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The article summarizes the background information for composite columns and beam-columns relevant to new provisions in the 2005 American Institute of Steel Construction Inc. (AISC) Specification (AISC, 2005b). The columns include steel reinforced concrete (SRC) and concrete-filled steel tube (CFT) members. According to the authors, AISC, 2005b include provisions for composite column axial compressive strength, local buckling strength of concrete-filled tubes, and shear strength of composite members.

Vascular injuries caused by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be associated with major complications. If patients who have received CPR have sudden abnormal hemodynamic findings, it is necessary to consider the possibility of these injuries. We report a 73-year-old man who had cardiac tamponade due to an injury to the internal mammary artery following manual chest compression. This very rare injury was detected by computed tomography and was treated by thoracotomy and hematoma evacuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypovolemia is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality among elderly older patients. The inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter is known to predict the fluid volume status in ill patients. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive performance of the IVC diameter ratio, as determined by computed tomography (CT), for poor outcomes among low risk patients 65 years of age and older. This single-center retrospective study was conducted on patients who taken CT during the clinical process between January 2019 and December 2020. IVC diameter ratio measurement was estimated by dividing the maximum value of the anteroposterior diameter from the maximum value of transverse diameter at the level right above the renal vein. The IVC diameter ratio's prognostic performance was evaluated by using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve. The mean IVC diameter ratio was 1.78. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed age, pulse rate, aspartate aminotransferase level, and IVC diameter ratio as significant risk factors for in-hospital death. The area under the receiver operating curve for predicting death using the IVC diameter ratio of patients with pulse rates under 95 was 0.701 and the cut-off value was 1.638, with an 88.9% sensitivity and 45.2% specificity. The odds ratio for higher IVC diameter ratio values was statistically significant (p = 0.031) for predicting in-hospital death. IVC measurement using abdomen& pelvic computed tomography (APCT) demonstrated capability for predicting poor outcomes, including all-cause mortality among older patients with low risk in the emergency department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a carbon nanotubes (CNT) yarn-based strain sensor with excellent durability and stability was developed for structural healthy monitoring. CNT yarns were directly spun from the CNT array, and the electrical resistance increased linearly according to the applied strain, exhibiting excellent strain sensor characteristics. The fabricated strain sensor underwent repeatable performance evaluation testing and exhibited stable sensor operation characteristics by showing constant piezoresistance characteristics. In addition, this sensor can be easily installed without causing a weight increase or damage to the composite structure. It was verified that the sensor is capable of monitoring crack occurrences and propagation in a structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a simple and efficient method to develop a nanocomposite by depositing platinum (Pt) nanoparticles on a carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet, and experimentally verifies the applicability of the proposed nanocomposite as a reliable and sensitive carbon monoxide (CO) gas sensor that operates at room temperature. A Pt-CNT nanocomposite shows improved CO gas sensing properties compared with the pristine CNT sheet. Owing to its large surface area and high conductivity, a CNT sheet exhibits improved sensitivity and fast response and recovery times. Based on the Pt-CNT nanocomposite implemented by the proposed method, we fabricated a Pt-CNT sheet-based CO gas sensor operating at room temperature and experimentally verified its stable and reliable room temperature sensing properties and excellent structural flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new framework to monitor time-dependent sand particle size was developed. • Pattern of ultrasound echo signals was used to develop CNN model. • High accuracy of classifying sand with seven different particle size was obtained. • The propose framework enables using ultrasound signals to predict soil properties. Particle size of sand is one of the critical soil properties to estimate water flow-related phenomena (e.g., soil erodibility) and key soil properties such as hydraulic conductivity. This study proposed a new framework to classify particle size of sand using convolutional neural network (CNN) combined