Specific Areas Of Interest Research Articles

Experimental investigation of the air blast performance of hybrid composite skinned sandwich panels with X-ray micro-CT damage assessment

This research investigates the performance of interlaminar hybrid composites as the skins of composite sandwich panels under blast loading with the aim of promoting delamination between dissimilar plies for energy absorption. The deformation of the composite panels was captured using high-speed digital image correlation (DIC). High-speed full-field DIC enables failure to be captured at the moment it occurs across the entire panel. X-ray micro-CT imaging was used to assess the post-blast damage sustained by particular areas of interest from each panel, which were selected based on DIC results. The combination of full-field DIC and detailed X-ray micro-CT scanning enabled a unique comparison of both the global and localised blast resilience of hybrid and conventional composite sandwich panels to be performed.Following a single blast load, the extent of damage to the Hybrid-3B skinned sandwich panel was found to lie between that of GFRP and CFRP skinned sandwich panels. X-ray micro-CT scanning of these panels reveals that there is no continuous damage path through the skin thickness of Hybrid-3B, whereas the GFRP and CFRP panels sustain damage in every ply.Following repeat blast loading, the Hybrid-4 skinned sandwich panel suffered from a front skin crack spanning the length of the panel. Post-blast compressive strength testing reveals that this skin crack and resulting core crack acted as a stress relief, limiting the damage sustained elsewhere in the panel.It was concluded that Hybrid-3B results in a good trade-off between strength and stiffness and is advantageous over conventional CFRP and GFRP panels under a single blast load. Under repeated loading Hybrid-4 offers advantages over Hybrid-3B. Finally, the design of the support structure can significantly aid in blast resilience, and, a holistic approach considering both panels and support should be taken when designing for blast resilience.

Methodology and practical implementation of research of changes in forest coverage of Volyn region using remote sensing

Introduction. Forests are an integral component of the environment. However, in recent years, there has been a trend towards deforestation in the Volyn region. The main causes of losses were felling and destruction of forests by pests, diseases and fires. The purpose of the article. The purpose of the study is to develop a methodology for assessing the forest cover of the Volyn region, its verification, assessment of the current state of the forest cover, determination of the trend of change and outline of the main measures to improve the protection and rational use of forest resources. Methods. Research methods: expeditionary (to study the state of forest cover in a specific area of interest), mathematical statistics (for statistical processing of monitoring results), expert evaluation (to establish the reasons for changes in forest cover), remote sensing (to assess the extent of change in forest cover). Used Ecological passports of the Volyn region for 2017-20, materials of own research, data from web services for monitoring the forests, Sentinel-2 satellite images. Results. Data on the area of forests and deforestation in the Volyn region, obtained from various sources, are compared with each other. For example, according to EOS Forest Monitoring data, the area of forests in the Volyn region in 2020 was 1,108 million ha, according to Global Forest Watch – 0,733 million ha, according to the results of determining the area of forests in Google Earth Engine – 0,853 million ha. Forest cover was 55,02%, 36,38% and 42,35%, respectively. According to official information from the Ecological Passport of the region – 34%. Such differences are understandable and are explained by the difference in the method of definition. For the period 2001-21 forest losses amounted to 0,103 million ha. The area of non-forest land for forestry purposes is growing. In 2017, their area amounted to 1692.3 ha, in 2018 - 32459.3 ha, in 2019 - 34136.86 ha, in 2020 - 42436.33 ha. Evidently, in 2018, there were changes in the approach to defining these lands. The area of dead forest plantations is decreasing. If in 2017 it amounted to 2915 ha, then in 2018 it decreased by 43.01%, in 2019 - by another 22.36%, in 2020 - by another 33.22%. Most of the forest plantations died from pests and diseases. The above-mentioned decrease in the area is explained by effective and large-scale sanitary felling in previous years. The area of forests destroyed by fires is insignificant. Forest losses were caused by extreme weather conditions in some years (2017, 2019). Measures for the rational use and protection of forests in the Volyn region are proposed. The scientific novelty consists in an attempt to compare different assessment methods for a definition of the current state of forest cover in the Volyn region and the trend of its change. Practical significance is determined by the possibility of using the obtained results for the development of a set of measures for the rational use and protection of forests in the Volyn region.

