM environment and validated by the comparison with experimental results obtained by high-speed camera images and micro-PIV measurements. The analysis of the forces acting on the dispersed phase during the droplet formation and the diameter of the droplets obtained numerically are considered for the development of a model of the droplet breakup under the squeezing regime. On the basis of energy balancing during the breakup, a relation between interfacial tension, the size of the cross-sections in the junction, and the time interval needed for droplet creation is obtained, which yields a novel correlation between the dimensionless length of the droplet and the dimensionless flow rate. This correlation is general and can be used to predict the droplet diameters produced by similar micro-junctions with different aspect ratios and extended to different geometries of flow-focusing micro-junctions.

For esophageal cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), restaging using F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) following nCRT can detect interval metastases, including liver metastases, in almost 10% of patients. However, in clinical practice, focal FDG liver uptake, unrelated to liver metastases, is observed after chemoradiotherapy. This radiation-induced liver injury (RILI) can potentially lead to overstaging. Liver radiation damage is also a concern during distal esophageal cancer radiotherapy due to proximity to the left liver lobe, typically included in the radiation field. Post-CRT, if FDG activity appears in the left or caudate liver lobes, thorough investigation is needed to confirm or rule out distant metastases. The increased FDG uptake in liver lobes post-CRT often presents a diagnostic dilemma. Distinguishing between radiation-induced liver disease and metastasis is vital for appropriate patient management, necessitating a combination of imaging techniques and an understanding of the factors influencing radiation response. Diagnosis involves identifying new foci of hepatic FDG avidity on PET/CT scans. Geographic regions of hypoattenuation on CT and well-demarcated regions with specific enhancement patterns on contrast-enhanced CT scan and MRI are characteristic of radiation-induced liver disease (RILD). Lack of mass effect on all three modalities (CT, MRI, PET) indicates RILD. Resolution of abnormalities on subsequent examinations also helps in diagnosing RILD. Moreover, it can also help to rule out occult metastases, thereby excluding those patients from further surgery who will not benefit from esophagectomy with curative intent.

The ceramic pastes of ca. 31 samples recovered from the Almaraz archaeological site, located in the south bench of Tagus River, were studied in detail using XRF, micro-Raman and GSDR spectroscopies, as well as the XRD technique. The ceramic sherds could be grouped into six categories, Red Slip tableware, Decorated tableware, Yellow Slip tableware, Grey tableware, Common tableware and Handmade pottery. Our studies of the mineralogic composition of the sherds` body indicate that all ceramics were produced locally, using silicious clays in most cases and calcareous clays in a few ones. Micro-Raman and ground state diffuse reflectance absorption spectroscopy provided useful information regarding the materials used to produce the coloured ceramics: hematite and brookite for the red slip and decorated ceramics, jacobsite or carbon black for the black decoration or grey ceramics. For the yellow slip tableware a simple engobe rich in yellow clay was used. XRF spectroscopic studies provided the elemental composition of all samples, and biplots of the Potassium (K) versus Calcium (Ca) contents, normalized to the silicon content of each ceramic paste, clearly show that Pliocene and Miocene local clays sources were used to produce most ceramics. Only one sherd can be considered a Lisbon production.

Background: A careful work-up before Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) consists not only of measuring anatomical conditions but also assessment of frailty. Previous studies have evaluated body composition parameters, primarily fat and muscle mass. Few data are available on other frailty parameters, which, however, can be easily determined by pre-TAVR computed tomography (CT). Objectives: The primary objective was to investigate the impact of total muscle area (TMA) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT), as frailty parameters, on 5-year all-cause mortality in patients undergoing TAVR. Methods: Between 01/2017 and 12/2018, consecutive TAVR patients undergoing CT-angiography scan enabling TMA and VAT measurement were included. A single axial image was acquired at the level of the middle third lumbar vertebra to perform TMA and VAT measurements using dedicated slicing software (Sliceomatic, TomoVision). Results: A total of 500 patients qualified for TMA analysis. Age was not associated with a higher risk of 5-year mortality HR 1.02 (95% CI: 0.998 - 1.049; p=0.069). Body surface area normalized TMA (nTMA) was significantly associated with 5-year all-cause mortality (HR 0.927, 95% CI: 0.927-0.997; p= 0.033), while VAT had no effect (HR 1.002, 95% CI: 0.99-1.015; p= 0.7). The effect of nTMA on 5- year all-cause mortality was gender-dependent: the protective effect of higher nTMA was found in male patients (pinteraction: sex * nTMA = 0.007). The combination of normalized TMA and VAT was not associated with higher mortality rates. Conclusion: Normalized TMA derived from routine CT before TAVR complements frailty assessment in patients undergoing TAVR.

Cross-institutional secondary use of medical data benefits from structured semantic annotation, which, ideally, enables matching and merging semantically related data items from different sources and sites. While numerous medical terminologies and ontologies, as well as some tooling, exist to support such annotation, cross-institutional data usage based on independently annotated datasets is challenging for multiple reasons: the annotation process is resource intensive and requires a combination of medical and technical expertise since it often requires judgment calls to resolve ambiguities resulting from non-uniqueness of potential mappings to various levels of ontological hierarchies and relational and representational systems. Divergent resolution of such ambiguities can inhibit joint cross-institutional data usage based on semantic annotation since data items with related content from different sites will not be identifiable based on their respective annotations if different choices were made without further steps such as ontological inference, which is still an active area of research. We hypothesize that a collaborative approach to semantic annotation of medical data can contribute to more resource efficient and high-quality annotation by utilizing prior annotational choices of others to inform the annotation process, thus both speeding up the annotation itself and fostering a consensus approach to resolving annotational ambiguities by enabling annotators to discover and follow pre-existing annotational choices. Therefore, we have implemented a prototypical Collaborative Annotation Tool (CoAT), evaluated its usability, and present first inter-institutional experiences with this novel approach to promoting practically relevant interoperability driven by use of standardized ontologies.

Breast cancer has become the most diagnosed cancer in women globally with 2.3 million new diagnosis each year. Accurate early staging is essential for improving survival rates with metastatic spread from loco regional to distant metastasis decreasing rates by 50%. Current guidelines do not advice the routine use of Positron Emission Tomography (PET)-Computed Tomography (CT) in staging of early breast cancer in the absence of symptoms. However, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that PET-CT used in this early stage can benefit the patient by improving staging and as a result treatment and outcome as well as psychological burden without increasing costs to the health service. Ongoing research in PET radiomics and artificial intelligence is showing promising future prospects in its use in diagnosis, staging, prognosticatication and assessing response to treatment in breast cancer. Furthermore ongoing research to address current limitations of PET-CT by improving techniques and tracers is encouraging.

This research investigates the microstructure and mechanical behaviour of a polylactic acid (PLA)-iron (PLI) composite designed to enable magnetic actuation. Tensile specimens of PLI are produced through Fused Filament Fabrication, incorporating diverse printing angles ranging from 0° to 90°, thereby facilitating the creation of a variety of layups. The microstructure of these 3D-printed composites is analysed using X-ray micro-tomography. Furthermore, the tensile mechanical properties of all composites are evaluated, and the findings are deliberated in relation to the conditions of the printing angle. Additionally, the fractography of broken specimens is examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy. The findings indicate that the printing angle plays a significant role in influencing the tensile properties of the 3D-printed PLI composites, particularly in adjusting mechanical anisotropy. Moreover, an optimal layup of 45°/45° is attained, resulting in an enhanced ranking of the tensile performance. These findings related to 3D-printed PLI composites present a cost-efficient option for manufacturing bio-sourced light-adaptive composites through 3D printing, enabling the generation of intricate magnetic actuation performance.

To investigate whether high body mass index (BMI) increases the risk of recurrence and corre-lates with higher glucose uptake in recurrent lesions in post-menopausal female patients with breast cancer. The hospital database was searched to retrieve breast cancer patients, who had undergone an [18F]FDG PET/CT scan before neoadjuvant chemotherapy and curative-intent sur-gery. BMI was calculated at the baseline [18F]FDG PET/CT scan. There was a median follow-up of 5 years after the baseline PET/CT scan to identify: recurrence in the breast (T_rec); lymph nodes (N_rec); distant locations (M_rec). Furthermore, SUVmax was measured in the sites of recur-rence. A chi-square test was used to investigate any difference in the frequency of any recur-rence, T_rec, N_rec, and M_rec between overweight women (BMI≥25 kg/m2) and women with a BMI<25 kg/m2 (p<0.05). SUVmax, was compared using a t-test (p<0.05) between the two groups. A total of post-menopausal 142 women (BMI: 26.84±5.59; 84 overweight and 58 with normal weight) were retrieved. There were 48 recurrences at the follow-up. The chi-square test demon-strated in overweight women an increased frequency of any recurrence (35 vs. 13; p=0.025) and T_rec (15 vs. 2; p=0.018) and a higher T_rec SUVmax (4.74±2.90 vs. 1.85 ± 0.63; p=0.09) compared to women with a BMI<25 kg/m2. BMI seems to correlate with an increased rate of recurrence, espe-cially in the breast, and a higher glucose uptake in post-menopausal patients with recurrent breast cancer.