with ultrasound echo signals. The laboratory experiments were performed to construct the dataset of echo signals with different patterns as a function of median size of sand. The high accuracy of developed CNN model for classifying seven types of sand shown in this study implying the chance of using low-cost easy-to-measure ultrasound signals for monitoring median size of sand deposits. In addition, the accuracy of CNN models for the four scenarios shown in this study demonstrated the proposed framework in this study can be used to classify different sand type with low difference in median particle size. The developed CNN model in this study potentially can be used to monitor time-dependent soil properties from ultrasound signals such as monitoring hydraulic conductivity of sand deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a thermal convection-based sensor, which is fabricated using carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn. The key element in this device is the non-symmetrically distributed, heated air medium around the heater, particularly when it experiences acceleration and/or changes in inclination. Therefore, it can withstand much higher accelerations/inclination than conventional sensors that use a proof mass. However, a major challenge for the design of this type of sensor is the high heating power (in the order of tens of milliwatts) required to facilitate thermal convection in a sealed chamber. In order to reduce the high heating power, CNTs are investigated as materials for both the heater and the temperature sensors. Moreover, this paper discusses experiments that were performed by varying several parameters, such as the heating power, distance between the heater and temperature sensors, the gas medium used, and air pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcopenia is a major physical factor of frailty and can be predicted by existing patient computed tomography (CT) scans. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between prognosis of elderly patients visiting the emergency department and psoas muscle size measurements from CT scans that were acquired in other purpose. This was a retrospective study in a single center. The psoas muscle size (cross-section) and attenuation at the L3 vertebra were measured on CT scans. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between mortality and muscle size and muscle attenuation after adjustment of basic characteristics. Also, we constructed receiver operating characteristic curves. A total of 279 patients were enrolled with diagnoses categorized from 13 chapters from on International Classification of Diseases-10th Revision (ICD-10). There were 56 patients (20.1%) admitted to the ICU, and 51 patients (18.3%) died in the hospital during the clinical process. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) of muscle size for prediction of ICU admission was 0.706 (0.649-0.759), and the cut-off value was 390.18 with 51.8% sensitivity and 87.9% specificity. The AUROC of muscle size for prediction of death was 0.904 (0.864-0.936), and the cut-off value was 587.41 with 92.2% sensitivity and 78.5% specificity. Using existing CT can be an appropriate method for an early diagnosis of sarcopenia in older patients. In this study, measurement of muscle size using CT was shown to be a feasible modality for predicting poor prognoses for older patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work developed Acer tegmentosum extract-mediated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) loaded chitosan (CS)/alginic acid (AL) scaffolds (CS/AL-AgNPs) to enhance the healing of E. coli -infected wounds. The SEM-EDS and XRD results revealed the successful formation of the CS/AL-AgNPs. FTIR analysis evidenced that the anionic group of AL (-COO-) and cationic amine groups of CS (-NH 3 +) were ionically crosslinked to form scaffold (CS/AL). The CS/AL-AgNPs exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive (G+) and Gram-negative (G-) bacterial pathogens, while being non-toxic to red blood cells (RBCs), the hen's egg chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM), and a non-cancerous cell line (NIH3T3). Treatment with CS/AL-AgNPs significantly accelerated the healing of E. coli -infected wounds by regulating the collagen deposition and blood parameters as evidenced by in vivo experiments. Overall, these findings suggest that CS/AL-AgNPs are promising for the treatment of infected wounds. This figure created with BioRender.com. [Display omitted] • Development of silver nanoparticles loaded chitosan/alginic acid scaffold (CS/AL-Ag NPs) • CS/AL-Ag NPs nontoxic to RBC and NIH3T3 cell line and promote cell migration • The CS/AL-Ag NPs treatment improved wound healing by inhibiting bacterial colonization. • CS/AL-Ag NPs rapidly healed wounds through collagen deposition and cell proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The colonization of pathogenic microbes poses a significant clinical barrier that hinders the physiological wound-healing process. Addressing this challenge, we developed a novel wound dressing