Myocardial Fibrosis in Congenital Heart Disease and the Role of MRI

Progress in the field of congenital heart surgery over the last century can only be described as revolutionary. Recent improvements in patient outcomes have been achieved through refinements in perioperative care. In the current and future eras, the preservation and restoration of myocardial health, beginning with the monitoring of tissue remodeling, will be central to improving cardiac outcomes. Visualization and quantification of fibrotic myocardial remodeling is one of the greatest assets that cardiac MRI brings to the field of cardiology, and its clinical use within the field of congenital heart disease (CHD) has been an area of particular interest in the last few decades. This review summarizes the physical underpinnings of myocardial tissue characterization in CHD, with an emphasis on T1 parametric mapping and late gadolinium enhancement. It describes methods and suggestions for obtaining images, extracting quantitative and qualitative data, and interpreting the results for children and adults with CHD. The tissue characterization observed in different lesions is used to examine the causes and pathomechanisms of fibrotic remodeling in this population. Similarly, the clinical consequences of elevated imaging biomarkers of fibrosis on patient health and outcomes are explored. Keywords: Pediatrics, MR Imaging, Cardiac, Heart, Congenital, Tissue Characterization, Congenital Heart Disease, Cardiac MRI, Parametric Mapping, Fibrosis, Late Gadolinium Enhancement © RSNA, 2023

Discover the Future of Natural Breast Enhancement: Stwics Unveils Revolutionary Technology

Experience Fuller, Firmer, and More Symmetrical Breasts with a Non-Invasive, Scientifically Proven Method. In today's world, women are constantly searching for ways to enhance their appearance and boost their self-confidence. One area of particular interest is breast enhancement. Traditional methods, such as surgery and hormone treatments, can be risky and expensive. However, a breakthrough technology called the Stwics Constant Negative Pressure Breast Augmentation Instrument offers a safer, non-invasive alternative.

Schuwer, R., Gil-Jaurena, I., Aydin, C. H., Costello, E., Dalsgaard, C., Brown, M., ... & Teixeira, A. (2015). Opportunities and threats of the MOOC movement for higher education: The European perspective. International review of research in open and dist

The MOOC model (Massive Open Online Course, for its acronym in English) has emerged as an innovative alternative for university education, allowing massive access to online courses taught by renowned institutions. This model is characterized by its open, flexible and autonomous nature, which has generated a significant impact on the educational landscape. One of the main advantages of the MOOC is its ability to broaden access to university education. Through online platforms, anyone can enroll in courses taught by professors from world-renowned institutions. This has democratized education by removing geographic and economic barriers that often limit access to traditional education. In addition, the MOOC model offers flexibility in terms of hours and location. Students can learn at their own pace, access course materials anytime, anywhere, and tailor their learning process to their individual needs. This promotes autonomous learning and self-regulation, valuable skills in an ever-evolving educational environment. MOOCs cover a wide range of topics and disciplines, giving students the opportunity to explore various fields of study and gain knowledge in areas of specific interest to them. This encourages the diversity of content and the personalization of learning, since students can choose the courses that best suit their needs and educational goals. However, the MOOC model also presents challenges. The lack of interaction and personalized feedback, due to the large number of participants, can make it difficult to deepen the concepts and resolve specific doubts. Additionally, MOOC course completion rates are often low, raising questions about student engagement and motivation. Despite these challenges, the MOOC as an alternative model for university education has proven to be a valuable tool. It has allowed access to education to people from all over the world, promoting flexibility, diversity of content and autonomous learning. As MOOCs continue to be explored and improved, it is expected that they will continue to play an important role in the educational landscape, providing enriching and transformative learning opportunities.

