Search

Abstract This paper presents an integrated approach for an ultimate high-performance safety toe cap with significant milestones in slim design and weight saving. The study of crashworthiness properties was performed through impact-crash test conditions exploring the potential of applicant solutions by the combination of an advanced high-strength steel and enhanced geometric stiffening models. The structural response for a significant thickness reduction was assessed and it provides an evolved discussion for improvements in energy absorption capacity. The present case study focuses on two geometric models from the S3 slim toe cap development by prototypes made of a martensitic 1200 steel alloy. The comparison of results is complemented using numerical simulation models with mathematical description of the dynamic plasticity behaviour by applying a constitutive Cowper-Symonds equation with fundamental parameters for material strain-rate dependence.

The main features of most components consist of simple basic functional geometries: planes, cylinders, spheres and cones. Shape and position recognition of these geometries is essential for dimensional characterization of components, and represent an important contribution in the life cycle of the product, concerning in particular the manufacturing and inspection processes of the final product. This work aims to establish an algorithm to automatically recognize such geometries, without operator intervention. Using differential geometry large volumes of data can be treated and the basic functional geometries to be dealt recognized. The original data can be obtained by rapid acquisition methods, such as 3D survey or photography, and then converted into Cartesian coordinates. The satisfaction of intrinsic decision conditions allows different geometries to be fast identified, without operator intervention. Since inspection is generally a time consuming task, this method reduces operator intervention in the process. The algorithm was first tested using geometric data generated in MATLAB and then through a set of data points acquired by measuring with a coordinate measuring machine and a 3D scan on real physical surfaces. Comparison time spent in measuring is presented to show the advantage of the method. The results validated the suitability and potential of the algorithm hereby proposed.

Spoken word recognition and production require fast transformations between acoustic, phonological and conceptual neural representations. Bilinguals perform these transformations in native and non-native languages, deriving unified semantic concepts from equivalent, but acoustically different words. Here we exploit this capacity of bilinguals to investigate input invariant semantic representations in the brain. We acquired EEG data while Dutch subjects, highly proficient in English listened to four monosyllabic and acoustically distinct animal words in both languages (e.g. ‘paard’-‘horse’). Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) was applied to identify EEG response patterns that discriminate between individual words within one language (within-language discrimination) and generalize meaning across two languages (across-language generalization). Furthermore, employing two EEG feature selection approaches, we assessed the contribution of temporal and oscillatory EEG features to our classification results. MVPA revealed that within-language discrimination was possible in a broad time-window (~50-620 ms) after word onset probably reflecting acoustic-phonetic and semantic-conceptual differences between the words. Most interestingly, significant across-language generalization was possible around 550-600 ms, suggesting the activation of common semantic-conceptual representations from the Dutch and English nouns. Both types of classification, showed a strong contribution of oscillations below 12 Hz, indicating the importance of low frequency oscillations in the neural representation of individual words and concepts. This study demonstrates the feasibility of MVPA to decode individual spoken words from EEG responses and to assess the spectro-temporal dynamics of their language invariant semantic-conceptual representations. We discuss how this method and results could be relevant to track the neural mechanisms underlying conceptual encoding in comprehension and production.

