Detection and categorization of severe cardiac disorders based solely on pulse interval measurements

Cardiac disorders are common conditions associated with a high mortality rate. Due to their potential for causing serious symptoms, it is desirable to constantly monitor cardiac status using an accessible device such as a smartwatch. While electrocardiograms (ECGs) can make the detailed diagnosis of cardiac disorders, the examination is typically performed only once a year for each individual during health checkups, and it requires expert medical practitioners to make comprehensive judgments. Here we describe a newly developed automated system for alerting individuals about cardiac disorders solely based on pulse interval measurements. For this purpose, we examined two metrics of heart rate variability (HRV) and analyzed 1-day ECG recordings of more than 1,000 subjects in total. We found that a newly introduced metric of local variation was more efficient than conventional HRV metrics for detecting premature contraction, and furthermore, that a suitable combination of the old and new metrics resulted in much superior detectability particularly for atrial fibrillation, which requires more attention. Even with a 1-minute recording of pulse intervals, our new detection system had a diagnostic performance even better than that of the conventional analysis method applied to a 1-day recording.

Properties of Tactile Sensors Based on Resistive Ink and the Dimension of Electrodes

This chapter presents the ongoing research, which aims to select suitable electrodes for their use in the pressure distribution measurement system Plantograf. In our research, we examine more materials, especially Yokohama conductive rubber CS57-7RSC and also conductive inks, which are represented type DZT-3 K, Graphit 33 and mixture of Loctite-Henkel conductive inks type Loctite 7004Hr and Loctite NCI 7002EC. All materials can be used as a converter between pressure and electrical quantities in the design of planar pressure transduces. We build on our previous works, where were examined the properties of conductive rubber, conductive inks and electrodes. Next part is focused on the newest results of our research. Due to the still incomplete results in the given issue, we decided to perform an extensive and original measurement of a total of 172 combinations of different electrode sizes, the ratio of conductive ink mixtures and the thickness of the applied ink layer. Thanks to this, it will be possible in the future to select a suitable combination of electrodes and inks when designing tactile pressure sensors for industrial or medical applications without the need to perform time-consuming preparatory measurements and exclude unsuitable ink-electrode combinations.

Dissolution of Biofilm Secreted by Three Different Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with Bromelain, N-Acetylcysteine, and Their Combinations

Bacterial infection of hernia mesh with the formation of biofilms presents a barrier to antibiotic treatment with subsequent surgical intervention and hospitalization. Hence, in the current study, we examined the effect of BromAc, a mucolytic agent, on the dissolution of biofilm formed by three different strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was carefully grown on hernia mesh and treated with various concentrations of bromelain, NAC, and their combinations at 37 °C over 4 h in vitro. Then, the biofilm dissolution activities of the agents were evaluated. Moreover, the combination index (CI) was analyzed to determine the synergy of the bromelain and NAC combination. The results indicated that biofilms were more susceptible to degradation by bromelain, whilst NAC showed growth enhancement in two of the strains. However, in combination (BromAc), the three strains were dramatically affected by the agents, with more than 80% debridement fir a suitable combination of bromelain and NAC that was also strain-specific. Hence, the current study shows that the biofilms formed by these three strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were adversely affected by a single treatment of BromAc, with more than 80% debridement, indicating that subsequent treatment may abolish the biofilm completely.

Underground object reconstruction from Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) data – An investigative study of feature extraction

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is very useful for underground object detection as its signal able to penetrate surfaces in obtaining the underneath information. However, its radargram output in hyperbolic signal are very challenging to be analyzed. This work investigates the suitability of selected data processing methods in extracting important features of the signal in order to understand and reconstruct it to make it more beneficial. Results show that with suitable combination of data processing, it able to extract the peak of the hyperbolic signal accordingly and further reconstruction can be made.

Role of Hydrocolloids in the Structure, Cooking, and Nutritional Properties of Fiber-Enriched, Fresh Egg Pasta Based on Tiger Nut Flour and Durum Wheat Semolina

The aim of this work concerns the manufacturing process of fresh egg tagliatelle labeled as a “source of fiber” based on tiger nut flour and wheat semolina. An attempt to improve the quality attributes and cooking properties of the obtained product was made by means of structuring agents. More specifically, a combination of three hydrocolloids (carboximethylcellulose, CMC; xanthan gum, XG; and locust bean gum, LBG) was tested. A Box–Behnken design with randomized response surface methodology was used to determine a suitable combination of these gums to achieve fewer cooking losses, higher water gain and swelling index values, and better texture characteristics before and after cooking. Positive effects on textural characteristics were observed when incorporating XG into the pasta formulation. Cooking and fiber loss also significantly diminished with the XG-CMC combination over 0.8%. No significant effect was found for the other evaluated parameters. A synergistic interaction between LBG and XG was only significant for the water absorption index. The cooked pasta was considered a source of fiber in all cases.