Multi-Technique Characterization of Painting Drawings of the Pictorial Cycle at the San Panfilo Church in Tornimparte (AQ)

We present some results, obtained using a multi-scale approach, based on the employment of different and complementary techniques, i.e., Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and µ-Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy equipped with Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) analyses, Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), and Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS), of an integrated activity focused on the characterization of micro-fragments of original and previously restored paintings of the pictorial cycle at the San Panfilo Church in Tornimparte, sampled from specific areas of interest. The study was aimed, on one hand, at the identification of the overlapping restoration materials used during previous conservation interventions (documented and not), and, on the other hand, at understanding the degradation phenomena (current or previous) of the painted surfaces and the architectural structures. The study of stratigraphy allowed us to evaluate the number of layers and the materials (pigments, minerals, and varnishes) present in each layer. As the main result, the identification of blue, black, yellow, and red pigments (both ancient and modern) was achieved. In the case of blue pigments, original (azurite and lazurite) and retouching (Prussian blue and phthalo blue) materials were recognized, together with alteration products (malachite and atacamite). Traces of yellow ochre were found in the yellow areas, and carbon black in the blue and brown areas. In the latter, hematite and red ochre pigments were also recognized. The obtained results are crucial to support the methodological choices during the restoration intervention of the site, and help to ensure the compatibility principles of the materials on which a correct conservative approach is based.

Differential impact of environmental factors on systemic and localized autoimmunity.

The influence of environmental factors on the development of autoimmune disease is being broadly investigated to better understand the multifactorial nature of autoimmune pathogenesis and to identify potential areas of intervention. Areas of particular interest include the influence of lifestyle, nutrition, and vitamin deficiencies on autoimmunity and chronic inflammation. In this review, we discuss how particular lifestyles and dietary patterns may contribute to or modulate autoimmunity. We explored this concept through a spectrum of several autoimmune diseases including Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Alopecia Areata (AA) affecting the central nervous system, whole body, and the hair follicles, respectively. A clear commonality between the autoimmune conditions of interest here is low Vitamin D, a well-researched hormone in the context of autoimmunity with pleiotropic immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. While low levels are often correlated with disease activity and progression in MS and AA, the relationship is less clear in SLE. Despite strong associations with autoimmunity, we lack conclusive evidence which elucidates its role in contributing to pathogenesis or simply as a result of chronic inflammation. In a similar vein, other vitamins impacting the development and course of these diseases are explored in this review, and overall diet and lifestyle. Recent work exploring the effects of dietary interventions on MS showed that a balanced diet was linked to improvement in clinical parameters, comorbid conditions, and overall quality of life for patients. In patients with MS, SLE and AA, certain diets and supplements are linked to lower incidence and improved symptoms. Conversely, obesity during adolescence was linked with higher incidence of MS while in SLE it was associated with organ damage. Autoimmunity is thought to emerge from the complex interplay between environmental factors and genetic background. Although the scope of this review focuses on environmental factors, it is imperative to elaborate the interaction between genetic susceptibility and environment due to the multifactorial origin of these disease. Here, we offer a comprehensive review about the influence of recent environmental and lifestyle factors on these autoimmune diseases and potential translation into therapeutic interventions.

Calibration-free disposable electrochemical sensor with co-facing electrodes: Theory and characterisation with fixed and changing mediator concentration

The use of electrochemical sensors containing oxidoreductase enzymes or redox-active substrates has become an area of particular interest due to its wide potential applications. This work presents the construction, theory and characterisation of a calibration-free disposable electrochemical sensor with co-facing electrodes. Each co-facing electrode is used as an anode or cathode to achieve high sensitivity based on a reversible redox mediator-recycling signal amplification system. Furthermore, this system can simultaneously report on the concentration and diffusion coefficient of the limiting electrochemical mediator. Supporting experimental evidence is provided in systems where the viscosity of the solution is systematically varied. The theory for a constant limiting electrochemical mediator concentration is presented and extended to treat the case where the mentioned concentration increases linearly with time. The theory is applied to three specific cases to validate the developed theory. The sensor presented in this paper may be applied to developing novel low-volume and high-sensitivity disposable, point-of-care electrochemical biosensors.