A fern, Polypodium aureum, possesses a specialized spore-releasing mechanism like a catapult induced by quick expansion of vaporized bubbles. This study introduces lipid-coated perfluorocarbon droplets to enable repeatable vaporization-condensation cycles, inspired by the repeatable vaporization of Polypodium aureum. Lipid-perfluorocarbon droplets have been considered not to exhibit repeatable oscillations due to bubble collapse by low surface tension of lipid layers. However, a single lipid-dodecafluoropentane droplet with a diameter of 9.17 µm shows expansion-contraction oscillations over 4,000 cycles by changing lipid composition and applying low power of 1.7 MHz ultrasound to induce partial vaporization of droplets. The optimal combinations of shell composition, droplet fabrication, and acoustic conditions can minimize damage on shell structure and quick recovery of damaged shell layers. The highly-expanding oscillatory microbubbles provide a new direction for fuel-free micro or nanobots as well as biomedical applications of contrast agents and drug delivery.

Shut-in after fracturing is generally adopted for wells in shale oil reservoirs, and imbibition occurring in matrix nanopores has been proven as an effective way to improve recovery. In this research, the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was used to investigate the effects of wettability and pressure on nanopores imbibition during shut-in for a typical shale reservoir Jimsar. The results indicate that the microscopic advancement mechanism of the imbibition front is the competitive adsorption between “interfacial water molecules” at the imbibition front and “adsorbed oil molecules” on the pore wall. The essence of spontaneous imbibition involves the adsorption and aggregation of water molecules onto the hydroxyl groups on the pore wall. The flow characteristics of shale oil suggest that the overall push of the injected water to the oil phase is the main reason for the displacement of adsorbed oil molecules. Thus, shale oil especially the heavy hydrocarbon component in the adsorbed layer tends to slip on the walls. However, the weak slip ability of heavy components on the wall surface is an important reason that restricts the displacement efficiency of shale oil during spontaneous imbibition. The effectiveness of spontaneous imbibition is strongly dependent on the hydrophilicity of the matrix pore's wall. The better hydrophilicity of the matrix pore's wall facilitates higher levels of adsorption and accumulation of water molecules on the pore wall and requires less time for “interfacial water molecules” to compete with adsorbed oil molecules. During the forced imbibition process, the pressure difference acts on both the bulk oil and the boundary adsorption oil, but mainly on the bulk oil, which leads to the occurrence of wetting hysteresis. Meanwhile, shale oil still existing in the pore always maintains a good stratified adsorption structure. Because of the wetting hysteresis phenomenon, as the pressure difference increases, the imbibition effect gradually increases, but the actual capillary pressure gradually decreases and there is a loss in the imbibition velocity relative to the theoretical value. Simultaneously, the decline in hydrophilicity further weakens the synergistic effect of pressure difference because of the more pronounced wetting hysteresis. Thus, selecting an appropriate well pressure enables cost savings and maximizes the utilization of the formation's natural power for EOR.

Energy transition is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity today. All micro, small, medium and large enterprises in operation will have to face it, and some can al-ready boast the first successes in this regard. This paper focuses on the involvement of these smallest players in energy transition. Micro and small entities are the largest part of the economy, having a great influence on its development. Looking at the wide scale of their activities, these entities are distinguished by a specific owner-manager relationship. This means that the final decision-making is influenced by business goals, but also by the manager's approach, their awareness of changes, and personal and other factors. Based on a structured and standardized survey questionnaire, the research was carried out using the Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing technique between April and May 2022 among owners of micro and small enterprises operating in Poland. The survey showed that active engagement of micro and small enterprises in energy efficiency initiatives is related to their market success and financial health.

A recent study reported that micro-osteoperforations (MOPs) accelerated tooth movement by activating alveolar bone remodeling. However, very little is known about the relationship between MOPs and external apical root resorption during orthodontic treatment. In this study, in order to investigate the mechanism which MOPs accelerate tooth movement without exacerbating the progression of root resorption, we measured the volume of resorbed root, and performed the immunostaining for the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end-labelling method (TUNEL) exposed MOPs during rat experimental tooth movement. Male Wistar rats (11 week old) were divided into 3 groups: 10-g orthodontic force (optimal force) applied to the maxillary first molar (optimal force: OF group), 50-g orthodontic force application (heavy force: HF group) and 10-g force application plus 3 small perforations of the cortical plate (OF+MOPs group). On days 1, 4, 7, 10 and 14 after force application, the tooth movement and root volume were investigated by micro-computed tomography. Furthermore, the expression levels of apoptotic cells in pressure sides of periodontal ligament (PDL) and surround hard tissues were determined by TUNEL staining. The OF+MOP group exhibited a 1.8-fold increase in tooth movement on days 7, 10 and 14 compared with the OF group. On days 14, the HF group had a higher volume of root loss than the OF and OF+MOP groups. On the same day, the number of TUNEL-positive cells in the HF group increased at the root (cementum) site whereas that in the OF group increased at the alveolar bone site. Furthermore, that in the OF + MOP group increased at the alveolar bone site compared with the OF group. These results suggest that MOPs accelerate orthodontic tooth movement without exacerbating the progression of root resorption.

In the paper the experimental methodology for the single-crystal circular plate deformation measurement and subsequent procedure for mechanical properties quantitation are developed. The procedure is based on a new numerical-analytical solution of nonlinear boundary-value problem for finite deformations of a circular anisotropic plate. Using the developed method, a study of the deformation of single-crystal circular plates formed on the basis of a silicon-on-insulator structure was carried out. The values of residual stresses are determined and it is shown that the presence of these stresses increases the flexural rigidity of the plate in several times.

To achieve a micro-destructive and rapid measurement of the wood density of standing trees, this study investigated the feasibility of using the micro-drilling resistance method, formulated a mathematical model, explored the potential for a unified model across multiple tree species, and analyzed the influence of moisture content on measurement accuracy. First, 231 tree cores and drill resistance data were sampled from Pinus massoniana, Cunninghamia lanceolate, and Cryptomeria fortunei. The basic density and moisture content of each core were measured, and the average value of each resistance data record was calculated. Second, the average drill resistance, the natural logarithm of average drill resistance, and absolute moisture content were used as independent variables, while the wood basic density was used as the dependent variable. Third, the total model of the three tree species and sub-model for each tree species were established through a stepwise regression method. Finally, the accuracy of each model was compared and analyzed with that of using the average basic density of each tree species as an estimated density. The results revealed that the estimation accuracy of the sub-model for each tree species was 1.670 percentage points higher than the average value of each tree species used as the density estimation value for these tree species. Additionally, except for Cryptomeria fortunei, the natural logarithm of drill resistance significantly influenced the wood density model at a significance level of 0.05. Moreover, moisture content significantly affected the total model and sub-models of Pinus massoniana at a significance level of 0.05. The estimation accuracy of the total mathematical model was 2.125 percentage points lower than that achieved using the average basic density of each tree species to predict their density. The results indicated the feasibility of using the micro-drilling resistance method to measure the wood density of standing trees. Moreover, the relationship between wood density and drill resistance did not follow a linear pattern, and moisture content slightly influenced the drill needle resistance. Furthermore, the establishment of a mathematical model for each tree species was deemed essential. This study provides valuable guidance for measuring the wood density of standing trees through the micro-drilling resistance method.

This study addressed the need for efficient data collection in micro-mobility using low-end hardware, focusing on developing a system capable of handling large real-time data streams. We proposed a novel data collection system that leverages incremental learning techniques, enabling AI-based services for micro-mobility passengers through smartphones. Our approach utilizes 3-axis acceleration sensors integrated into micro-mobility devices, collecting motion data in real-time. This data is processed through an incremental learning pre-processing server, employing the Broad Learning System algorithm, to ensure robust performance in noisy, real-world environments. The use of incremental learning is pivotal, allowing our system to adapt continuously to new data, enhancing the accuracy and relevance of the AI services provided to passengers. This research not only advances the technical capabilities in micro-mobility data handling but also has the potential to enhance the overall passenger experience through improved AI-based services.

Computed tomography (CT) is a widely employed imaging modality with diverse clinical applications in pediatric and adult populations, offering numerous advantages. Despite several alternatives to imaging modalities with ionising radiation, CT scans have demonstrated persistent global popularity, contributing to a substantial amount of effective radiation doses for patients. This exposure results in hazards, including stochastic effects that amplify the radiation-induced cancer risk proportionally to the radiation dose received. CT-related radiation comprises a substantial portion of cumulative effective doses within diagnostic radiology, specifically impacting younger patient cohorts undergoing repeated investigations for chronic diseases over time. Scientific literature over recent decades has explored various methods to mitigate radiation doses during medical imaging. One notable strategy involves implementing low-dose and ultralow-dose CT protocols, maintaining diagnostic efficacy in acute and non-acute medical and surgical conditions. Utilising innovative image reconstruction algorithms, such as iterative reconstruction and emerging deep-learning algorithms based on artificial intelligence, plays a pivotal role in achieving an approximately 80% reduction in patient radiation compared to standard doses. This review article discusses the significance of low-dose protocols across a spectrum of acute and chronic medical conditions affecting different body systems.

