Color Coding Research Articles

Short Blizzard Episode in the Northeastern Part of Romania, in the Second Decade of November 2023

Abstract Severe weather phenomena are those meteorological phenomena that can temporarily become dangerous for the population, by threatening its safety or can cause material damage in a certain area. In order for the authorities and the population to be notified in time, meteorological warnings are issued. Therefore, issuing a warning will be taken into account according to the degree of severity of the forecasted meteorological phenomenon and will take into account its extent, how it will evolve and the degree of vulnerability of the regions to be affected. For this purpose, warning thresholds have been established for certain meteorological phenomena that can become dangerous, and based on this, color codes have been established, which gradually show the dangerousness of the phenomena that are about to occur. In the cold season, the blizzard is part of the category of dangerous meteorological phenomena, even more so when they are early or late, in the months of November or April. If the late ones are more frequent, (in the last 10 years there were 2 blizzard events, in 2017 and 2023), the early ones have an even lower frequency, and sometimes it can be a derivative of this phenomenon, because they are not met all the blizzard conditions. This study analyzes a phenomenon that took place in the second decade of November 2023 in the region of Moldova and which was associated with the blizzard phenomenon.

Analysis of the Effect of Thread Depth in Four Different Thread Designs on the Stress Distribution at the Implant-bone Interface Using Finite Element Analysis – A Comparative Three-Dimensional In vitro Study

ABSTRACT Statement of Problem: Treatment with dental implants owes much of its success to the development and maintenance of an osseointegrated bone-implant interface. The development of this interface is influenced by various factors, of which implant thread design plays a dominant role. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of thread depth in four different thread designs on the stress distribution at the implant-bone interface using three-dimensional finite element analysis. Materials and Methods: Four implant models with different thread shapes, namely V thread, square thread, buttress thread, and reverse buttress thread with an uniform thread depth of 0.4 mm were designed. These models were then placed in the mandibular first molar region. Force of 100 N was applied axially and at 45°angle to the implant. Von Mises stress was measured at the implant – Bone interface area and compared for the different designs. Results: The color plots obtained were studied and the maximum Von Mises stress was noted and tabulated for each condition. Stress distribution in the finite element models comes in the numerical values and in color coding. Maximum values of Von Mises stress are denoted by red color and minimum value by blue color. In between, the values are represented by bluish green, green, greenish yellow, and yellowish red in the ascending order of stress distribution. Conclusion: Thread design plays an important role in stress distribution in implant and bone. Varying Von Mises stress is seen at the cortical bone-implant and cancellous bone-implant interface. Clinical Implication: Successful osseointegration is necessary for implant success and thread design plays a very important role in osseointegration. Therefore, the selection of implants with proper thread design contributes greatly to the success of an implant-retained prosthesis.

Use of MR signal intensity variations to highlight structures at risk along brain biopsy trajectories.

Postoperative intracerebral hemorrhages are significant complications following brain stereotactic biopsy. They can derive from anatomical structure (sulci, vessels) damage that is missed during stereotactic trajectory planning. In this study, the authors investigated the ability to detect contact between structures at risk and stereotactic trajectories using signal analysis from MRI obtained during clinical practice, with the aim to propose a visual tool to highlight areas with anatomical structures at risk of damage along the biopsy trajectory. The authors retrospectively analyzed actual stereotactic trajectories using intraoperative imaging (intraoperative 2D radiographs in the exploratory data set and intraoperative 3D scans in the confirmatory data set). The MR signal variation along each biopsy trajectory was matched with the patient's anatomy. In the exploratory data set (n = 154 patients), 32 contacts between the actual biopsy trajectory and an anatomical structure at risk were identified along 28 (18.2%) biopsy trajectories, corresponding to 8 preventable intracerebral hemorrhages. Variations of the mean derivative of the MR signal intensity were significantly different between trajectories with and without contact (the pathological threshold of the mean derivative of the MR signal intensity was defined as ± 0.030 arbitrary units; p < 0.0001), with a sensitivity of 89.3% and specificity of 74.6% to detect a contact. In the confirmatory data set (n = 73 patients), the sensitivity and specificity of the 0.030 threshold to detect a contact between the actual stereotactic trajectory and an anatomical structure at risk were 81.3% and 68.4%, respectively. Variations of the mean derivative of the MR signal intensity can be converted into a green/red color code along the planned biopsy trajectory to highlight anatomical structures at risk, which can help neurosurgeons during the surgical planning of stereotactic procedures.

EL4 Murine-Lymphoma-Stromal-Cell Fusion Hybrids Observed With Multiple Distinct Morphologies in the Primary Tumor and Metastatic Organs of a Syngeneic Mouse Model.