using a modified cotton gauze dressing coated with fucoidan and functionalized with silver nanoparticles (LB-Ag NPs–FN–OCG) for the rapid treatment of infected wounds. Firstly, phytochemical-capped LB-Ag NPs were synthesized and characterized using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and zeta potential analysis. Secondly, different concentrations of LB-Ag NPs (0.1%–1%) were functionalized into FN-OCG to identify appropriate concentrations that were non-toxic with superior antibacterial activities. Screening assays, including antibacterial, hemolysis, chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay, and cytotoxicity assay, revealed that LB-Ag NPs (0.5%)–FN–OCG were non-toxic and demonstrated greater efficiency in inhibiting bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes) and promoting fibroblast cell (NIH3T3) migration. In vivo assays revealed that LB-Ag NPs (0.5%)–FN–OCG treatment exhibited excellent wound healing activity (99.73 ± 0.01%) compared to other treatments by inhibiting bacterial colonization, maintaining the blood parameters, developing granulation tissue, new blood vessels, and collagen deposition. Overall, this study highlights that LB-Ag NPs (0.5%)–FN–OCG serve as a antibacterial wound dressing for infected wound healing applications. [Display omitted] • Biogenic Ag NPs and fucoidan-loaded cotton dressings (LB-Ag NPs–FN–OCG) were developed. • The antibacterial and wound healing efficiency of LB-Ag NPs–FN–OCG was evaluated. • LB-Ag NPs–FN–OCG had significant antibacterial activity. • LB-Ag NPs–FN–OCG were nontoxic and promising in infectious wound healing therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is one of the most important and major causes of mortality worldwide. In AIS patients, the blood urea nitrogen to creatinine ratio (B/C ratio) was investigated as a dehydrated biomarker in previous studies. However, the B/C ratio can be affected by medications and past medical history. We hypothesized addition of serum albumin, which has been shown to have beneficial neuroprotective effects, could compensate for the disadvantages. In the present study, the BUN to serum albumin ratio (B/A ratio) was evaluated association with AIS patient's prognosis. Methods: This retrospective cohort study of AIS in our hospital was conducted from February 2018 through June 2020. First, demographic and clinical data were collected and compared with the prevalence of mortality and ICU admission. Then, the B/C ratio and the B/A ratio were calculated. Differences in the performance between the B/C ratio and the B/A ratio for outcome prediction were evaluated based on the area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC). Results: Among the 1,164 patients enrolled in this study, 77 (6.6%) died during hospitalization and 467 (40.1%) were admitted to ICU. Multivariate logistic regression had shown that the B/A ratio was a significant predictor of mortality and admission to ICU. In addition, the B/A ratio was significantly higher in ICU-admitted patients and non-survivors. The AUROC of the B/A ratio was 0.687 and the B/C ratio was 0.533 for predicting mortality; the B/A ratio was statistically superior to the B/C ratio. For predicting ICU admission, the AUROC values of the B/A ratio and the B/C ratio were 0.567 and 0.556, respectively, and a statistically significant difference was not observed. Conclusion: The B/A ratio is a simple and useful tool for predicting the outcomes of ischemic stroke patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Biliary tract infection (BTI) is a common cause of bacteremia and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. However, studies on screening tools to predict disease severity in BTI patients are lacking. This study aimed to comparatively validate CRB, CRB-65, quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA), and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) in predicting the clinical outcomes of BTI patients. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with BTI who visited the emergency department of a medical center between February 2018 and March 2020. Baseline patient data were compared to assess the prevalence of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and in-hospital mortality. The effectiveness of CRB, CRB-65, qSOFA, and SIRS scores as indicators of ICU admission and in-hospital mortality was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve. Results: This study included 745 patients, of whom 111 (14.8%) were admitted to the ICU and 20 (2.7%) died in-hospital. AUROC values (95% CI) for predicting ICU admission and in-hospital mortality were as follows: CRB, 0.774 and 0.707 (0.742 - 0.803 and 0.673 - 0.739); CRB - 65, 0.816 and 0.735 (0.786 - 0.843 and 0.0.702 - 0.766); qSOFA, 0.779 and 0.724 (03747 - 0.808 and 0.690 - 0.755); and SIRS, 0.686 and 0.659 (0.651 - 0.719 and 0.623 - 0.693), respectively. Conclusions: CRB-65 can be used as useful screening tools to predict ICU admission in patients with BTI on presentation to the emergency department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]