Panagiotis Papamichail, Michail Michalas, Dimitris Krokos, Maria Balamoutsou, Panagiota Karkoula, Epameinondas Lyros, Vasiliki Sakellari, Anna Christakou
Progressive supranuclear palsy is a form of atypical Parkinsonism. People living with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy have various symptoms, such as movement and cognitive disorders, which mainly affect balance and functional ability with an increased risk of falls, dexterity, and dementia. The role of exercise at the early stage of progressive supranuclear palsy remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of an exercise program at the early stage of progressive supranuclear palsy. A patient with a diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy within the past year followed a supervised 12-week exercise program (two times per week) by a physiotherapist, with a session lasting about 40 min at a private physiotherapy clinic. Functional status, balance, quality of life, anxiety, and depression were assessed four times with valid instruments and tests. The results from the timed-up-and-go test demonstrated an improvement in performance (MCID value = 3.4). Improvements were observed in the scores of the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (MCID value = 0.6). Finally, an improvement was reported in the score of the anxiety factor of the hospital anxiety and depression scale (MCID value = 1.5). Physiotherapy appears to improve functional capacity, quality of life, and mental health. Further research is needed to confirm these results with a large sample size in combination with other complementary therapies such as mental imagery.
{"title":"The Effectiveness of Exercise Programs on Balance, Functional Ability, Quality of Life, and Depression in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Case Study","authors":"Panagiotis Papamichail, Michail Michalas, Dimitris Krokos, Maria Balamoutsou, Panagiota Karkoula, Epameinondas Lyros, Vasiliki Sakellari, Anna Christakou","doi":"10.3390/app14188368","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/app14188368","url":null,"abstract":"Progressive supranuclear palsy is a form of atypical Parkinsonism. People living with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy have various symptoms, such as movement and cognitive disorders, which mainly affect balance and functional ability with an increased risk of falls, dexterity, and dementia. The role of exercise at the early stage of progressive supranuclear palsy remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of an exercise program at the early stage of progressive supranuclear palsy. A patient with a diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy within the past year followed a supervised 12-week exercise program (two times per week) by a physiotherapist, with a session lasting about 40 min at a private physiotherapy clinic. Functional status, balance, quality of life, anxiety, and depression were assessed four times with valid instruments and tests. The results from the timed-up-and-go test demonstrated an improvement in performance (MCID value = 3.4). Improvements were observed in the scores of the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (MCID value = 0.6). Finally, an improvement was reported in the score of the anxiety factor of the hospital anxiety and depression scale (MCID value = 1.5). Physiotherapy appears to improve functional capacity, quality of life, and mental health. Further research is needed to confirm these results with a large sample size in combination with other complementary therapies such as mental imagery.","PeriodicalId":8224,"journal":{"name":"Applied Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142249169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Giampiero Merati, Damiano Formenti, Claudio Gandola, Paolo Castiglioni, Linda Casalini, Athos Trecroci, Luca Cavaggioni, Pietro Luigi Invernizzi, Umberto Menichino, Raffaele Scurati
Individuals with Down Syndrome exhibit deficits in muscle strength and cardiovascular adaptation, which limit athletic performance. We compared a maximum-intensity 50 m front crawl test between competitive male swimmers with Down Syndrome (SDS; n = 11; 26.5 ± 5.6 years; m ± SD) and a control group of swimmers (CNT; n = 11; 27.1 ± 4.0 years) with similar training routines (about 5 h/week). Wearable sternal sensors measured their heart rate and 3D accelerometry. The regularity index Sample Entropy (SampEn) was calculated using the X component of acceleration. The total times (SDS: 58.91 ± 13.68 s; CNT: 32.55 ± 3.70 s) and stroke counts (SDS: 66.1 ± 9.6; CNT: 51.4 ± 7.4) were significantly higher in the SDS group (p < 0.01). The heart rate was lower in the SDS group during immediate (SDS: 129 ± 15 bpm; CNT: 172 ± 11 bpm) and delayed recovery (30 s, SDS: 104 ± 23 bpm; CNT: 145 ± 21 bpm; 60 s, SDS: 79 ± 27 bpm; CNT: 114 ± 27 bpm) (p < 0.01 for all the comparisons). The SampEn of sternal acceleration showed no differences between the groups and between 0–25 m and 25–50 m. Body pitch correlated strongly with performance in the SDSs (R2 = 0.632, p < 0.01), but during the first 25 m only. The high-intensity front crawl performances differed between the SDS and CNT athletes in terms of time, biomechanics, and training adaptation, suggesting the need for tailored training to improve swimming efficiency in SDSs.