We and others have previously shown that cell fusion plays an important role in cancer metastasis. Color coding of cancer and stromal cells with spectrally-distinct fluorescent proteins is a powerful tool, as pioneered by our laboratory to detect cell fusion. We have previously reported color-coded cell fusion between cancer cells and stromal cells in metastatic sites by using color-coded EL4 murine lymphoma cells and host mice expressing spectrally-distinct fluorescent proteins. Cell fusion occurred between cancer cells or, between cancer cells and normal cells, such as macrophages, fibroblasts, and mesenchymal stem cells. In the present study, the aim was to morphologically classify the fusion-hybrid cells observed in the primary tumor and multiple metastases EL4 formed from cells expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP) in transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP), in a syngeneic model. RFP-expressing EL4 murine lymphoma cells were cultured in vitro. EL4-RFP cells were harvested and injected intraperitoneally into immunocompetent transgenic C57/BL6-GFP mice to establish a syngeneic model. Two weeks later, mice were sacrificed and each organ was harvested, cultured, and observed using confocal microscopy. EL4 intraperitoneal tumors (primary) and metastases in the lung, liver, blood, and bone marrow were formed. All tumors were harvested and cultured. In all specimens, RFP-EL4 cells, GFP-stromal cells, and fused yellow-fluorescent hybrid cells were observed. The fused hybrid cells showed various morphologies. Immune cell-like round-shaped yellow-fluorescent fused cells had a tendency to decrease with time in liver metastases and circulating blood. In contrast fibroblast-like spindle-shaped yellow-fluorescent fused cells increased in the intraperitoneal primary tumor, lung metastases, and bone marrow. Cell fusion between EL4-RFP cells and GFP stromal cells occurred in primary tumors and all metastatic sites. The morphology of the fused hybrid cells varied in the primary and metastatic sites. The present results suggest that fused cancer and stromal hybrid cells of varying morphology may play an important role in cancer progression.

Weighted Recursive Graph Color Coding for Enhanced Load Identification

Weighted Recursive Graph Color Coding for Enhanced Load Identification

Quantum chemical characterization and molecular docking analysis of Hydroxychloroquine on noble Metal-Loaded silica nano Composites: Implications for COVID-19 drug discovery

Repurposing existing drugs and assessing commercially available inhibitors against druggable viral sites might be a potent approach for expediting the drug development in the swiftly evolving COVID-19 pandemic. The toxicity of antiviral drugs can be effectively reduced by using nanostructures in targeted drug delivery. Here, we go over the Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) expected to interact and adsorb with noble metal-loaded silica nano composites (Ag, Au, and Pt). The spectra of absorption of HCQ and complexes were examined with different solvent solution of protic and aprotic solvents by the Time Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) method. Frontier Molecular Orbitals (FMOs) determinedthe electrontransfer inside the molecule. A visual depiction of the molecule's ESP mapwith colour code representation was used to analyse the distribution of charge inside the molecule. The druglikeness and lipophilicity properties were considered during the drug delivery process to assess whether the molecule was suitable for use as a drug molecule. Finally, the ligand and complexes were carried out for molecular docking investigation with the selected proteins.

Reliability of retinal nerve fiber layer color codes of optical coherence tomography in early diagnosis of glaucoma

Reliability of retinal nerve fiber layer color codes of optical coherence tomography in early diagnosis of glaucoma

An acid-chromic luminescent lanthanide metallogel for time-dependent information encryption and anti-counterfeiting.

Luminescent materials with dynamic color transformation demonstrate significant potential in advanced information encryption and anti-counterfeiting. In this study, we designed multi-color luminescent lanthanide metallogels featuring time-dependent color transformation. These materials are based on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) platforms, facilitating cascade energy transfer from the ligand 4,4',4''-[1,3,5-benzenetriyltris (carbonylimino)]trisbenzoic acid (H3L) to Tb3+ ions and subsequently to Sulforhodamine 101. The emission color of the gels can be readily adjusted by the introduction of HCl, transitioning from initial green, yellow, light red, and red hues to blue, violet, pink, and deep red, respectively. Importantly, the color change in these gels is time-dependent, controlled by the hydrolysis time of glucono-δ-lactone, which modulates the luminescence intensity of H3L, Tb3+, and Sulforhodamine 101. Exploiting these characteristics, we developed methods for information encryption utilizing 3D color codes and anti-counterfeiting flower patterns. These patterns undergo time-dependent transformations, generating a series of 3D codes and flower patterns that can only be recognized in a predetermined manner. These findings highlight the promising application of lanthanide metallogels in advanced information protection strategies.