Optimizing the Texturing Parameters of Concrete Pavement by Balancing Skid-Resistance Performance and Driving Stability

Curved texturing is an effective technique to improve the skid-resistance performance of concrete pavements, which relies on the suitable combination of the groove parameters. This study aims to optimize these parameters with the consideration of skid-resistance performance and driving stability. A pressure film was adopted to obtain the contact stress distribution at the tire–pavement interface. The evaluated indicator of the stress concentration coefficient was established, and the calculation method for the stationary steering resistance torque was optimized based on actual tire–pavement contact characteristics. Test samples with various groove parameters were prepared use self-design molds to evaluate the influence degree of each groove parameter at different levels on the skid-resistance performance through orthogonal and abrasion resistance tests. The results showed that the groove depth and groove spacing had the most significant influence on the stress concentration coefficient and stationary steering resistance torque, respectively, with the groove depth having the most significant influence on the texture depth. Moreover, the driving stability and durability of the skid-resistance performance could be balanced by optimizing the width of the groove group. After analyzing and comprehensively comparing the influences of various parameters, it was found the parameter combination with width, depth, spacing, and the groove group width, respectively, in 8 mm, 3 mm, 15 mm, and 50 mm can balance the skid-resistance performance and driving stability. The actual engineering results showed that the R2 of the fitting between the stress concentration coefficient and SFC (measured at 60 km/h) was 0.871, which proved the effectiveness of the evaluation index proposed in this paper.

Game-Theoretic Dynamic Procedure for a Power Index under Relative Symmetry

In many operational processes, a suitable combination of participating elements has a huge impact throughout the entire process. In the real environment, however, many combinations show less than expected results in the initial stage. In consideration of the many subjective and objective factors such as equipment, time, capital, materials, and so forth, it seems that the aforementioned combinations cannot be used to re-configure. It is important that these initial unsatisfactory combinations can gradually approach some equilibrium states or results through some rolling adjustment processes. In order to improve the above problem, this study attempts to use a game-theoretic dynamic procedure to establish a mechanism that can be dynamically modified under relative symmetry at any time during operational processes. Under such a dynamic procedure, an undesirable combination of participating elements can gradually approach a useful combination.

Application of an Ultrashort-pulsed Laser for Generation of Super-hydrophobic Surfaces

Hydrophobic surfaces have gained a vast attention in different fields of biomedical applications over the last few years. Laser treatment has been shown as a promising technology for the generation of functional, inter alia, superhydrophobic surfaces. In this study a picosecond Yb-YAG laser was assigned for the generation of superhydrophobic characteristics on a steel alloy with application in surgical instrumentation. Regarding the ablation energy threshold of about 6 μJ for the given pulse width and laser beam characteristics and by assigning a suitable combination of microstructure kinematics and laser processing conditions a persistent hierarchical pattern is mapped over the laser-radiated surfaces. The average measured contact angle on the laserradiated surfaces was about 150°, which indicates their superhydrophobic properties.

An Insight into FDA Approved Antibody-Drug Conjugates for Cancer Therapy

The large number of emerging antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for cancer therapy has resulted in a significant market ‘boom’, garnering worldwide attention. Despite ADCs presenting huge challenges to researchers, particularly regarding the identification of a suitable combination of antibody, linker, and payload, as of September 2021, 11 ADCs have been granted FDA approval, with eight of these approved since 2017 alone. Optimism for this therapeutic approach is clear, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was a landmark year for deals and partnerships in the ADC arena, suggesting that there remains significant interest from Big Pharma. Herein we review the enthusiasm for ADCs by focusing on the features of those approved by the FDA, and offer some thoughts as to where the field is headed.

Proposal for a new monolithic constructive system using mycocomposite nucleus

“Green” materials and productive processes have progressively been searched for. In the last years, it has increased the number of researches regarding mycocomposites characterization and, above all, their applicability. Biofabrication is a process that is carried out by incubating the substrate composed of organic residues with fungal mycelium. During incubation, the fungus gradually develops on the substrate, penetrating the microscopic channels of the different residues, and acting both as a reinforcing fiber and as a binding material. This Project was designed to seek the most suitable combination between substrate components and the fungus Ganoderma sp.aiming to obtain a mycocomposite which could be used as a nucleus of an alternative monolithic constructive system. In this project, composites using the fungus Ganoderna sp. and five different types of waste (white wood sawdust, cornstarch, bark and coffee grounds, and piassava fiber) were investigated. The morphology of these components, as well as mycelium and substrate interaction, was studied by scanning electron microscopy technique. The mechanical properties were determined through bending and compression tests, being correlated with the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. The fabrication of a mycocomposite panel was proposed as an application; it could be included as the core of the prototype of a building system of walls, structured with steel and mortar. Thus, this project aimed to contribute to the ecosystem’s quality, once the raw material used was composed of organic waste that would be reinserted in a production process instead of being discarded in nature. Besides, the project suggests the production of a new biologically-based material for civil construction.