LR004 is a novel chimeric (human/mouse) monoclonal antibody developed for the treatment of advanced colorectal carcinoma with detectable epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression. We aimed to investigate the preclinical pharmacokinetics (PK) and in vivo biodistribution of LR004. The PK profiles of LR004 were initially established in rhesus monkeys. Subsequently, 125I radionuclide-labeled LR004 was developed and its binding activity to the EGFR antigen were evaluated. Furthermore, the biodistribution, autoradiography, and NanoSPECT/CT of 125I-LR004 in xenograft mice bearing A431 tumors were examined. The PK data revealed a prolonged half-life and nonlinear PK characteristics of LR004 within the dose range of 6–54 mg/kg. The radiochemical purity of 125I-LR004 was approximately 98.54%, and iodination of LR004 did not affect its specific binding activity to the EGFR antigen. In a classical biodistribution study, 125I-LR004 exhibited higher uptake in highly perfused organs than in poorly perfused organs. Prolonged retention properties of 125I-LR004 in tumors were observed at 4 and 10 days. Autoradiography and NanoSPECT/CT confirmed the significant accumulation and sustained retention of 125I-LR004 at the tumor site in xenograft mice. These findings demonstrated the adequate tumor targeting capabilities of 125I-LR004 in EGFR-positive tumors, which may improve dosing strategies and future drug development.

Sodium-phosphate-based glass-ceramics (GCs) are promising materials for a wide range of applications, including solid-state sodium-ion batteries, microelectronic packaging substrates, and humidity sensors. This study investigates the impact of 24-hour heat-treatments at varying temperatures on Na-Ge-P glass, with a focus on (micro)structural, electrical, and dielectric properties of prepared GCs. Various techniques such as powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflection (IR-ATR), and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) are employed. With the elevation of heat-treatment temperature, crystallinity progressively rises; at 450 °C, the microstructure retains amorphous traits featuring nanometric grains, whereas at 550 °C, heat-treatment results in fully crystallized structures characterized by square-shaped micron-scale grains of NaPO3. The insight into the evaluation of electrical and dielectric properties is provided by Solid-State Impedance Spectroscopy (SS-IS), revealing a strong correlation with the conditions of controlled crystallization and observed (micro)structure. The glass-ceramic heat-treated at 450 °C achieves the highest DC conductivity of 2.30×10–8 Ω–1 cm–1 at 393 K. As the heat-treatment temperature rises, the crystallization of the NaPO3 phase depletes the glass matrix of mobile Na+ ions, resulting in a reduction in DC conductivity. Dielectric parameters also decrease with rising heat-treatment temperature, with the glass-ceramic heat-treated at 550 °C displaying the lowest permittivity of 19.37 and the dielectric loss of 0.008. This research uncovers the intricate relationship between heat-treatment conditions and material properties, emphasizing that controlled crystallization allows for precise modifications to microstructure and phase composition within remaining glassy phase, ultimately facilitating fine-tuning of material properties.

.Background: Neither radiological phenotypic characteristics nor reconstruction CT scan to study the cranial contour in children with the so called the idiopathic type of West syndrome has been implemented to reach the etiology understanding. Material and Methods: The basic diagnostic measures and the traditional antiepileptic treatments have been applied to these children in accordance with the conventional protocol of investigations and treatment for children with West syndrome. Boys from three unrelated families were given the diagnosis of idiopathic type of West syndrome. Three boys aged 6,7,9 and three parents (age range of 28-41 year) were included in this study. These children and their parents were referred to our orthopedic departments because of variable skeletal deformities. All showed the history of intellectual disabilities, cryptogenic epileptic spasms and fragmented hypsarrhythmia. Recently, variable forms skeletal deformities of flat foot, torticollis and early onset osteoarthritis. We performed detailed clinical and radiological phenotypic characterization of every affected child, siblings and parents. All affected children underwent whole exome sequence analysis Results: The craniofacial phenotype of all children revealed apparent disruption of development of the cranial bones. Palpation of the skull bones showed unusual palpable boney ridges along different sutural locations. A-7-year-old child showed abnormal bulging over the sagittal suture associated with bilateral boney ridges over the sequamosal sutures. Examining his parents, we noticed a similar skull radiographic abnormality in his mother radiographs. A-10-year-old boy showed an extremely narrow frontal area, facial asymmetry and a well palpable ridge over the lambdoid sutures. 3D reconstruction CT scan confirmed the diagnosis of early closure . His mother showed typical radiographic skull phenotype with a history of postadulthood scoliosis. A- 12-year-old boy showed brachycephaly. Investigating his parents revealed a brachycephalic mother with border line intellegence. We affirm that the pattern of inheritance in the three boys was compatible with X-linked recessive pattern of inheritance . Whole exome sequencing showed non definite phenotype/genotype correlation. Conclusion: The aim of this study was fivefold. First, to refute the common usage of the term idiopathic and we affirm that our findings are Novel. Second, it could be possible that West syndrome is a symptom complex rather than a separate diagnostic entity. Third, to further detect the genetic carrier , we explored the connection between the cranial bones in the children with West syndrome with what is seen in parents.. Fourth, the differences in cranial bones abnormalities among every child and another seems to be heterogeneous. Fifth, it seems that the progressive deceleration in the development of this group of children is highly connected to the progressive closure of the cranial sutures.

In response to a threefold increase in osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVF) at our institution over the past decade and the subsequent development of new fractures within a year in a third of cases, we evaluated the effectiveness of STIR MRI scans in conjunction with CT scans for initial OVF diagnosis. This study, conducted over five months, involved full spine sagittal STIR MRI scans alongside CT scans for patients over 50 with minor injury-related vertebral fractures. The independent assessments by radiologists and neurosurgeons of 64 patients revealed that while CT scans identified 161 fresh fractures, of which only 68 were previously reported, MRI detected 266 fractures, 1.65 times more than CT. CT scans showed single fractures in 27% of patients and multiple fractures in 73%, whereas MRI identified single fractures in 9% and multiple fractures in 91% of patients. Additionally, MRI demonstrated a 1.5-fold increase in adjacent fracture detection. The use of MRI influenced treatment plans in 67% of cases. Given these findings, we advocate for including a STIR MRI of the entire spine alongside CT scans in OVF cases, as it significantly enhances fracture detection and can alter treatment strategies.

This research was aimed to apply probiotics in aquaculture to improve fish health and growth performances of Nile tilapia. Fingerlings with a mean initial body weight of 11.43±1.27 and mean initial body length of 6.2±0.84 were stocked in 12 happas. Fish were fed four times daily with four different diets having 30% crude protein at 5% of their body weight and reared for two months. The four diets were control diet, diets treated with Saccharomyces cervisiae, Lactobacillus fermentum and their combinations at a dosage of (1.5×108CFU/ml). Growth performance and gut pathogenic microbial of fish were investigated. Accordingly results indicated that the highest performance interims of body weight gain (33.43±1.65g), daily growth rate (0.51±0.05g), feed conversion ratio (1.89±0.10), and protein efficiency ratio (1.78±0.09) was achieved in fish fed with L. fermentum whereas, the lowest performance (19.83±2.23, 0.33±0.04, 3.52±0.39, and 0.97±0.11) respectively was achieved in fish fed with control diet. Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli and, Proteus were detected in gut of fish. In conclusion, the present study confirmed that Nile tilapia fed with probiotics Lac-tobacillus fermentum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae based diets improved growth and health of Nile tilapia reared under pond culture condition.

Engineering Education needs to be approached in different, innovative ways to meet the needs of society, learners, and education providers. This ranges from new educational programs and innovative pedagogies in individual classrooms, to online and immersive learning, to micro-credentials and modularity along with how to enable rapid adaptation for reskilling and upskilling, to entirely new pathways of restructuring education. Gamification is the application of game elements and digital game design techniques to non-game problems, such as learning challenges. It is about using game-based mechanics, aesthetics, and game thinking to enhance users’ engagement, motivate action, and support learning. At first view, the concept of gamification does not contain game design elements, but with the addition of additional elements such as the video game component that is applied in different contexts, the users are encouraged to participate in learning activities and complete learning challenges successfully. The first step in the process of designing a gamification activity is to think like a game designer. According to Cook (2013), any process can be gamified when the following requirements are covered: (i) the gamified activity is easy to learn, (ii) user progress can be measured, (iii) continuous feedback is provided to users.

Both the use of plastic and its decomposition products lead to the distribution of plastic all over the earth and finally to the uptake by all kind of living beings including humans. Still, it is widely unknown what risks harbor the widespread uptake of plastics for human health, espe-cially regarding contributing factors like size, shape and surface composition. We assessed the uptake of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-nano- and microbeads for HEK293-, A549- and MRC5 cells. Via confocal microscopy, we localized multiple PMMA-beads inside the cytosol of cells. Uptake of PMMA-beads did not alter cell growth and cell division, implying no short-term toxicity towards human cells. Further, we used a cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)-mediated reporter assay to assess whether internalized PMMA-nanobeads alter cell-signaling pathways. In contrast to the in vitro transcription, where the addition of PMMA-nanobeads abolished the transcription, no changes regarding CREB-mediated cell sig-naling are given in HEK293-cells. Our data led to the assumption that PMMA-nano-and mi-crobeads are internalized via endocytosis and end up as lysosomes within the cells cytosol. Therefore, we concluded differences regarding the surface composition of the PMMA-nanobeads mainly affect its potential to alter cell signaling. These findings emphasize the key role the sur-face composition plays regarding microplastic and its risks for human health.