The safety and efficacy of cefepime empiric monotherapy compared with standard broad-spectrum combination therapy for hospitalized adult patients with moderate to severe community-acquired bacterial infections were evaluated. In an open-label, multicenter study, 317 patients with an Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) score ranging from >5 to =19 were enrolled with documented pneumonia (n=196), urinary tract infection (n=65), intra-abdominal infection (n=38), or sepsis (n=18). Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive cefepime 1 to 2 g IV twice daily or three times a day or IV ampicillin, cephalothin, or ceftriaxone ± aminoglycoside therapy for 3 to 21 days. For both treatment groups, metronidazole, vancomycin, or macrolide therapy was added as deemed necessary. The primary efficacy variable was clinical response at the end of therapy. Two hundred ninety-six (93%) patients met evaluation criteria and were included in the efficacy analysis. Diagnoses included the following: 180 pneumonias (90 cefepime, 90 comparator), 62 urinary tract infections (29 cefepime, 33 comparator), 37 intra-abdominal infections (19 cefepime, 18 comparator), and 17 sepses (8 cefepime, 9 comparator). At the end of therapy, overall clinical success rates were 131/146 (90%) for patients treated with cefepime vs 125/150 (83%) for those treated with comparator (95% confidence interval [CI]: - 2.6% to 16.3%). The clinical success rate for patients with community-acquired pneumonia, the most frequent infection, was 86% for both treatment groups. Among the patients clinically evaluated, 162 pathogens were isolated and identified before therapy. The most commonly isolated pathogens were Escherichia coli (n=49), Streptococcus pneumoniae (n=29), Haemophilus influenzae (n=14), and Staphylococcus aureus (n=11). Bacteriologic eradication/presumed eradication was 97% for cefepime vs 94% for comparator-treated patients. Drug-related adverse events were reported in 16% of cefepime patients and 19% of comparator patients. In conclusion, cefepime had higher cure rates compared with broad-spectrum combination therapy as an initial empiric treatment for hospitalized patients with moderate to severe community-acquired infections, including urinary tract infections, intra-abdominal infections, and sepsis.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical results of surgical treatment of intraarticular fractures of the calcaneus, comparing the use of calcaneal plate and flat plate. METHODS: This was a retrospective study assessing the postoperative results of 25 patients between 2013 and 2015. Patients undergoing surgical treatment of intraarticular fractures of the calcaneus without concomitant surgical lesions were included. Patients who did not complete appropriate follow-up after surgery were excluded from the study. RESULTS: The unavailability of calcaneal plates at resource-limited settings, associated with the availability and lower cost of flat plates, may have been a confounding factor in the present study. However, there was no statistical difference between the outcomes of fractures treated with calcaneal plates or flat plates. CONCLUSION: Statistical inference shows that, when calcaneal plates are not available, it is possible to use flat plates with similar clinical outcomes.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the postoperative results of patients with supination-external rotation ankle fractures who underwent syndesmotic screw (SS) removal. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study assessing the late postoperative results of 35 patients operated from January 2013 to June 2015. Patients undergoing treatment of rupture of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis with SS fixation and who did not have any concomitant surgical injuries in sites other than the ankle were included. Patients who did not complete appropriate follow-up after surgery were excluded from the study. RESULTS: There was no statistical significant difference in the evaluated outcomes among the patients who had their SS removed and those who remained with the SS. CONCLUSION: SS removal did not significantly alter the clinical results of patients surgically treated with SS for supination-external rotation fractures.

Abstract Background: Pericardium tissue allograft can be used for surgical repair in several procedures. One of the tissue engineering strategies is the process of decellularization. This process decreases immunogenic response, but it may modify the natural extracellular matrix composition and behavior. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cell removal, maintenance of extracellular matrix properties and mechanical integrity of decellularized human pericardium using a low concentration solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Methods: Decellularization was performed with sodium dodecyl sulfate and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Histological analysis, DNA quantification, evaluation of glycosaminoglycans and collagen were performed. Biomechanical assay was performed using tensile test to compare the decellularization effects on tissue properties of tensile strength, elongation and elastic modulus. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: There was reduction in visible nuclei present in pericardium tissue after decellularization, but it retained collagen and elastin bundles similar to fresh pericardium. The DNA contents of the decellularized pericardium were significantly reduced to less than 511.23 ± 120.4 ng per mg of dry weight (p < 0.001). The biomechanical assay showed no significant difference for fresh or decellularized tissue. Conclusion: The decellularization process reduces cell content as well as extracellular matrix components without changing its biomechanical properties.