Analysis of space images of the fault system of the Altai-Sayan seismic active region based on Shearlet transform

The paper proposes a method for processing and analyzing satellite images of a territory with increased seismic activity to identify geological inhomogeneities (geological faults, blocks) on the Earth’s surface. The methodology is based on adapted algorithms for discrete Shearlet transform (Shearlet toolbox and FFST). The problems of noise filtering and contour extraction with contrasting and color coding for the studied visual observational data are solved.

Method of treatment and visualization of brain tumor according to MRI data

A computational technique is proposed in which 2D segmentation is carried out using MRI data to prepare the formation of a 3D model of a brain tumor. The proposed technique is based on: pre-processing of MRI images to reduce noise; increasing brightness and contrast; formation of contours of objects of interest and visualization of the studied areas. The core computational element of the contouring and color coding technique is the Shearlet transform for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images.

Health and safety of health workers in the Suame Municipality of Ghana - Lessons learnt from the COVID-19 outbreak in infection prevention and control for future pandemics.

Effective adherence to infection prevention and control practices is needed to reduce the rate of healthcare-acquired infections among healthcare workers. Policies to control healthcare-acquired infections among healthcare workers can be designed and implemented using information on adherence to infection prevention and control practices adherence and its determinants. This study, therefore, sought to assess the adherence to infection prevention and control practices among healthcare workers during the 2019 Coronavirus disease pandemic. A multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted among 323 randomly selected healthcare workers in four health facilities in the Suame Municipality, Ghana. Data on participants' socio-demographics, knowledge of infection prevention and control practices and adherence to infection prevention and control practices were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the effect of demographic characteristics and knowledge of infection prevention and control on adherence to infection prevention and control practices among study participants. Over three-quarters (75.9%) of the study participants had adequate knowledge of infection prevention and control practices with a significant knowledge gap in the colour coding of bin liners for waste segregation (35.6%). The proportion of study participants who reported good adherence to infection prevention and control practices was 86.7%. Healthcare workers who were 33 years and above (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.27; 95% Confidence interval (CI): 0.08-0.92) and absence of an infection prevention and control committee at the facility AOR: 0.25; 95% CI: 0.08-0.73) had reduced odds of good adherence to infection prevention and control practices. Nursing staff (AOR: 9.49, 95% CI: 2.51-35.87) and having adequate knowledge of infection prevention and control practices (AOR: 2.66; 95% CI: 1.19-5.97) were associated with increased odds of good adherence to infection prevention and control practices. Adherence to infection prevention and control practices was high among this sample of Ghanaian healthcare workers. Interventions and strategies to improve adherence should include the setting up of infection prevention and control committees, education and strict observance of colour coding of bin liners for waste segregation and intensification of training of healthcare workers in infection prevention and control practices.

Opto-combinatorial indexing enables high-content transcriptomics by linking cell images and transcriptomes.

We introduce a simple integrated analysis method that links cellular phenotypic behaviour with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) by utilizing a combination of optical indices from cells and hydrogel beads. With our method, the combinations, referred to as joint colour codes, enable the link via matching the optical combinations measured by conventional epi-fluorescence microscopy with the concatenated DNA molecular barcodes created by cell-hydrogel bead pairs and sequenced by next-generation sequencing. We validated our approach by demonstrating an accurate link between the cell image and scRNA-seq with mixed species experiments, longitudinal cell tagging by electroporation and lipofection, and gene expression analysis. Furthermore, we extended our approach to multiplexed chemical transcriptomics, which enabled us to identify distinct phenotypic behaviours in HeLa cells treated with various concentrations of paclitaxel, and determine the corresponding gene regulation associated with the formation of a multipolar spindle.

Development of Rating System of Existing Railway Steel Bridges

Abstract: Railway bridges are designed to be serviceable for a long time. However, the structural conditions of railway bridges change over time due to environmental effects, fatigue and structurally unplanned modifications etc. which affect health of the structure significantly. Hence inspection and condition assessment of structure is required for their uninterrupted operation. Condition assessment is also required for maintenance and repairs of existing structures so as to avoid any mishaps and save valuable human life. Dealing with thousands of bridges and several factors that cause deterioration, makes the rating process extremely complicated. It is therefore necessary to develop a practical and accurate system, which will be capable of rating a network of railway bridges. Several bridge inspectionstandards and condition assessment practices have been developed around the globe. Some practices employ four linguistic expressions to rate bridge elements while other practices use five or six, or adopt numerical ratings such as 1 to 9. This research article introduces six colour codes in the proposed rating system for a network of railway bridges based on their current structural condition by means of visual inspection and different non-destructive evaluation techniques. The proposed rating system could provide bridge stakeholders with a rational appraising tool for condition assessment of railway bridges, allowing better allocation of budget and more precise maintenance decisions.