Fast history matching and optimization using a novel physics-based data-driven model: An application to a diatomite reservoir with hundreds of wells

History matching and optimization of full-physics models can be computationally expensive since these problems usually require hundreds of simulations or more. For a mature field with many wells and decades of production history, this could be a time-consuming task. In previous studies, a physics-based data-driven network model (GPSNet) was implemented with a commercial simulator that serves as a surrogate and then applied successfully to a diatomite reservoir sector in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) for rapid history matching and optimization.In this paper, we successfully expand the previous work to a larger sector in the same reservoir with more than three hundred wells with two decades of waterflood history. Additional development for well completions and connection rules were introduced in GPSNet to handle various well types such as work-overs, dual-string injectors, and horizontal wells. Updated GPSNet is also flexible enough to allow local network refinement in order to accommodate special areas of interest in the operation. A flow network construction workflow is established and discussed in the context of a complex waterflood scenario.History matching of the sector generated a model that honors field-level production history and gives reasonable matches on the well-level for both pressure and volumetric data. For optimization, a P50 model is selected to maximize the 5-year Net Present Value (NPV) under operational well/field constraints. Two optimization scenarios were investigated: a. optimize well control for injectors and b. simultaneously optimize injector well control and return-to-production/return-to-injection well counts. Both optimization scenarios have provided an approximate 60% increase in NPV compared to the reference case. This successful application of GPSNet to a large sector with complex waterflood history has demonstrated the flexibility and robustness of GPSNet.

Integration of new sets of magnets for improved plasma confinement in the SPIDER experiment

SPIDER is the full-scale prototype of the plasma source of the negative-ion driven neutral beam injector for the heating and current drive of the ITER plasma. The uniqueness and complexity of the system requested this ad hoc test stand aiming at optimizing the performance of the RF inductively generated plasma, negative ion production and extraction, electron filtering, and robustness and controllability of all systems required to work together. After about three years of operation, presently SPIDER is in a long shutdown, in which the whole plasma source and accelerator were dismounted. In this phase, additional modifications with respect to the original design will be introduced to improve the system performance, driven by the experience acquired in the last years.These include the addition of further sets of permanent magnets in the plasma source expansion chamber and around the RF drivers, with the aim of improving the plasma confinement and consequently its density and possibly its uniformity. The present paper reports the study and the analyses behind this modification, which impacts on the original already complex magnetic configuration, made particularly difficult by the limited space available and the high voltages. The use of ferromagnetic shields, necessary to limit stray fields possibly increasing the breakdown probability, make the design particularly complex because of the greater impact on the previous configuration. An iterative process between analyses to determine the ideal configuration and CAD verifications was required. The analyses had to take into account the new magnetic configuration to be created in the particular area of interest, and the overall configuration in order to not compromise its efficacy.

"Scenography, a Special Form of Art and Basic Component of Total Theatre"

"In classical theater, the dramatic text, the direction and the interpretation prevail over the other elements of the show. Scenography, an area of particular interest in the present article, represented a minor direction of theatrical development until the 20th century, so that, with the proliferation of modern, postmodern and especially post- postmodern art, it would become a basic condition and a landmark of total theater. The hybrid and eclectic character of this interpretative artistic form implies not only the coexistence of theater with dance, music and visual arts, but also with new technologies, from electric lights and projector, to computer-assisted devices through highly performing (often responsive) software. Over time, the scenographer was an architect, engineer, craftsman, fashion designer, visual artist (sometimes recognized on all meridians, as in the case of Picasso), and in the last (three) decades he became a graphic designer, digital artist or even a programmer. The fact is that between the actors and the public there is an interdependence relationship, which leads in the theatrical plane to solutions that move the artistic discourse from the convention to the immersive (sensory). For this reason, contemporary theater is at an unprecedented point in its history of over two and a half millennia, to reconfigure itself according to the “modern” times or to exalt traditional values."