{"title":"Limitations in Maximum Intensity Front Crawl in Swimmers with Down Syndrome","authors":"Giampiero Merati, Damiano Formenti, Claudio Gandola, Paolo Castiglioni, Linda Casalini, Athos Trecroci, Luca Cavaggioni, Pietro Luigi Invernizzi, Umberto Menichino, Raffaele Scurati","doi":"10.3390/app14188387","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/app14188387","url":null,"abstract":"Individuals with Down Syndrome exhibit deficits in muscle strength and cardiovascular adaptation, which limit athletic performance. We compared a maximum-intensity 50 m front crawl test between competitive male swimmers with Down Syndrome (SDS; n = 11; 26.5 ± 5.6 years; m ± SD) and a control group of swimmers (CNT; n = 11; 27.1 ± 4.0 years) with similar training routines (about 5 h/week). Wearable sternal sensors measured their heart rate and 3D accelerometry. The regularity index Sample Entropy (SampEn) was calculated using the X component of acceleration. The total times (SDS: 58.91 ± 13.68 s; CNT: 32.55 ± 3.70 s) and stroke counts (SDS: 66.1 ± 9.6; CNT: 51.4 ± 7.4) were significantly higher in the SDS group (p < 0.01). The heart rate was lower in the SDS group during immediate (SDS: 129 ± 15 bpm; CNT: 172 ± 11 bpm) and delayed recovery (30 s, SDS: 104 ± 23 bpm; CNT: 145 ± 21 bpm; 60 s, SDS: 79 ± 27 bpm; CNT: 114 ± 27 bpm) (p < 0.01 for all the comparisons). The SampEn of sternal acceleration showed no differences between the groups and between 0–25 m and 25–50 m. Body pitch correlated strongly with performance in the SDSs (R2 = 0.632, p < 0.01), but during the first 25 m only. The high-intensity front crawl performances differed between the SDS and CNT athletes in terms of time, biomechanics, and training adaptation, suggesting the need for tailored training to improve swimming efficiency in SDSs.","PeriodicalId":8224,"journal":{"name":"Applied Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142249225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shaochun Qu, Ruiqi Guo, Zijian Cao, Jiawei Liu, Baolong Su, Minghao Liu
Due to the advantages of a centralized critic to estimate the Q-function value and decentralized actors to optimize the agents’ policies, counterfactual multi-agent (COMA) stands out in most multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) algorithms. The sharing of policy parameters can improve sampling efficiency and learning effectiveness, but it may lead to a lack of policy diversity. Hence, to balance parameter sharing and diversity among agents in COMA has been a persistent research topic. In this paper, an effective training method for a COMA policy network based on a differential evolution (DE) algorithm is proposed, named DE-COMA. DE-COMA introduces individuals in a population as computational units to construct the policy network with operations such as mutation, crossover, and selection. The average return of DE-COMA is set as the fitness function, and the best individual of policy network will be chosen for the next generation. By maintaining better parameter sharing to enhance parameter diversity, multi-agent strategies will become more exploratory. To validate the effectiveness of DE-COMA, experiments were conducted in the StarCraft II environment with 2s_vs_1sc, 2s3z, 3m, and 8m battle scenarios. Experimental results demonstrate that DE-COMA significantly outperforms the traditional COMA and most other multi-agent reinforcement learning algorithms in terms of win rate and convergence speed.