SMART TEXTILE pH SENSOR BASED ON CURCUMIN MICROCAPSULES

In this study, pH-sensitive textile systems are developed for use in detecting alkaline media variations. The product is designed based on the surface functionalization of cotton fabric by semi-porous microcapsules containing curcumin. The capsules synthesized by interfacial polymerization from MDI and xylitol serve as micro-reactors where a modification of the chemical form of curcumin takes place, allowing observation of a change of color. This change of color is linked to the acidity constant of this molecule. The objective is also to correlate the visual observation to an evaluation of the color code via image capture by a smartphone of the textile structure and simplified processing of the image color. The analyses have shown that the product obtained is well-sensitive to pH variations and easy to use.

A step towards sustainability in current dental practice: a cross sectional study

Background: Preservation of planet should be of utmost importance. All practicing dentists collectively produce an amount of waste which can turn out to be extremely harmful to the environment. Biomedical waste management and eco-friendly approach in dental practice should be leveraged for a better future. Aim was to assess the changing trends regarding biomedical waste management and eco-friendly approach in regular practice among dentists of Ahmedabad. Methods: A questionnaire-based study consisting of 17 questions was conducted among practicing dentists of Ahmedabad city. A total of 301 dentists voluntarily participated in the study. Results: Most of the practicing dentists (98.7%) were aware about the biomedical waste management categories and 90.4% were known to the colour coding system used for waste segregation and disposal. A standard method of mercury waste management and sharps disposal was practiced by 53.7% and 88.4% of total participants respectively. Most of the participants were using disposable suction tips (91.6%) and disposable syringes (98.9%). However, 71.6% and 28.4% participants were using autoclavable patient drape, head cap and mask. Conclusions: Comparison based on experience revealed that dentists with lesser experience are more prone to having eco-friendly choices. Comparison based on qualification revealed that paediatric dentists were having the least eco-friendly approach in regular practice compared to other groups. Concept of eco-friendly dentistry was familiar to majority of the dentists but, use of various eco-friendly alternatives were not preferred equally by all dentists.

COLOUR AS A METACOGNITION ENHANCING STRATEGY IN SCIENTIFIC TRANSLATORS’ EDUCATION

Colour is one of the codes that has proved successful in helping students retrieve knowledge, become aware of their strengths and weaknesses and provide them with an opportunity to improve their knowledge, skills and confidence effectively. Using descriptive statistics and hypothesis testing, this paper presents a comparative analysis of the performance of an experimental group of students who received colour-coded feedback and a control group of students who received non-coded feedback. The analysis is aimed at determining the contribution of colour-coded feedback to successful error identification and correction and the development of metacognitive activity. The results of this study point to more successful error correction in self-revisions and improved performance in translation, revision and reflection tasks among the students who received colour-coded feedback. This project is suggestive of enhanced metacognition, particularly for the specificities of scientific and technical translation. Keywords: colour coding, metacognitive bundling, constructive feedback, scientific translation, translator education

The development of an integrated BIM-based visual demolition waste management planning system for sustainability-oriented decision-making

In light of the suboptimal resource efficiency persisting in current demolition waste management (DWM) practices caused by inattentive and profit-driven decision-making due to the lack of tailored stringent legislation, monetary incentives, and benchmarking frameworks, this study aims to facilitate sustainability-oriented decision-making at the demolition planning stage. A practical Building Information Modelling (BIM)-based visual DWM planning system is designed, wherein the system seamlessly accommodates inventory analysis and Multi-Criteria Decision-Aiding (MCDA) algorithms into various interconnected modules. Moreover, this research proposes bespoke algorithms and colour coding schemes to quantify and visualise the recycling value of building components for augmenting the visual guidance of sustainable building design and selective demolition planning.Furthermore, a pilot case study demonstrates the system's applicability in a real-world demolition project. The findings unveil that improving the recycling rate substantially offsets carbon emissions and demolition waste disposal expenditures. The increment in beneficial impacts outweighs the additional energy consumption and costs for implementing sustainable DWM strategies based on the predefined geographical settings. This BIM-based system reforms the conventional demolition planning and DWM decision-making workflow by tackling technical barriers concerning data richness, interoperability, and result interpretation. It equips the users with intuitive visual design guidance and parallel scenario analysis when crafting sustainability-oriented DWM schemes. In summary, this research contributes to familiarising industry practitioners with sustainable DWM schematic design and circular economy principles. Moreover, it prompts the development of customised BIM libraries as repositories for updating and capitalising on DWM-related information that can be adapted to different regional contexts.

Implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices in Milk Processing Companies in Nairobi County and Microbial Contamination of Milk and Milk Products

Good manufacturing practice involves a series of measures to be adopted by the food industries in order to guarantee the safety and conformity of food products to specific regulations. Even though good manufacturing practices are vital systems in food safety and is associated with minimum sanitary and processing requirements for the food industry, only a few studies have reported GMP implementation by small milk processing companies. Therefore, the present study was undertaken in milk processing firms to evaluate the implementation of good manufacturing practices for control of microbial contamination in milk and milk products. Purposive, random and stratified sampling techniques was used to identify milk processing companies. Ten processing facilities were purposively sampled for the study. The representatives were interviewed, using a pretested questionnaire and data was collected and analyzed. All the processors had qualified personnel handling milk and milk products with a daily processing capacity of 20000-30000 litres. It was observed that the processors complied with all regulatory and licensing requirements and had in place critical process controls with majority indicating pasteurization at temperatures ranging from 80-90oC as the most common method. The processors had several food safety management systems such as ISO 22000, GMPs, and HACCP which were handled by trained and competent staff. It was observed that all the processors tested for total viable counts (TVC), and E. coli while only 50% and 33.3% of the processors tested for S. aureus and L. monocytogenes respectively. Furthermore, the processors (33.3%) reported E. coli as the main contaminant while L. monocytogenes were not detected. A majority (83.3%) had well-documented cleaning programs and had a system of controlling cross contamination which was enforced through different colour codes (66.7%), memos and notices (16.7%) and through colour coding of processing equipment (16.7%). In conclusion, the present study discovered that milk processors had implemented good manufacturing practices (GMP) and conformed to good processing practices.

Stereographic Projection of Theoretical Orientation Relationships Between Crystals of Any Types in Phase Transformation and Precipitation

AbstractStereographic projection is a classic technology to represent the angular relationships of lattice planes and directions. In some cases, it is necessary to project arbitrary lattice planes or directions of a crystal onto an arbitrary lattice plane of another crystal, e.g., when representing orientation relationships (ORs) in phase transformation or precipitation. Commercial EBSD (electron backscatter diffraction) software cannot illustrate theoretical orientation relationships based purely on the parallelism conditions. This work presents a generalized and unified formulation for stereographic projection of any lattice planes or directions onto any lattice planes of any crystals in the 32 point groups, which is utilized to represent the theoretical orientation relationships between any crystal types. Examples are given to illustrate the correlations of common orientation relationships in both cubic and hexagonal crystals. A procedure is also established to color code and simultaneously project all low‐index Miller/Bravais planes or directions of a crystal onto an arbitrary lattice plane of the same crystal, which can be utilized to visualize the crystal symmetry and determine the standard stereographic triangle (SST). All these illustrations are realized in a computer program written in C++ using the OpenGL graphic libraries.

(Invited) Small Molecule Inhibitor-Based Approaches for Area-Selective Deposition from First Principles

Atomic layer deposition tackles ever new research questions. Area-selective deposition is one of these recent challenges. Several approaches have been developed to achieve selectivity. One of the most promising is using comparatively small molecules to block the non-growth surface while leaving the growth surface uncovered for the ALD process.This approach requires in-depth knowledge of the surface chemistry of both surfaces involved. In addition, the decomposition pathways of SMI-covered surfaces need to be uncovered to enable stable ALD growth over a maximum number of cycles.These questions are very challenging for lab-based investigations. We present recent progress in the ab initio description of key questions regarding SMI-based ALD processes. At the example of silanol-based SMIs, surface chemistry for Al2O3 growth on Cu while blocking SiO2 will be discussed and compared to experimental findings.[1] Furthermore, the importance of choosing the appropriate surface model will be highlighted. Especially for the challenging question of SMI-layer decomposition.[1 J. Yarbrough, F. Pieck, D. Grigjanis, I.-K. Oh, P. Maue, R. Tonner-Zech, S. F. Bent, "Tuning Molecular Inhibitors and Aluminum Precursors for the Area-Selective Atomic Layer Deposition of Al2O3", Chem. Mater. 2022, 34, 4646-4659.We gratefully acknowledge funding from a Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany 350th Anniversary Research Award. Computations were performed on the CSC Frankfurt, HLR Stuttgart, ZIH Dresden and HPC Regensburg.Figure 1 General structure (a) of the studied SMIs with different reactive and blocking groups (b). Schematic structures of the calculated condensation reactions of the SMIs with OH groups of the SiO2 surface (c). Color code: Si (blue), O (red), and H (white). Figure 1