The results of a study of the processes of formation of macro- and micro-inhomogeneity of ingots and rolled sheets are presented. To study the nature and sources of surface defects in rolled sheets, a comparative method of structural-concentration analysis of metal at the end-to-end metallurgical process of ingot - slab - sheet metal has been developed, based on the metallographic method of studying the structure and qualitative analysis of non-metallic inclusions. The research results showed that the quality of the surface of rolled sheets is determined mainly by the physical heterogeneity of the crust zone of the ingots, and the internal defects of thin rolled sheets largely depend on the contamination of the metal with non-metallic inclusions and off-axis segregation. A mechanism for transforming defects in the casting cortical zone into surface and internal defects in rolled sheets is proposed.

Pneumatosis intestinalis is the presence of air within the two layers of the wall of the gastrointestinal tract, specifically in the small and large intestines. This accumulation of gas can cause thicker walls of the intestines in X-ray or CT scans. Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA) Thrombosis occurs due to the formation of blood clots within the SMA. As it supplies from the ampulla in the second part of the duodenum to the splenic flexure of the large intestine its thrombosis can cause ischemia in any part depending upon its branch. A 67-year-old male patient presented to the hospital with the complaint of generalized abdominal pain for 5 days along with fever, nausea, vomiting, obstipation, and postprandial fullness. On further investigation with the help of an MDCT scan and X-ray, proximal jejunal loops showed circumferential air within the walls giving the diagnosis of Pneumatosis Intestinalis along with Superior Mesenteric Artery Thrombosis causing jejunal infarct.

Keywords: friction stir processing; additive manufacturing; wire; titanium alloy; material transfer; microstructure; microhardness

Emerging applications of optical technologies are driving the development of miniaturised light sources, which in turn require the fabrication of matching micro-optical elements with sub-1 mm cross sections and high optical quality. This is particularly challenging for spatially-constrained biomedical applications where reduced dimensionality is required, such as endoscopy, optogenetics, or optical implants. Planarisation of a lens by the Fresnel lens approach was adapted for a conical lens (axicon) and was made by direct femtosecond 780 nm/100 fs laser writing in SZ2080™polymer with photo-initiator. Optical characterisation of the positive and negative fraxicons is presented. Numerical modeling of fraxicon optical performance under illumination by incoherent and spatially extended light sources is compared with the ideal case of plane wave illumination. Considering the potential for rapid replication in soft polymers and resists, this approach holds great promise for the most demanding technological applications.

Micro-plastics (MPs) become significantly important to society since their commercial manufacture began in the 1950s because of their low production costs, stability, light weight, and adaptability. Plastic was produced in 400 million tons worldwide in 2020, compared to 1.5 million tons just 60 years earlier. Scientists predict that by 2050, plastic production would increase to 33 billion tons. MPs are a rising scientific and societal issue in the environment as a new type of contaminant that is widely disseminated in aquatic ecosystems and organisms. Aquatic species that come into contact with MPs for an extended period of time experience ecotoxicity, which includes oxidative stress, genotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and reproductive issues. In aquatic environments, MPs not only transport chemicals within animals but also serve as mediators for chemicals or other contaminants. As a result of co-exposure of MPs and chemical contaminants, various toxicity incidences involving aquatic organisms have been reported. The final exposure of MPs occurs in humans through biomagnification of aquatic edible products. This study presents an important overview of the literature on MP ingestion by aquatic biota. It covers topics such as the present scenario of plastic pollution worldwide, the pathways that MPs take to reach humans and aquatic species, the eco-toxicological impacts of MPs on aquatic species, the relation between MPs and other environmental pollution and the ensuing effects on aquatic organisms, and the MP pollution status in Bangladesh.

We offered the circuit of a discrete analog filter (DAF) low frequencies of second-order on switchable capacitors, which differs from the known ones in that three capacitors with one terminal are connected to a common bus, and the frequency of the DAF pole depends not only on the ratio of the capacitances of the frequency-setting capacitors, but also on the ratio of resistances two additional resistors in the feedback. This allows at constant values ​​of the capacitances and a fixed switching frequency of electronic switches, control the pole frequency by changing the resistance ratio of additional resistors. Computer simulation of the developed circuit was performed in the Micro-Cap environment. It has been established that the DAF has a transmission coefficient close to minus one at very low frequencies and a transmission coefficient close to zero at higher frequencies.

Fatal hemoptysis secondary to severe pulmonary veins stenosis is an exceptional late complication of radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation. We report the case of a 53-year-old male with a history of atrial fibrillation treated by radiofrequency ablation and admitted in our center 6 months after the initial procedure because of aggravating dyspnea and fatigability. Transthoracic echocardiography showed moderate dilation of right heart cavities, severe pulmonary hypertension, and a turbulent flow in superior pulmonary veins. The cardiologist suspected pulmonary vein(s) stenosis and cardiac computed tomography (CT) angiography was performed with findings of severe stenosis of the right superior, right inferior and left inferior pulmonary veins, near-occlusion of the left superior pulmonary vein and the vein draining the apical segment of the right lower lobe. The CT scan also revealed soft tissue attenuation of the mediastinum posterior to the left atrium suggesting fibrosing mediastinitis together with parenchymal findings consistent with pulmonary venooclusive disease and an area of hemorrhagic infarction. Fatal hemoptysis occurred 3 days after the evaluation before any treatment was attempted. In conclusion, severe pulmonary stenosis remains a rare but severe complication of radiofrequency ablation. Prevention is the key element together with an early diagnosis as the entity is potentially life-threatening.

The artificial intelligence (AI) is a machine or computing platform that is capable of making intelligent decision similarly to the human mind. The AI could improve diagnosis, treatment prognosis, and clinical workflow, particularly in the field of radiology. Concerning acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a rather heterogeneous syndrome characterized by an inflammatory lung edema leading to an increased lung weight, decreased lung aeration with the presence of alveolar collapse and interstitial opacities mainly in the dependent area. Thus, lung imaging is an essential tool to assess not only the morphology but also the mechanical characteristics of ARDS patients. Chest computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound have a higher sensitivity and specificity than conventional chest radiography. This narrative review summarizes the state of art of AI in the field of lung imaging, focusing on CT and ultrasound technique in ARDS patients. A total number of 18 articles were retrieved. The application of AI in lung imaging was mainly devoted to assess the prediction of ARDS, the quantification of alveolar recruitment, the possible alternative diagnosis and the outcome. Although the presence of a physician is still essential to ensure a high quality of examinations the AI could assist the clinical team to provide the best possible care.

Endovascular therapy (EVT) has revolutionized the management of acute ischaemic strokes with large vessel occlusion, with emerging evidence suggesting its benefit also in large infarct core volume strokes. In the last 2 years, 4 randomised controlled trials have been published on this topic - RES-CUE-Japan-LIMIT, ANGEL-ASPECT, SELECT2 and TENSION, with overall results showing that EVT improves functional and neurological outcomes compared to medical management alone. This review seeks to summarise the recent evidence presented by these 4 trials and highlight some of the limitations of our current understanding on this topic.

In this study, the effects of combined addition of CeLa and GdY on microstructure and mechanical properties of as-cast Al-4Cu-1Mn alloys were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopies (TEM) and tensile testing. The results show that the minor addition of CeLa and GdY leads to the refinement of grain size. The addition of CeLa results in the formation of supersaturated vacancies in the Al matrix, whereas the addition of GdY leads to a decrease in the precipitation temperature of the Al2Cu phase. The combined CeLa and GdY addition can significantly increase ultimate tensile strength (UTS) while losing only a small amount of elongation (EL). Compared with the unmodified alloy, the grain size and SDAS of the alloy (0.2 wt% CeLa + 0.1 wt% GdY) were diminished by 67.2% and 58.7%, respectively, while maximum hardness and UTS rose by 31.2% and 36.9%, correspondingly.

Some bispecific radiotracers have been developed to overcome the limitations of monospecific tracers and improve detection sensitivity for heterogeneous tumor lesions. Here we aim to synthesize two bispecific tracers targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and fibroblast activation protein (FAP), which are key markers expressed in prostate cancer. A pyridine-based FAP-targeted ligand was synthesized through multi-step organic synthesis, and then connected to the 2-Nal-containing PSMA-targeted motif. Ki(PSMA) values of Ga-complexed bispecific ligands, Ga-AV01084 and Ga-AV01088, were 11.6 ± 3.25 and 28.7 ± 6.05 nM, respectively, and the IC50(FAP) values of Ga-AV01084 and Ga-AV01088 were 10.9 ± 0.67 and 16.7 ± 1.53 nM, respectively. The uptake values for PSMA-expressing LNCaP tumor xenografts were 9.05 ± 1.54 and 8.85 ± 1.25 %ID/g for [68Ga]Ga-AV010184 and [68Ga]Ga-AV01088, respectively, which were lower than the monospecific PSMA-targeted tracer [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-617 (16.7 ± 2.30 %ID/g). The uptake values for FAP-expressing HEK293T:hFAP tumor xenografts were 1.90 ± 0.41 and 1.20 ± 0.25 %ID/g for [68Ga]Ga-AV01084 and [68Ga]Ga-AV01088, respectively, which were also lower than the monospecific FAP-targeted tracer, [68Ga]Ga-AV02070 (7.93 ± 1.88 %ID/g). Further investigations are needed to optimize the selection of linkers and targeted pharmacophores to improve the tumor uptake of PSMA/FAP bispecific tracers for prostate cancer imaging.