Introduction This study aimed to explore the views and attitudes of Chinese psychiatrists on mental disorders classification, and to compare their similarities and differences with those of the international mental health professionals. Methods Two hundred and ninety members of the Chinese Society of Psychiatry were invited to participate in the study and 211 completed the survey. Results Ninety-one percent of Chinese participants regularly used a formal classification system, with more users of the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision ( ICD-10; 48.8%) or Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders 3rd Edition (39.3%) than the 4th Edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (11.4%). Like their global counterparts, Chinese respondents regarded communication among clinicians as the most important purpose of a classification and preferred a simpler system with fewer categories. Chinese psychiatrists were more likely than international participants to prefer a system with strict diagnostic criteria for all disorders and to endorse problems with a cultural applicability of the classification. However, only a minority (31.3%) indicated that they saw a need for a national classification. Discussion Overall, Chinese psychiatrists have similar opinions and attitudes on most issues of the classification to the international clinicians. Areas of divergent views may provide meaningful information for ICD revision in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine the conceptualizations held by psychiatrists and psychologists around the world of the relationships among mental disorders in order to inform decisions about the structure of the classification of mental and behavioral disorders in World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 11th Revision (ICD-11). Method 517 mental health professionals in 8 countries sorted 60 cards containing the names of mental disorders into groups of similar disorders, and then formed a hierarchical structure by aggregating and disaggregating these groupings. Distance matrices were created from the sorting data and used in cluster and correlation analyses. Results Clinicians' taxonomies were rational, interpretable, and extremely stable across countries, diagnostic system used, and profession. Clinicians' consensus classification structure was different from ICD-10 and the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-IV), but in many respects consistent with ICD-11 proposals. Conclusions The clinical utility of the ICD-11 may be improved by making its structure more compatible with the common conceptual organization of mental disorders observed across diverse global clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the work of Cooper & Showman, we revisit the chemical relaxation method, which seeks to enhance the computational efficiency of chemical kinetics calculations by replacing the chemical network with a handful of independent source/sink terms. Chemical relaxation solves the evolution of the system and can treat disequilibrium chemistry, as the source/sink terms are driven toward chemical equilibrium on a prescribed chemical timescale, but it has surprisingly never been validated. First, we generalize the treatment by forgoing the use of a single chemical timescale, instead developing a pathway analysis tool that allows us to identify the rate-limiting reaction as a function of temperature and pressure. For the interconversion between methane and carbon monoxide, and between ammonia and molecular nitrogen, we identify the key rate-limiting reactions for conditions relevant to currently characterizable exo-atmospheres (500–3000 K, 0.1 mbar to 1 kbar). Second, we extend chemical relaxation to include carbon dioxide and water. Third, we examine the role of metallicity and the carbon-to-oxygen ratio in chemical relaxation. Fourth, we apply our pathway analysis tool to diagnose the differences between our chemical network and that of Moses and Venot. Finally, we validate the chemical relaxation method against full chemical kinetics calculations in one dimension. For WASP-18b-, HD 189733b-, and GJ 1214-b-like atmospheres, we show that chemical relaxation is mostly accurate to within an order of magnitude, a factor of 2, and ∼10%, respectively. The level of accuracy attained allows for the chemical relaxation method to be included in three-dimensional general circulation models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to predict the maintenance needs of machines is generating increasing interest in a wide range of industries as it contributes to diminishing machine downtime and costs while increasing efficiency when compared to traditional maintenance approaches. Predictive maintenance (PdM) methods, based on state-of-the-art Internet of Things (IoT) systems and Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques, are heavily dependent on data to create analytical models capable of identifying certain patterns which can represent a malfunction or deterioration in the monitored machines. Therefore, a realistic and representative dataset is paramount for creating, training, and validating PdM techniques. This paper introduces a new dataset, which integrates real-world data from home appliances, such as refrigerators and washing machines, suitable for the development and testing of PdM algorithms. The data was collected on various home appliances at a repair center and included readings of electrical current and vibration at low (1 Hz) and high (2048 Hz) sampling frequencies. The dataset samples are filtered and tagged with both normal and malfunction types. An extracted features dataset, corresponding to the collected working cycles is also made available. This dataset could benefit research and development of AI systems for home appliances' predictive maintenance tasks and outlier detection analysis. The dataset can also be repurposed for smart-grid or smart-home applications, predicting the consumption patterns of such home appliances., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:, (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Due to its characteristics, fresh fish is a highly perishable food with a very short shelf-life under refrigeration. Several methods have been introduced to slow down its deterioration, such as by means of oxygen depletion of the food package (vacuum packaging), or by changing the natural atmosphere that is in contact with the fresh fish (modified atmosphere packaging), or by the use of chemicals generally recognized as safe: such compounds can be directly applied (by dipping or spraying) or incorporated into packaging materials and slowly migrate to the product, exerting a hurdle effect against microbial development and lipid oxidation (active packaging). This review aims to cover the most recent advances in chemical-based approaches for fresh fish preservation, applied either singly or in combination. Vacuum packaging, modified atmosphere, and active packaging preservation methodologies are presented, along with the inclusion of chemical additives, such as organic acids and natural extracts, and their combination with icing systems. Advantages and disadvantages of these methodologies and their impact on fresh fish quality and shelf-life are discussed, reaching the conclusion that both are positively influenced overall. Indeed, the contribution of chemical-based strategies for fresh fish preservation is undeniable, and is expected to be a research topic of increasing interest in the future.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical results of surgical treatment of intraarticular fractures of the calcaneus, comparing the use of calcaneal plate and flat plate., Methods: This was a retrospective study assessing the postoperative results of 25 patients between 2013 and 2015. Patients undergoing surgical treatment of intraarticular fractures of the calcaneus without concomitant surgical lesions were included. Patients who did not complete appropriate follow-up after surgery were excluded from the study., Results: The unavailability of calcaneal plates at resource-limited settings, associated with the availability and lower cost of flat plates, may have been a confounding factor in the present study. However, there was no statistical difference between the outcomes of fractures treated with calcaneal plates or flat plates., Conclusion: Statistical inference shows that, when calcaneal plates are not available, it is possible to use flat plates with similar clinical outcomes.