Automatic Clustering for Improved Radio Environment Maps in Distributed Applications

Wireless communication greatly contributes to the evolution of new technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing. The new generation networks, including 5G and 6G, provide several connectivity advantages for multiple applications, such as smart health systems and smart cities. Adopting wireless communication technologies in these applications is still challenging due to factors such as mobility and heterogeneity. Predicting accurate radio environment maps (REMs) is essential to facilitate connectivity and improve resource utilization. The construction of accurate REMs through the prediction of reference signal received power (RSRP) can be useful in densely distributed applications, such as smart cities. However, predicting an accurate RSRP in the applications can be complex due to intervention and mobility aspects. Given the fact that the propagation environments can be different in a specific area of interest, the estimation of a common path loss exponent for the entire area produces errors in the constructed REM. Hence, it is necessary to use automatic clustering to distinguish between different environments by grouping locations that exhibit similar propagation characteristics. This leads to better prediction of the propagation characteristics of other locations within the same cluster. Therefore, in this work, we propose using the Kriging technique, in conjunction with the automatic clustering approach, in order to improve the accuracy of RSRP prediction. In fact, we adopt K-means clustering (KMC) to enhance the path loss exponent estimation. We use a dataset to test the proposed model using a set of comparative studies. The results showed that the proposed approach provides significant RSRP prediction capabilities for constructing REM, with a gain of about 3.3 dB in terms of root mean square error compared to the case without clustering.

Modeling of the Fate and Behaviors of an Oil Spill in the Azemmour River Estuary in Morocco

Oil spills are one of the most hazardous pollutants in marine environments with potentially devastating impacts on ecosystems, human health, and socio-economic sectors. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to establish a prompt and efficient system for forecasting and monitoring such spills, in order to minimize their impacts. The present work focuses on the numerical simulation of the drift and spread of oil slicks in marine environments. The specific area of interest is the Azemmour estuary, located on Morocco’s Atlantic Coast. According to the environmental sensitivity index (ESI), given its geographical location at the intersection of the World’s Shipping Lines of oil transport, this area, as with many other sites in Morocco, has been classified as a high-risk area for oil spill accidents. By taking into account a range of factors, including the ocean currents, the weather conditions, and the oil properties, detailed numerical simulations were conducted, using the hydrodynamic TELEMAC-2D model, to predict the behavior and spread of an oil spill event in the aforementioned coastal region. The simulation results help to understand the spatial–temporal evolution of the spilled oil, the effect of wind on the spreading process, as well as the coastal areas that are most likely to be affected in the event of an oil spill accident. The simulations were performed with and without wind effects. The results showed that three days after the oil spill only 31% of the spilled oil remained on the sea surface. The wind was found to be the main factor responsible for oil drifting offshore. The results indicated that rapid action is needed to address the oil spill before it causes significant environmental damage and makes the oil cleanup process more challenging and expensive. The results of the present study are highly valuable for the management and prevention of environmental disasters in the Azemmour estuary area. The findings can be used to assess the efficacy of various response strategies, such as containment and cleanup measures, and to develop more effective emergency response plans.