The work presented in this paper represents a preliminary study on the performance of the new Silicon tracker layer, the Layer 0 (L0), that will be installed on top of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02), at the end of 2024. AMS-02 is a cosmic rays (CR) detector that has been operating on the International Space Stations (ISS) since May 2011. Thanks to its 9-layer Silicon tracker, this apparatus can perform high energy CR measurements with an unprecedented level of statistics and precision. However, high Z (Z $\ge 15$) CR nuclei statistic is strongly affected by fragmentation along the detector: with the installation of the new Silicon layer will be possible to achieve new unique high energy (TeV region) measures for those nuclei along with increased statistics for all nuclei up to Zinc. To achieve this, a Silicon ladder prototype, that will be part of the final Silicon layer, has been exposed to an ions test beam at the super-proton-synchrotron (SPS) of the CERN to characterize its charge resolution and the readout electronics. Preliminary results have shown a charge resolution of 10 $\%$ for nuclei up to Z=7.

Blood testing is a crucial application in the field of clinical studies for disease diagnosis and screening, biomarkers discovery, organ function assessment, and personalized medication. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to collect precise data in a short time. In this study, we utilized Raman spectroscopy to analyze blood samples and extracted comprehensive biological information, including the primary components and compositions present in the blood. We conducted short-wavelength (532 nm green light) Raman scattering spectroscopy on blood samples, plasma, and serum, and subsequently analyzed the biological characteristics detected in each sample type. Our results indicated that whole blood had high hemoglobin content, which suggests that hemoglobin is a major component of blood. The characteristic Raman peaks of hemoglobin were observed at 690, 989, 1015, 1182, 1233, 1315, and 1562–1649 cm−1. Analysis of plasma and serum samples indicated the presence of β-carotene, which exhibited characteristic peaks at 1013, 1172, and 1526 cm−1. Additionally, in the field of medical blood testing, the novel 3D Silicon micro-channel device technology holds immense potential. It can serve as a substrate and helps to detect various diseases and biomarkers, providing real-time data to help medical professionals and patients better understand their health conditions. Changes in biological data collected in this manner could potentially be used to diagnose clinical diseases.

Background: Appendicitis is a common cause of emergency department visits and appendectomies in the US, with 250,000 appendectomies performed annually. Current diagnostic methods, such as clinical findings, lead to inaccuracies and missed diagnoses, increasing morbidity and mortality. The only solution is surgery, but current hematological tests are not reliable and may lead to unnecessary surgery if the underlying etiology is self-limiting or requires medical treatment. This study explores the role of MRI as a diagnostic modality that can replace US/CT and supplement traditional clinical diagnostic signs while avoiding ionizing radiation and intravenous contrast medium. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to determine the accuracy of MRI as a diagnostic modality in diagnosing appendicitis, addressing concerns about diagnostic modalities and their adverse effects, and addressing the necessity and success of relevant interventions. Methods: Medical literature was comprehensively searched and reviewed without restrictions to particular study designs, or publication dates using PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases for all relevant literature formulated in English. The extraction of necessary data proceeded after specific inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. Meta Analysis was performed for 5206 patients, with 35 RCTs being selected. Analysis was done using the QualSyst tool, wherein two writers independently assessed the caliber of each study as well as the use of the Cochrane tool for bias risk apprehension. The statistical software packages RevMan (Review Manager, version 5.3), SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 20), and Excel in Stata 14 were used to perform the statistical analyses along with other analytical software. Results: MRI had an overall sensitivity of over 95%, an overall specificity of 94.2% with a PPV of 0.875 in comparison to CT scan in the diagnosis and intervention regarding appendicitis. Conclusion: These findings strongly suggest that MRI is a reasonable alternative to CT for the diagnosis of appendicitis in hospitals with appropriate access to this technology for reasons about accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility as well as addressing safety concerns.

Patients with COVID-19 have coagulation and platelet disorders, with platelet’s alterations and thrombocytopenia representing negative prognostic parameters, being associated with severe forms of the disease, and increase lethality. Methods: Aim of this study was to study expression of platelet glycoprotein IIIa (CD61), playing a critical role in platelet aggregation, together with TRL-2 as a marker of innate immune activation Results: a total of 25 patients were investigated, with the majority (24/25, 96%) having co-morbidities and dying from a fatal form of SARS-CoV-2(+) infection (COVID-19 +), with 13 men and 12 females ranging in age from 45 to 80 years. When compared to a control group of SARS CoV-2 (-) negative lungs (COVID-19 -), TLR-2 expression was up-regulated in a subset of patients with deadly COVID-19 fatal lung illness. The proportion of Spike-1 (+) patients found by PCR and ISH correlates to the proportion of Spike-S1 positive cases as detected by digital pathology examination. Furthermore, CD61 expression was considerably higher in the lungs of dead patients. In conclusion, we demonstrate that innate immune prolonged hyperactivation is related to platelet/megakaryocytes over-expression in the lung. Conclusions: microthrombosis in deadly COVID-19+ lung disease is associated with an increase in the number of CD61+ platelets and megakaryocytes in the pulmonary interstitium as well as their functional activation; this phenomenon is associated with increased expression of innate immunity TLR2+ cells, which binds the SARS-CoV-2 E protein, and significantly with the persistence of the Spike-S1 viral sequence.

Purpose: Prostate cancer is the most common male prevalent malignancy in Europe. Biological recurrence occurs in 20-40% of patients within 10 years following treatment. [18F]F-Choline PET/CT is the most used technique for detecting recurrent disease but is rarely positive for low PSA levels. [18F]PSMA-1007 PET/CT allows early detection of recurrence sites. Methods: We conducted a prospective multicenter study. Each patient had access to a [18F]F-Choline and [18F]PSMA PET/CT. The primary endpoint was to determine the therapeutic impact of the [18F]PSMA comparative to [18F]F-Choline PET/CT. Secondary endpoints were the diagnostic performance and the correlation between PET/CT parameters and prognostic factors of prostate disease. Results: 47 patients were included. A therapeutic modification was observed in 36% of them between what the clinicians expected after the [18F]F-Choline PET/CT and what they finally decided after the [18F]PSMA PET/CT. Diagnostic performance of [18F]F-Choline was 28% versus 70% for [18F]PSMA with a significant difference. With [18F]PSMA PET/CT, there was a significative correlation between PSA level of biological recurrence and SUVmax but not between ISUP score and SUVmax of the selected lesion. Conclusion: This study found a modification in therapeutic management following [18F]PSMA PET/CT in one third of patients. This change could result in earlier and better management with detection of lesions at a lower PSA level than is possible with [18F]F-Choline.

Presenting a case report about an occurrence of duodeno-duodenal intussusception in a 17-year-old female patient. Intussusception is typically observed in children. The patient has a history of recurrent pain and vomiting for four days. During the examination tenderness in the epigastric area worsened when the legs were elevated. An initial X-ray of the abdomen was done and the findings were normal. Subsequent ultrasound and abdominal CECT scans of the abdomen revealed intussusception involving the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th part of the duodenum ampulla of Vater and pancreas without any identifiable cause for this condition. There was no abnormal thickening of the wall. This case shows how using radiological imaging and surgical management helps to prevent severe complications in cases like duodeno-duodenal intussusception in adults.

In recent years, computer-aided analysis techniques have emerged as valuable tools in assisting dermatologists by providing objective and efficient analysis of skin cancer images. This paper utilizes the combination of the Contourlet Transform (CT) and Local Binary Pattern (LBP) techniques for accurately recognizing borders, contrast changes, and shapes of skin cancer images. These results often contain many features, leading to high computational costs and potential over-fitting issues. Hence, we applied Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to select the most informative and discriminating features, reducing the dimensionality while retaining important information for accurate classification. After reducing the feature set with PSO, we applied these sets to Machine learning classification algorithms: Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Neural Networks (NN). The results show that SVM has the lowest time complexity of 0.0458 seconds, followed by the Neural Network at 0.08730 seconds, and the Random Forest model has the highest time complexity of 0.1622 seconds. The SVM and Neural Network models are faster to train than the Random Forest model, making them more suitable for real-time or latency-sensitive applications. We also compared our proposed model with the state-of-the-art models and obtained the accuracy of 86.9%, which is the highest among the models.

Cement paste backfill (CPB) is an effective waste management method allowing the storage of fine process tailings into underground mined-out voids. CPB performance generally depends on the sulfur content of the tailings and the type of binder. In recent years, there has been an in-creasing trend on the use of alkali-activated slag (AAS) to improve the performance properties of CPB. This study focuses on the ultrasonic and microstructural investigation of the effect of slag fineness on the mechanical, geochemical and durability properties of CPB made up of AAS (AAS-CPB) over 360 days. In this scope, AAS-CPB samples were prepared at three different fineness (3100-4650-6300 cm2/g). Fineness of slag significantly improved the early age- and long-term strength (~2.3 fold and ~6.6 fold, respectively) of CPB. However, further increase of slag fineness may have adverse effect on CPB microstructure and strength in the long term. Ultrasonic pulse velocity monitoring displayed very high relation with the strength evolution and durability assessment of CPB. Slag fineness at a degree was seen to improve the pore structure evolution of AAS-CPB. Microstructural studies are in good agreement with the geochemical and durability behavior of AAS-CPB. Microstructural and ultrasonic findings suggest that while slag fineness enhances the mechanical properties of AAS-CPB, further increase of the fineness of slag has no additional important technical advantages.