反事实多代理（COMA）具有集中式批评者估计 Q 函数值和分散式行动者优化代理策略的优势，因此在大多数多代理强化学习（MARL）算法中脱颖而出。共享策略参数可以提高采样效率和学习效果，但可能会导致策略多样性的缺乏。因此，如何平衡 COMA 中代理之间的参数共享和多样性一直是一个研究课题。本文提出了一种基于差分进化（DE）算法的 COMA 策略网络的有效训练方法，命名为 DE-COMA。DE-COMA 将种群中的个体作为计算单元，通过突变、交叉和选择等操作来构建策略网络。将 DE-COMA 的平均收益设定为适应度函数，并选择策略网络中的最佳个体作为下一代。通过保持更好的参数共享来增强参数多样性，多代理策略将变得更具探索性。为了验证 DE-COMA 的有效性，我们在《星际争霸 II》环境中进行了 2s_vs_1sc、2s3z、3m 和 8m 战斗场景的实验。实验结果表明，在胜率和收敛速度方面，DE-COMA 明显优于传统的 COMA 和其他大多数多代理强化学习算法。
{"title":"An Effective Training Method for Counterfactual Multi-Agent Policy Network Based on Differential Evolution Algorithm","authors":"Shaochun Qu, Ruiqi Guo, Zijian Cao, Jiawei Liu, Baolong Su, Minghao Liu","doi":"10.3390/app14188383","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/app14188383","url":null,"abstract":"Due to the advantages of a centralized critic to estimate the Q-function value and decentralized actors to optimize the agents’ policies, counterfactual multi-agent (COMA) stands out in most multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) algorithms. The sharing of policy parameters can improve sampling efficiency and learning effectiveness, but it may lead to a lack of policy diversity. Hence, to balance parameter sharing and diversity among agents in COMA has been a persistent research topic. In this paper, an effective training method for a COMA policy network based on a differential evolution (DE) algorithm is proposed, named DE-COMA. DE-COMA introduces individuals in a population as computational units to construct the policy network with operations such as mutation, crossover, and selection. The average return of DE-COMA is set as the fitness function, and the best individual of policy network will be chosen for the next generation. By maintaining better parameter sharing to enhance parameter diversity, multi-agent strategies will become more exploratory. To validate the effectiveness of DE-COMA, experiments were conducted in the StarCraft II environment with 2s_vs_1sc, 2s3z, 3m, and 8m battle scenarios. Experimental results demonstrate that DE-COMA significantly outperforms the traditional COMA and most other multi-agent reinforcement learning algorithms in terms of win rate and convergence speed.","PeriodicalId":8224,"journal":{"name":"Applied Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142249221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xintao Meng, Duoduo Ye, Yan Pan, Ting Zhang, Lixian Liang, Yiming Liu, Yan Ma
Not-from-concentrate (NFC) juice effectively retains the original characteristics of the fruit. Despite the various health benefits of Goji berries, reports on the processing technology and quality changes of NFC goji juice are lacking. We optimised the processing technology of NFC goji juice. Employing fuzzy mathematics evaluation combined with response surface methodology based on single-factor experiments, the physicochemical, nutritional, and microbiological indicators of the juice were determined. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy was used to analyse changes in volatile compounds before and after processing. The optimal processing parameters were: times for homogenisation, ultrasonication, and sterilisation of 2 min, 3 min, and 85 s, respectively, and sterilisation temperature of 102 °C. The resulting product had a sensory evaluation score of 85.5 and a rich, pleasant taste. The ratio of total soluble solids to titratable acidity and turbidity were 12.8 and 1420 NTU, respectively. Post-processing, the contents of β-carotene, polysaccharides, and betaine increased by 57.3%, 26.7%, and 31.5%, respectively. Microbiological indicators met Chinese national limits for food pollutants and microorganisms. The total relative content of volatile substances in NFC goji juice decreased by 19.86% after processing. This study provides a theoretical reference for the intensive processing and development of high-value goji berries.
{"title":"Optimisation of Not-from-Concentrate Goji Juice Processing Using Fuzzy Mathematics and Response Surface Methodology and Its Quality Assessment","authors":"Xintao Meng, Duoduo Ye, Yan Pan, Ting Zhang, Lixian Liang, Yiming Liu, Yan Ma","doi":"10.3390/app14188393","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/app14188393","url":null,"abstract":"Not-from-concentrate (NFC) juice effectively retains the original characteristics of the fruit. Despite the various health benefits of Goji berries, reports on the processing technology and quality changes of NFC goji juice are lacking. We optimised the processing technology of NFC goji juice. Employing fuzzy mathematics evaluation combined with response surface methodology based on single-factor experiments, the physicochemical, nutritional, and microbiological indicators of the juice were determined. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy was used to analyse changes in volatile compounds before and after processing. The optimal processing parameters were: times for homogenisation, ultrasonication, and sterilisation of 2 min, 3 min, and 85 s, respectively, and sterilisation temperature of 102 °C. The resulting product had a sensory evaluation score of 85.5 and a rich, pleasant taste. The ratio of total soluble solids to titratable acidity and turbidity were 12.8 and 1420 NTU, respectively. Post-processing, the contents of β-carotene, polysaccharides, and betaine increased by 57.3%, 26.7%, and 31.5%, respectively. Microbiological indicators met Chinese national limits for food pollutants and microorganisms. The total relative content of volatile substances in NFC goji juice decreased by 19.86% after processing. This study provides a theoretical reference for the intensive processing and development of high-value goji berries.","PeriodicalId":8224,"journal":{"name":"Applied Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142249229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Konstantinos Lazaros, Maria Gonidi, Nafsika Kontara, Marios G. Krokidis, Aristidis G. Vrahatis, Themis Exarchos, Panagiotis Vlamos