Three-dimensional analysis of human pancreatic cancer specimens by phase-contrast based X-ray tomography – the next dimension of diagnosis

BackgroundThe worldwide increase of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which still has one of the lowest survival rates, requires novel imaging tools to improve early detection and to refine diagnosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of propagation-based phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography of already paraffin-embedded and unlabeled human pancreatic tumor tissue to achieve a detailed three-dimensional (3D) view of the tumor sample in its entirety.MethodsPunch biopsies of areas of particular interest were taken from paraffin blocks after initial histological analysis of hematoxylin and eosin stained tumor sections. To cover the entire 3.5 mm diameter of the punch biopsy, nine individual tomograms with overlapping regions were acquired in a synchrotron parallel beam configuration and stitched together after data reconstruction. Due to the intrinsic contrast based on electron density differences of tissue components and a voxel size of 1.3 μm achieved PDAC and its precursors were clearly identified.ResultsCharacteristic tissue structures for PDAC and its precursors, such as dilated pancreatic ducts, altered ductal epithelium, diffuse immune cell infiltrations, increased occurrence of tumor stroma and perineural invasion were clearly identified. Certain structures of interest were visualized in three dimensions throughout the tissue punch. Pancreatic duct ectasia of different caliber and atypical shape as well as perineural infiltration could be contiguously traced by viewing serial tomographic slices and by applying semi-automatic segmentation. Histological validation of corresponding sections confirmed the former identified PDAC features.ConclusionIn conclusion, virtual 3D histology via phase-contrast X-ray tomography visualizes diagnostically relevant tissue structures of PDAC in their entirety, preserving tissue integrity in label-free, paraffin embedded tissue biopsies. In the future, this will not only enable a more comprehensive diagnosis but also a possible identification of new 3D imaging tumor markers.

The Australian reflexology workforce: A descriptive secondary-analysis from the PRACI practice-based research network

ObjectivesThis study provides the first detailed empirical examination of the reflexology profession and reflexology practice in Australia. DesignSecondary analysis of the Practitioner Research And Collaboration Initiative (PRACI) online baseline workforce survey and practice-specific manual therapy follow-up survey. MethodsThe baseline survey collected data about participant sociodemographics, practitioner and professional characteristics, and clinical special interest areas. The Follow up survey provided more information about practice behaviours including participant use of diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Responses from both surveys were linked and the data were analysed for descriptive statistics. Bivariate analyses tested the association between practitioner characteristics across two subgroups: those participants with both a reflexology and massage qualification; and those with a reflexology qualification but no massage qualification. ResultsThe baseline survey was completed by 128 reflexologists and 74 (57.8 %) of the baseline respondents completed the secondary practice-specific manual therapy survey. Substantially more females (86.7 %) completed the survey and the mean age of participants was 53.1 years (SD 10.4). A diverse range of clinical interest topics were disclosed. Most frequent were general health and wellbeing (81.3 %) and musculoskeletal complaints (78.1 %). Digestive disorders (68.0 %), women’s health complaints (66.4 %), endocrine conditions (64.8 %), pain (64.8 %) and allergies (60.2 %) were also commonly identified as clinical interest areas. Participants with a reflexology qualification only reported a lower hourly rate, less new clients per month and less days in clinical practice compared to other participants. They also reported discussing diet and nutrition, exercise prescription, nutritional supplements less often than other participants. ConclusionsReflexology is a manual therapy with a broad range of applications that ay support many health conditions. This study highlights the important priority areas for the Australian reflexology profession to ensure sustainability of their workforce into the future.

Tactile displays for auditory augmentation–A scoping review and reflections on music applications for hearing impaired users