The human body contains 60-70% of water, depending on age. As a body fluid, it is not only a medium in which physical and chemical processes take place, but it is also one of the active mediators. Water is the richest substance with non-covalent hydrogen bonds. Water molecules, by themselves (in vacuum), are diamagnetic, but when organized into clusters, become diamagnetic or paramagnetic. Also, biomolecules (DNA, collagen, clathrin, and other proteins) have non-covalent hydrogen bonds in their structure. The interaction, as well as signal transmission, between water and biomolecules is achieved through the vibrations of covalent and non-covalent hydrogen bonds, which determine the state and dynamics of conformational changes of biomolecules. Disruptive conformational changes of biomolecules, cells, and tissues lead to their dysfunctionality, so they are a frequent cause of many disorders and diseases. For example, the rearrangement of hydrogen bonding due to mitochondrial disease mutation in cytochrome bc1 disturbs heme bH redox potential and spin state. In order to prevent and repair the dysfunctional conformational changes, a liquid substance was developed based on the second derivative of the C₆₀ molecule (SD-C₆₀), which has classical and quantum properties. Characterization of SD-C₆₀ by UV-VIS-NIR, FTIR, TEM, and AFM/MFM was done and it is shown that SD-C₆₀ water layers generate vibrations with near-zero phase dispersion which are transmitted through the Fibonacci’s water chains to biomolecules. In comparison to previously published SD-C₆₀ derivate (3HFWC, size until 10 nm, and 1-5 water layers), improved formulation (3HFWC-W, size 10-25 nm, and 6-9 water layers) showed multiplied cytotoxic activity against melanoma cell lines of different aggressiveness. Apart from this, the mode of action was preserved and based on induction of senescence rather than cell death. Importantly, high selectivity toward malignant phenotype was detected. Observed effects can be ascribed to a machinery of hydrogen bonds, which are generated in SD-C₆₀ and transmitted through water to biomolecules. This approach may open a new field in science and healthcare - a “water-based nanomedicine”.

Cultural Tourism (CT), which enhances the economic development of a region, aids a country in reinforcing its identities, enhancing cross-cultural understanding, and preserving the heritage culture of an area. Designing a proper tourism model assists the tourists in understanding the point of interest without the help of a local guide. However, owing to the need for the analysis of different factors, designing such a model is a complex process. Therefore, this article proposes a CT model for Riyadh for peak visitor time. Primarily, the map data and cultural event dataset are processed for location, such as grouping with Kriging Interpolation-based Chameleon (KIC), tree forming, and feature extraction. After that, the event dataset’s attributes are processed with word embedding. Meanwhile, the Social Network Sites (SNS) data like reviews and news are extracted with an external Application Programming Interface (API). The review data is processed with keyword extraction and word embedding, whereas the news data is processed with score value estimation. Lastly, the data are fused corresponding to a historical site and given to the Multi-Quadratic-Long Short Term Memory (MQ-LSTM) Recommendation System (RS); also, the recommended result with the map is stored in a database. Lastly, the database security is maintained with Locality Sensitive Hashing (LSH); moreover, by attaining higher performance values, the proposed model is experimentally verified.

Purpose: The objective of the study was to qualitatively assess micro-gap dimensions, connecting fitting surface profile and bacterial leakage of machined and cast high gold alloy UCLA abutments, with or without electrodeposited gold coatings attached to external hexagon implants. Materials and methods: 16 plastic UCLA (PUCLA) and 5 machined cast-to UCLA (GUCLA) abutments were cast with a high gold content alloy. 10 were electrolytically gold plated (8 - PUCLA, 2 - GUCLA). All abutments were attached to implants giving 21 implant-abutment combinations (IACs). External perimeter micro-gaps measured with SEM under different illumination and magnification conditions were averaged over three regions. The IACs were examined for E.coli leakage following an initial sterility test. Disassembled combinations were examined with SEM and surface profiles qualitatively assessed. Results: External micro-gap measurements did not reflect the variable connecting surface profiles but average values < 3.5 μm were observed for all IACs. Bacterial transfer was observed in 3 of 5 PUCLA plated and 2 of 5 PUCLA non-plated IACs. No transfer occurred in the 3 GUCLA non-plated or 2 GUCLA plated IACs. Abutment connecting surfaces, both Au plated and not Au plated, showed plastic deformation (smearing) in variable mosaic patterns across the micro-gap. External micro-gap dimensions although not truly reflective of surface connecting profiles averaged < 3.5 μm measured under shadow eliminating silhouette illumination for both cast and pre-machined external hexagon abutments with and without Au plating. Conclusions: Micro-gap dimensions < 5 μm were obtained with both high noble metal cast and pre-machined external hexagon abutments with and without Au electrodeposited on the abutment connecting surface. Regions of intimate contact due to plastic deformation (smearing) of these surfaces was observed. A continuous smeared region around the circumference of the surfaces can provide an effective barrier to egress of E.coli bacteria from the internal regions of the implant under static loading.

Abstract: Epigenetic approaches in direct correlation with assessment of critical genetic mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are currently very intensive, as the epigenetic components in NSCLC development and progression have attained high recognition. In this level of research, established human NSCLC cell lines as well as experimental animals are widely used to detect novel biomarkers and pharmacological targets to treat NSCLC. The epigenetic background of NSCLC is highly complex and requires precise definition as these phenomena are variable between NSCLC subtypes and systems origin. We engaged an in-depth characterization of non-coding (nc)RNAs prevalent in human KRAS-mutant NSCLC cell lines A549 and H460 and mouse KRAS-mutant NSCLC tissue by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and quantitative Real Time PCRs (qPCRs). Also, the effect of transcription factor (TF) LRF, a known epigenetic silencer, was examined on the epigenome modulation. Finally, interacting networks underlying epigenetic variations in NSCLC subtypes were created. Data derived from our study highlights the divergent epigenetic profiles of NSCLC of human and mouse origin, as well as the significant contribution of 12qf1: 109,709,060-109,747,960 mouse chromosomal region to micro-RNA upregulated species. Fur-thermore, the novel epigenetic miR-148b-3p/PVT1/ZBTB7A axis was identified, which differentiates lung adenocarcinoma from large cell lung carcinoma, two characteristic NSCLC subtypes. The detailed recording of epigenetic events in NSCLC and combinational studies including networking between ncRNAs and TFs validate the identification of significant epigenetic features, prevailing in NSCLC subtypes and among experimental models. Our results enrich knowledge in the field and empower research on the epigenetic prognostic biomarkers of the disease and patient-tailored treatments.

(1) Background: OCT imaging has been used to assess enamel demineralization in dental research but is not yet developed enough to qualify as a diagnostic technique in clinics. The current capabilities of most commercial acquisition software allow for visual and qualitative assessment. There is a need for a fast and verified batch-processing algorithm for segmenting and analyzing the de-mineralized enamel. This study suggests a GUI MATLAB algorithm for processing and quantitative analysis of the demineralized enamel. (2) Methods: A group of artificially demineralized human enamels was in vitro scanned under the OCT, and ROI frames were extracted. By using a selected intensity threshold colormap, inter- (Ie) and intra- (Ia) prismatic demineralization can be segmented. A set of quantitative measurements for average demineralized depth, average line profile, and integrated reflectivity can be obtained for an accurate assessment. Real and simulated OCT frames were used for algorithm verification. (3) Results: A strong correlation between automated and known Excel measurements for the average demineralization depth was found (R² > 0.97). (4) Conclusions: OCT image segmentation and quantification of the enamel demoralization zones are possible. The algorithm can assess the future development of a real-time assessment of dental diagnostics using an oral probe OCT.

Two austenitic stainless steel (ASS) plates, 304L and 316L, were cold-rolled (304R and 316R) with a 10 % reduction in thickness then subjected to laser welding. Cold-rolling caused a slight surface hardening and introduced residual tensile stress into the ASS plates. The susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of the welds (304RW and 316RW) was determined using the U-bend test pieces in a salt spray. To highlight the stress concentration at the weld’s fusion boundary (FB), the top weld reinforcement was not ground off before bending. Moreover, micro-shot peening (MSP) was performed to mitigate the SCC of the welds by imposing high residual compressive stress and forming a fine-grained structure. Cold-rolling increased the susceptibility of the 304R specimen to pitting corrosion (PTC) and intergranular (IG) microcracking. Moreover, PTC and SCC were found more often at the FBs of the 304RW. The corrosion pits of the peened 304RW (304RWSP) were finer but greater in amount than the un-peened one. The results also indicated that the 316L ASS welds with MSP was resistant to the incidence of PTC and SCC in a salt spray. The better reliability and longer service life of dry storage canister could be achieved by using 316L ASS for construction and application of MSP on it.