The progressive aging of the global population and the high impact of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), underscore the urgent need for innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. AD, the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder among the elderly, is expected to affect 75 million people in developing countries by 2030. Despite extensive research, the precise etiology of AD remains elusive due to its heterogeneity and complexity. The key pathological features of AD, including amyloid-beta plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau protein, are established years before clinical symptoms appear. Recent studies highlight the pivotal role of neuroinflammation in AD pathogenesis, with the chronic activation of the brain’s immune system contributing to the disease’s progression. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, are elevated in AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, suggesting a strong link between peripheral inflammation and CNS degeneration. There is a pressing need for minimally invasive, cost-effective diagnostic methods. Buccal mucosa cells and saliva, which share an embryological origin with the CNS, show promise for AD diagnosis and prognosis. This study integrates cellular observations with advanced data processing and machine learning to identify significant biomarkers and patterns, aiming to enhance the early diagnosis and prevention strategies for AD.
全球人口逐渐老龄化以及阿尔茨海默病（AD）等神经退行性疾病的严重影响，凸显了对创新诊断和治疗策略的迫切需求。阿尔茨海默病是老年人中最常见的神经退行性疾病，预计到 2030 年将影响发展中国家的 7500 万人。尽管进行了广泛的研究，但由于其异质性和复杂性，AD 的确切病因仍然难以捉摸。注意力缺失症的主要病理特征，包括淀粉样蛋白-β斑块和高磷酸化 tau 蛋白，在临床症状出现前数年就已确定。最近的研究强调了神经炎症在AD发病机制中的关键作用，大脑免疫系统的慢性激活导致了疾病的进展。AD和轻度认知障碍（MCI）患者体内的促炎症细胞因子，如TNF-α、IL-1β和IL-6等均升高，这表明外周炎症与中枢神经系统退化之间存在密切联系。目前迫切需要微创、经济有效的诊断方法。颊粘膜细胞和唾液与中枢神经系统有着相同的胚胎学起源，有望用于AD的诊断和预后。这项研究将细胞观察与先进的数据处理和机器学习相结合，以确定重要的生物标志物和模式，从而加强对注意力缺失症的早期诊断和预防策略。
{"title":"Exploring the Association between Pro-Inflammation and the Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease in Buccal Cells Using Immunocytochemistry and Machine Learning Techniques","authors":"Konstantinos Lazaros, Maria Gonidi, Nafsika Kontara, Marios G. Krokidis, Aristidis G. Vrahatis, Themis Exarchos, Panagiotis Vlamos","doi":"10.3390/app14188372","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/app14188372","url":null,"abstract":"The progressive aging of the global population and the high impact of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), underscore the urgent need for innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. AD, the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder among the elderly, is expected to affect 75 million people in developing countries by 2030. Despite extensive research, the precise etiology of AD remains elusive due to its heterogeneity and complexity. The key pathological features of AD, including amyloid-beta plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau protein, are established years before clinical symptoms appear. Recent studies highlight the pivotal role of neuroinflammation in AD pathogenesis, with the chronic activation of the brain’s immune system contributing to the disease’s progression. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, are elevated in AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients, suggesting a strong link between peripheral inflammation and CNS degeneration. There is a pressing need for minimally invasive, cost-effective diagnostic methods. Buccal mucosa cells and saliva, which share an embryological origin with the CNS, show promise for AD diagnosis and prognosis. This study integrates cellular observations with advanced data processing and machine learning to identify significant biomarkers and patterns, aiming to enhance the early diagnosis and prevention strategies for AD.","PeriodicalId":8224,"journal":{"name":"Applied Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142249173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The aim of this study is to provide a solution for the plastic limit pressure and stress intensity factor of the elbows containing a part-through axial semi-elliptical crack by considering various crack sizes. The supporting system and loading conditions of the pipeline are described. The critical part of the observed pipeline was isolated for analysis and subjected to various sizes of semi-elliptical cracks. By performing numerical analysis, results were obtained for crack dimension ratios of c/a, and depth/thickness ratios of a/t. The obtained results include plastic limit pressure and stress intensity factor. The results were analyzed with a symbolic regression algorithm, and closed-form solutions for the limit pressure and stress intensity factor were proposed. To validate pipeline integrity, the Structural Integrity Assessment Procedure (SINTAP) was applied, and the FAD (Failure Assessment Diagram) was generated for cracks below the FAD function. The failure pressure was calculated by determining the points where the loading paths intersect the FAD function.