The field of tactile augmentation has progressed greatly over the past 27 years and currently constitutes an emerging area of research, bridging topics ranging from neuroscience to robotics. One particular area of interest is studying the usage of tactile augmentation to provide inclusive musical experiences for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals. This article details a scoping review that investigates and organizes tactile displays used for the augmentation of music from the field of hearing assistive devices, documented in 63 scientific publications. The focus is on the hardware, software, mapping, and evaluation of these displays, to identify established methods and techniques, as well as potential gaps in the literature. To achieve this purpose, a catalog of devices was created from the available literature indexed in the Scopus® database. We set up a list of 12 descriptors belonging to physical, auditory, perceptual, purpose and evaluation domains; each tactile display identified was categorized based on those. The frequency of use among these descriptors was analyzed and as well as the eventual relationship between them. Results indicate that the field is relatively new, with 80% of the literature indexed being published after 2009. Moreover, most of the research is conducted in laboratories, with limited industry reach. Most of the studies have low reliability due to small sample sizes, and sometimes low validity due to limited access to the targeted population (e.g., evaluating systems designed for cochlear implant users, on normal hearing individuals). When it comes to the tactile displays, the results show that the hand area is targeted by the majority of the systems, probably due to the higher sensitivity afforded by it, and that there are only a couple of popular mapping systems used by the majority of researchers. Additional aspects of the displays were investigated, including the historical distribution of various characteristics (e.g., number of actuators, or actuators type) as well as the sonic material used as input. Finally, a discussion of the current state of the tactile augmentation of music is presented, as well as suggestions for potential future research.

Age Estimation Based on CT Chest Analysis of Ossification of the Xiphisternal Joint in a Living Population Aged 35-50 in a Tertiary Setup.

Introduction Age estimation has been an area of special interest in the medicolegal context because of its necessity in various criminal and civil cases like assaults, murders, rapes, inheritance, insurance claims, etc. While legal documents are useful in daily activities that require age identity, they cannot be relied on for criminal and civil proceedings because of being falsifiable and inaccessible to some people. Scientific methods of age determination like physical, dental, and radiological examinations are used for reliable age estimation due to their universal and non-falsifiable nature. The skeletal examination is of great importance here because the human skeleton provides many sites for age estimation in different age groups. The xiphisternal joint between the xiphoid process and the body of the sternum provides one such opportunity in participants of 35-50 years of age. The ossification in this joint proceeds gradually in approximately the third to fifth decade of life; this natural variation in the morphology of the joint can be leveraged for age estimation. Previous studies showed that the mean age of fusion varied with the ethnicity of individuals and environmental factors. Thus, it is critical to have statistical information for the concerned population to avoid errors. Also, the relation of gender with the mean age of complete fusion remained ambiguous with the previous studies. The xiphisternal joint can be studied by radiological techniques like computed tomography (CT) and plain radiographs. Radiological methods have the benefit that they can be used on both living and dead participants and are non-invasive. The present study aims at gathering data relevant for use in India (Maharashtra) and to find out the reference age group in which there is complete ossification of the xiphisternal joint in males and females. Methods and materials This was a cross-sectional observational study in a tertiary care setup over a period of one year. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was used for assessing joint fusion due to its high spatial resolution. The participants were included in the study if they were referred for HRCT chest by a physician for some pathology, did not have any trauma or lesion of the sternum and consented to the use of their information for the purpose of this study. Results The study included a total of 384 participants, out of whom 195 (50.8%) were males and 189 (49.2%) were females. The mean age of participants was 42.87 years. The mean age of complete xiphisternal joint fusion was observed to be 46.31 years (95% CI: 45.61 to 47.00) in males and 45.57 years (95% CI: 44.73 to 46.42) in females. Similarly, the mean age of participants with an unfused xiphisternal joint was observed to be 38.42 years (95% CI: 37.47 to 39.39) in males and 37.85 years (95% CI: 37.14 to 38.57) in females. There was no statistically significant difference in the age above which males and females show complete ossification of the xiphisternal joint. Conclusion The xiphisternal joint fusion can be used to determine the chronological age of an individual. It can be estimated as lesser than or equal to 45 years if the xiphisternal joint is unossified and greater than or equal to 37 years if the joint is ossified, with a 95% level of confidence.