The success rate of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is influenced by various factors, including stone density, which is determined through computed tomography scans in Hounsfield Units (HU). Materials and method: This retrospective single-center study was conducted in King Fahad hospital. Sixty-seven adult patients with renal and ureteric stones were selected randomly and enrolled in the study. Their age ranged from 20 to 69 years. The patients were examined with non-contrast enhancement (NCCT) to assess the HU of stones, consequently, treated with ESWL. Results: of the 67 patients, 37.3% of the stones were completely fragmented, while 62.7% were partially fragmented. HU, location of the stone, a multiplicity of the stone, and patient age were significant factors contributing to stone fragility (p-values&lt; 0.05). The HU has a positive significant linear correlation with serum calcium (r= .28, p-value=.036), while serum acid has a negative correlation (r=-.55, p-value= &lt; .001). Thus, the probability of calcium-containing stones formation increased with increased HU. In contrast, uric acid stone formation is likely to develop with decreasing HU with serum uric acid. Renal stones in patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension were not completely fragmented compared to those without clinical history. Conclusion: Mean HU, location of the stone, laterality, status of stone, and the number of ESWL sessions were the most significant factors affecting stone fragility. CT attenuation values can predict the composition of stones from serum calcium and uric acid examinations. Hypertension and Diabetes mellitus are risk factors for renal stone fragmentation.

Photon-counting Computed Tomography (PCCT) is a promising cardiovascular-imaging technique. Using detectors that count the number and energy of photons in multiple bins, PCCT offers several advantages over conventional CT, including a higher image quality, reduced contrast agent volume, radiation doses, and artifacts. Although PCCT is well established for cardiac imaging in assessing coronary artery disease, its application in vascular imaging remains limited. This review summarizes the available literature and provides an overview of the current use of PCCT for the diagnosis of vascular conditions. Of the 13 records selected in the initial search, 7 articles were included in the present review: 6 cohort studies and 1 case report. This review synthesized the available literature on PCCT in vascular imaging, focusing mainly on endoleaks detection and characterization after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), contrast dose volume, and radiation exposure reduction, particularly in patients with chronic kidney disease and in those requiring follow-up CT.

The optical reflection characteristics of asphalt pavement are an important influencing factor in road lighting design, and the macro and micro textures of asphalt pavement significantly affect its reflection characteristics. To investigate the impact of texture parameters on the retroreflection coefficient of asphalt pavement, this study obtained the macroscopic and microscopic texture properties of rutting board specimens and on-site asphalt pavement using a pavement texture tester. The macro- and microtexture parameters, such as macroscopic texture distribution density (D1), microscopic texture distribution density (D2), profile height root-mean-square (Rq), profile slope root-mean-square (Δq), skewness Rsk and kurtosis Rku, were measured, and the corresponding retroreflection coefficient RL was measured using a retro-reflectometer. In the laboratory ex-periments, rutting specimens of AC-13, SMA-13, and OGFC-13 asphalt mixtures were formed. The changes in texture parameters and retroreflection coefficient of different rutting specimens before and after crushing were studied, and a factor influence model between macro- and microtexture parameters and RL was established. And the correlation models of texture index and RL of asphalt pavement are further established. The results showed that in the single factor model, the param-eters can be used to characterize RL with high prediction accuracy, whereas for the on-site meas-urements, the three parameters of Δq, Rsk, and Rku can characterize the RL well. The nonlinear model established on the basis of the B-P neural network algorithm improves its prediction ac-curacy. This research can provide ideas for optimizing the reflection characteristics of asphalt pavement and further provide a decision-making basis for road lighting design.

Our recent work has focused on the application of infinite group theory and related algebraic geometric tools in the context of transcription factors and microRNAs. We were able to differentiate between “healthy" nucleotide sequences and disrupted sequences that may be associated with various diseases. In this paper, we extend our efforts to the study of messenger RNA metabolism, showcasing the power of our approach. We investigate (i) mRNA translation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, (ii) polyadenylation in eukaryotes, which is crucial for nuclear export, translation, stability, and splicing of mRNA, (iii) miRNAs involved in RNA silencing and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, and (iv) the identification of disrupted sequences that could lead to potential illnesses. To achieve this, we employ (a) infinite (finitely generated) groups fp, with generators representing the r+1 distinct nucleotides and a relation between them [e.g., the consensus sequence in the mRNA translation (i), the poly(A) tail in item (ii), and the miRNA seed in item (iii)], (b) aperiodicity theory, which connects “healthy groups" fp to free groups Fr of rank r and their profinite completion F^r, and (c) the representation theory of groups fp over the space-time-spin group SL2(C), highlighting the role of surfaces with isolated singularities in the character variety. Our approach could potentially contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying various diseases and help develop new diagnostic or therapeutic strategies.

ABSTRACT Objectives: Typical Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRL) in terms of Computed Tomography Dose Index (CTDI) and patient dose in terms of Effective Dose (ED ) and Size Specific Dose Estimate (SSDE) were estimated in Computed Tomography (CT) guided biopsy procedures. Materials and Methods: A total of 226 CT biopsy procedures - Iliac bone, liver, lung, mediastinum and para-aortic tissue - were retrospectively analyzed and Typical DRL extracted based on ICRP 135 instructions. Results: For helical mode acquisitions, DRLs in terms of CTDIvol were 9.7 mGy for Iliac bone, 8.9 mGy for liver, 8.8 mGy for lung, 7.9 mGy for mediastinal mass and 9 mGy for para-aortic lymph nodes biopsy procedures. For biopsy acquisitions, DRL values were 7.3 mGy, 7.7 mGy, 5.6 mGy, 5.6 mGy and 7.4 mGy respectively. Also, SSDE median values ranged from 7.6 mGy to 10 mGy for biopsy acquisitions and 11,3 mGy to 12,6 mGy for helical acquisitions, as well as the median values for effective dose ranged from 1.6 mSv to 5,7 mSv for biopsy scans and 3.9 to 9.3 mSv for helical scans. Conclusions: The use of DLR as an optimization tool for CT-guided biopsy procedures revealed that helical scans across the entire anatomical region greatly affect radiation dose compared to biopsy acquisitions.

Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) is an emerging technology employed to produce high hardness or anti-corrosion ceramic coatings on lightweight metals such Al, Ti, Mg and their respective alloys. However, under non-lubrication conditions, such coatings exhibit relatively high friction coeffi-cients. To enhance the friction reduction properties of the MAO coatings, we employed a one-step MAO process with varying concentrations of graphene oxide (GO) in an aluminate sys-tem electrolyte to create composite coatings on the surfaces of Ti-6Al-4V alloy. The effect of concentrations of GO particles on microstructure, composition, and wear behavior of the result-ing composite coatings was investigated. Measurements of the coating's thickness, hardness, and roughness have also been conducted. Ball-on-disk friction test under dry condition were carried out to reveal tribological behavior of the MAO coating. The addition of graphene oxide in the electrolyte reduces the friction coefficient, with the composite coating containing 5 g/L of GO particles displaying the most effective friction reduction. Moreover, coating thickness increases with higher GO concentration. This friction reduction can be attributed to the particles in the coating acting as lubricants during friction, while GO also reduces adhesive damage, shifting the wear mechanism from adhesive to abrasive.

Objective To observe the effect of roxadustat on blood pressure and micro-inflammatory response in patients with hemodialysis anemia, and to provide a viable technique for the treatment of hemodialysis anemia patients. Methods A total of 100 hemodialysis anemia patients admitted to the Nephrology Department of our hospital from July 2020 to July 2021 were enrolled and randomly divided into an observation group (roxadustat) and a control group (human recombinant erythropoietin (rhEPO). The clinical efficacy, blood lipid metabolism, inflammatory factor levels, iron metabolism-related indicators, blood biochemical indicators, anemia indicators, adverse reactions and blood pressure were recorded and compared. Results There was no significant difference in baseline data and serum indicators (P>0.05). The study group demonstrated superior performance to the control group in terms of clinical efficacy, blood lipid metabolism, inflammatory factor levels, iron metabolism-related indicators, blood biochemical indicators, anemia indicators, adverse reactions and blood pressure (all P<0.05). Conclusion Compared with rhEPO treatment, roxadustat exhibits a promising outcome in treating anemia and has slight impact on blood pressure of patients.

Castanea sativa Mill., an indigenous species of the mountainous Gabala region of Azerbaijan, where its local variety is now facing the danger of extinction. The preservation of this variety of European chestnut requires the development of effective strategies for reliable in vitro regeneration systems as an alternative to traditional methods, which has become the main objective of this study. In solving this problem, the generally accepted technique of micro-multiplication of axillary shoots was mainly used. First, a phased sterilization of was carried out using liquid soap, Previkur fungicide and mercury (II) chloride. DKW (Driver and Kuniyuki Walnut) nutrient medium was used for germination of explants, into which growth stimulants BAP (Benzilamunapurine), IBA (Indole - 3 butyric acid), IAA (Indole Acetic acid), NAA (Naphthalene Acetic Acid) and GA3 (Gibberelic acid) were introduced in various combinations and quantities. The test of the above-mentioned sterilization model revealed significant shortcomings in terms of the acceptability of the results obtained (16-77%). It was also found that the germination of explants takes 14 days and it is better to conduct it in a DKW environment containing hormones BAP (0.6 mg), IBA (0.1 mg) and GA3 (0.1 mg) / 1 L DKW. A mixture of BAP (0.1mg) + IBA (0.35 mg) is more suitable for the reproduction of grown explants + GA3 (0.2 mg) / 1 l DKW (the result is 3 new micro-plants for each explant), and for good root formation (it takes 30 days) – a mixture of IBA 1.0 mg + NAA 0.5 mg + IAA 0.5 mg / l L DKW. After the shoots have acquired a certain length (at least 1.5 cm), it is required to transfer them for 22 days to a DKW medium containing IBA (1 mg), IAA (0.5 mg) and NAA(0.5 mg) / l L DKW so that the root splitting process begins and ends.

ABSTRACT: Iodixanol is an iso-osmolar nonionic dimeric hydrophilic contrast agent with a higher viscosity than the monomeric agents. It is the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)approved isoosmolar agent in the United States, and it is the only contrast agent with an FDA-approved indication for use in cardiac computed tomographic angiography (CCTA), to assist in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected coronary artery disease. In clinical studies, it has been noted to have fewer side effects and similar image quality when compared to low osmolar contrast media. This can be attributed to the pharmacological properties of iodixanol. In the field of cardiology, iodixanol among other intravenous contrast media is used for coronary computed tomography angiography and cardiac catheterization. In this article, the use, tolerability and efficacy of iodixanol in the field of cardiology are reviewed, specifically evaluating the use for CCTA and coronary angiography, including outcome studies, randomized trials and comparisons to other contrast agents.

Objective: Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA) are often overlapping conditions. We aimed to determine whether 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) is useful in identifying PMR in the setting of large vessel vasculitis (LVV)-GCA. Methods: Patients diagnosed with LVV-GCA by PET-CT at a tertiary referral hospital for a population of 450,000 people over a two-year period were reviewed. Scoring was performed based on potential significant FDG uptake at up to 16 sites in nine different extravascular areas (SCORE 16). Differences in extravascular sites of significant FDG uptake were evaluated between LVV-GCA with a clinical diagnosis of PMR or not. Results: Fifty-four patients were diagnosed with LVV-GCA by 18F-FDG-PET-CT. Of them, 21 (38.8%) were clinically diagnosed with PMR. Significant extravascular FDG uptake was more frequently observed in those with a clinical diagnosis of PMR. In this sense, the SCORE 16 was higher in those with clinical PMR (5.10 ± 4.05 versus 1.73 ± 2.31 in those without a clinical diagnosis of PMR; p< 0.001). A SCORE 16 involving more than 4 sites of significant FDG uptake yielded a sensitivity of 52% and a specificity of 91% for establishing a clinical diagnosis of PMR associated with LVV-GCA. The best areas of significant FDG uptake to clinically identify PMR in patients with LVV were the shoulder, the greater trochanter and the lumbar interspinous regions with an area under the ROC curve of 0.810 (0.691-0.930). Conclusion: Significant extravascular 18F-FDG-PET-CT uptake may help establish a clinical diagnosis of PMR in patients with LVV-GCA. These patients are more commonly diagnosed with PMR if they have significant FDG uptake in the shoulder, greater trochanter, and lumbar interspinous areas.

A micro-ring resonator structure was fabricated via two-photon polymerization (2PP) technique directly on a single-mode fiber tip and tested for refractive index sensing application. The micro-ring structure was used to excite whispering gallery modes (WGMs) and observations of the changes in resonance spectrum introduced by changes in refractive index of the environment served as the sensing principle. The proposed structure has the advantages of a very simple design, allowing for measurements in reflection mode, relatively easy and fast fabrication and integration with a single tip of a standard single-mode fiber, which allowed for quick and convenient measurements in the optical setup. The performance of structure was characterized, resonant spectrum giving high potential for refractive index sensing was measured. Future perspectives of the research are discussed.

This study aims to formulate binary cementitious systems containing silica fume (SF) and micro quartz (MQ) to improve cementitious concrete's durability and mechanical properties. In this investigation, we examined the effects of different essential variables, such as the level of SF and MQ replacement and the ratio of the water-binder (w/b). In this study, the w/b ratios were 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, and 0.4. Replacement levels for SF were 8, 10, and 12%, while replacement levels for MQ were 5, 8, 10, 15, 25, and 35%. The porosity and permeability decreased with an increase in replacement levels, regardless of the type of fine material used or the amount of replacement. Meanwhile, the strength increased markedly with SF replacement, reaching its maximum MQ of 25% at the SF level. The strength of the SF mixing was the highest in all mixes, and it remained the highest until 15% of MQ was replaced. The ultrafine size of MQ particles contributes to the improvement of compressive strength, porosity, and permeability in a similar way to SF particles, despite their high crystalline structure. Furthermore, in this study, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to verify the influence of each variable on the studied response.

Micro-gyroscopes based on the Coriolis principle are widely employed in inertial navigation, motion control, and vibration analysis applications. This paper presents our main contributions which include a novel dual-frame optomechanical gyroscope, a unique photonic crystal cavity design, and advanced numerical simulation and optimization methods. The proposed design utilizes an optical cavity formed between dual oscillating frames, whereby input rotation induces a measurable phase shift via optomechanical coupling. Actuation of the frames is achieved electrostatically via an interdigitated comb-drive design. Through theoretical modeling based on cavity optomechanics and finite element simulation, the operating principle and performance parameters are evaluated in detail. Results indicate an expected angular rate sensitivity of 22.8 mV/°/s and angle random walk of 7.1×10-5 °/h1/2, representing superior precision than to existing micro-electromechanical systems gyroscopes of comparable scale. Detailed analysis of the optomechanical transduction mechanism suggests this dual-frame approach could enable angular vibration detection with resolution exceeding state-of-the-art solutions.

Total-body PET/CT scanners provide increased sensitivity, enabling the adjustment of imaging parameters by reducing injected activity or shortening acquisition time. This study aimed to evaluate the limitations of reduced [18F]FDG activity doses on image quality, lesion detectabil-ity, and quantification of lesion uptake in the Biograph Vision Quadra, as well as to assess the benefits of the recently introduced ultra-high sensitivity mode in a clinical setting. A number of 26 patients who underwent [18F]FDG-PET/CT (3.0 MBq/kg, 5 min. scan time) were included in this analysis. PET raw data was rebinned for shorter frame durations to simulate 5 min. scans with lower activities in high sensitivity (HS) and ultra-high sensitivity (UHS) modes. Image quality, noise, and lesion detectability (n=82) were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. The co-efficient of variation (CoV), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), tumor-to-background ratio (TBR), and standardized uptake values (SUV) including SUVmean, SUVmax, and SUVpeak were evaluated. Sub-jective image ratings were generally superior in UHS compared to HS mode. At 0.5 MBq/kg, le-sion detectability decreased to 95% (HS) and 98% (UHS). SNR was comparable at 1.0 MBq/kg in HS (5.7±0.6) and 0.5 MBq/kg in UHS (5.5±0.5). With lower doses, there were negligible reductions in SUVmean and SUVpeak, whereas SUVmax increased steadily. Reducing [18F]FDG activity to 1.0 MBq/kg (HS/UHS) in a total-body PET/CT provides diagnostic image quality without statistical-ly significant changes in uptake parameters. UHS mode improves image quality, noise, and le-sion detectability compared to HS mode.

The grinding process by friction at the micro-scale in a mill with stones is considered a variable combination of contacts: with two-body (the asperities of lower millstone in direct contact with the asperities of upper millstone) and the three-body (micro-particles of ground seeds trapped between the asperities of lower and the upper stones of the mill). Three elements are described: (1) the mechanic contact of the asperities of the lower and upper millstone, to predict pressures on asperities, by modeling; (2) tests on a millstone sample covered with grinding particles, and (3) tests on a wafer sample formed by the millstones with the grinding particles between them. The paper highlights the combined effects of the micro-scale friction by individual measurements and to sum these effects an analytical model was used, and to validate the model, several experiments were performed. A suitable grind by friction assumes the grain’s movement and the interaction between the seeds and solid surfaces and is highlighted through theoretical and experimental studies. Topography analysis of the surface of the millstones revealed the model of microscopic frictional force. Endpoint measurements (the traces of the surface topography evolution), enable model verification in the grinding process.

Road traffic transportation has flourished in the process of urbanization by its advantages, but it also produces harmful environmental vibrations. The vibration problem is especially significant for production workshops with precision instruments. A field measurement was conducted to analyze the source characteristics and propagation laws of traffic-induced vibrations. Off the northern side of an urban highway lies a microelectronics workshop. When a large truck passes by, both the vibration responses on the ground and in the workshop considerably increase. Greater vibration is produced in the vertical direction than in the X and Y axes. The predominant frequency band of the vibration response caused by road traffic vehicles is lower than 20 Hz. The vertical vibration responses of the first and second floors in the workshop greatly exceed the VC-C limit because of the high daily traffic flow. Attribute to the excitation of the operation of the manufacturing equipment on the second floor, the vertical vibration level of the second floor is essentially higher than that of the first floor. Therefore, it is impossible to disregard the micro-vibration in the workplace produced by the manufacturing machinery as well as the ex-citement of the road traffic. The measured data can be used to test potential numerical models for forecasting vibrations caused by traffic on roads as well as to guide vibration assessment work throughout the planning and design stages of roads.