MDST: multi-domain sparse-view CT reconstruction based on convolution and swin transformer

Objective.Sparse-view computed tomography (SVCT), which can reduce the radiation doses administered to patients and hasten data acquisition, has become an area of particular interest to researchers. Most existing deep learning-based image reconstruction methods are based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Due to the locality of convolution and continuous sampling operations, existing approaches cannot fully model global context feature dependencies, which makes the CNN-based approaches less efficient in modeling the computed tomography (CT) images with various structural information. Approach. To overcome the above challenges, this paper develops a novel multi-domain optimization network based on convolution and swin transformer (MDST). MDST uses swin transformer block as the main building block in both projection (residual) domain and image (residual) domain sub-networks, which models global and local features of the projections and reconstructed images. MDST consists of two modules for initial reconstruction and residual-assisted reconstruction, respectively. The sparse sinogram is first expanded in the initial reconstruction module with a projection domain sub-network. Then, the sparse-view artifacts are effectively suppressed by an image domain sub-network. Finally, the residual assisted reconstruction module to correct the inconsistency of the initial reconstruction, further preserving image details. Main results. Extensive experiments on CT lymph node datasets and real walnut datasets show that MDST can effectively alleviate the loss of fine details caused by information attenuation and improve the reconstruction quality of medical images. Significance. MDST network is robust and can effectively reconstruct images with different noise level projections. Different from the current prevalent CNN-based networks, MDST uses transformer as the main backbone, which proves the potential of transformer in SVCT reconstruction.

Hydrogeological characteristics and water availability in the mountainous aquifer systems of Italian Central Alps: A regional scale approach

Groundwater resources in mountain areas are strategically important to maintain adequate water supply for domestic uses, farming, industrial activities, and energy production, also considering the expected growing demand due to ongoing climate changes. Within this framework, the objective of the study is to develop a regional approach, compliant with the European requirements of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC and Groundwater Directive 2006/118/EC, that could support public agencies and water companies to efficiently manage and protect the available water resources in mountainous environments.The proposed approach identifies and delineates groundwater bodies by coupling a 3D hydro-stratigraphic model with the definition of the water budget and water hydrochemical fingerprints in a geologically complex Alpine environment in Northern Italy. Sixteen groundwater bodies (GWBs) have been identified all over the 10.290 km2 area, showing an average storage capacity of more than 500 Mm³ y−1 (about 3% of the average total inflow from precipitation and snowmelt), with differences up to four times between GWBs mainly constituted of carbonate rocks and those prevalently composed of crystalline or terrigenous rocks. Groundwater quality in the study domain is generally excellent, with few exceptions due to geogenic (i.e., natural) or anthropogenic sources of contamination. The results of this study show the advantages of coupling 3D hydro-stratigraphic modelling combined with meteorological, hydrological and hydrogeological information, which consist in: i) identifying the most Strategic Storage Reservoir both in terms of quality and storage capacity; ii) evaluating the present ground- and surface water availability; iii) detecting areas of specific interest for implementing groundwater monitoring networks; iv) recognising recharge areas of the most relevant springs, to implement protection strategies of the resource.

Scholarly Output on Dentistry and COVID-19: A Global Bibliometric Analysis

Background: Bibliometric studies help in quantifying the pattern of research published in a particular area of interest to get the measure of research productivity. In this context, we analyzed the dental and COVID-19 research papers published from December 2019 to January 2021 globally. Method: The articles were retrieved from the PubMed and WHO COVID -19 databases using MeSH terms and keywords. The data downloaded as excel and extracted bibliometric information’s and analyzed using Epi-info (7.2) software. Result: We obtained 800 research articles after removing duplicates and non-relevant articles from 1,823 articles from these two databases. The articles were published by 475 institutions in 62 countries. Among the listed countries, more publications were done by the United States of America (USA) (n=135;16.8%). The majority of the papers were published in June 2020 (n=114). The King's College London had the most number of publications (n=15; 1.9%). The majority of the articles were original articles (n=592; 74%). Conclusion: The study reports a gradual increase in publications over the months and a slowing down at the end of the year. The countries such as the USA, England, Italy, and China published more articles and this correlates with the number of covid-19 cases.