{"title":"Plastic Limit Pressure and Stress Intensity Factor for Cracked Elbow Containing Axial Semi-Elliptical Part-Through Crack","authors":"Božo Damjanović, Pejo Konjatić, Marko Katinić","doi":"10.3390/app14188390","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/app14188390","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this study is to provide a solution for the plastic limit pressure and stress intensity factor of the elbows containing a part-through axial semi-elliptical crack by considering various crack sizes. The supporting system and loading conditions of the pipeline are described. The critical part of the observed pipeline was isolated for analysis and subjected to various sizes of semi-elliptical cracks. By performing numerical analysis, results were obtained for crack dimension ratios of c/a, and depth/thickness ratios of a/t. The obtained results include plastic limit pressure and stress intensity factor. The results were analyzed with a symbolic regression algorithm, and closed-form solutions for the limit pressure and stress intensity factor were proposed. To validate pipeline integrity, the Structural Integrity Assessment Procedure (SINTAP) was applied, and the FAD (Failure Assessment Diagram) was generated for cracks below the FAD function. The failure pressure was calculated by determining the points where the loading paths intersect the FAD function.","PeriodicalId":8224,"journal":{"name":"Applied Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142249226","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background: The development of novel medical imaging technologies and treatment procedures hinges on the availability of accurate and versatile phantoms. This paper presents a cost-effective approach for creating anthropomorphic abdominal phantoms. Methods: This study proposes a cost-effective method using 3D printing and readily available materials (beeswax, plaster, and epoxy resin) to create high-fidelity anthropomorphic abdominal phantoms. The three-dimensionally printed phantoms exhibited X-ray attenuation properties closely matching those of human tissues, with measured Hounsfield unit (HU) values of −115.41 ± 20.29 HU for fat, 65.61 ± 18.06 HU for muscle, and 510 ± 131.2 HU for bone. These values were compared against patient images and a commercially available phantom, and no statistically significant difference was observed in fat tissue simulation (p = 0.428). Differences were observed for muscle and bone tissues, in which the 3D-printed phantom demonstrated higher HU values compared with patient images (p < 0.001). The 3D-printed phantom’s bone simulation was statistically like that of the commercially available phantom (p = 0.063). Conclusion: This method offers a cost-effective, accessible, and customizable alternative for abdominal phantoms. This innovation has the potential to accelerate advancements in abdominal imaging research, leading to improved diagnostic tools and treatment options for patients. These phantoms could be used to develop and test new imaging techniques with high accuracy.
{"title":"Advancing Phantom Fabrication: Exploring 3D-Printed Solutions for Abdominal Imaging Research","authors":"Muris Becircic, Samir Delibegovic, Adnan Sehic, Fuad Julardzija, Adnan Beganovic, Kenana Ljuca, Adi Pandzic, Merim Jusufbegovic","doi":"10.3390/app14188384","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/app14188384","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The development of novel medical imaging technologies and treatment procedures hinges on the availability of accurate and versatile phantoms. This paper presents a cost-effective approach for creating anthropomorphic abdominal phantoms. Methods: This study proposes a cost-effective method using 3D printing and readily available materials (beeswax, plaster, and epoxy resin) to create high-fidelity anthropomorphic abdominal phantoms. The three-dimensionally printed phantoms exhibited X-ray attenuation properties closely matching those of human tissues, with measured Hounsfield unit (HU) values of −115.41 ± 20.29 HU for fat, 65.61 ± 18.06 HU for muscle, and 510 ± 131.2 HU for bone. These values were compared against patient images and a commercially available phantom, and no statistically significant difference was observed in fat tissue simulation (p = 0.428). Differences were observed for muscle and bone tissues, in which the 3D-printed phantom demonstrated higher HU values compared with patient images (p < 0.001). The 3D-printed phantom’s bone simulation was statistically like that of the commercially available phantom (p = 0.063). Conclusion: This method offers a cost-effective, accessible, and customizable alternative for abdominal phantoms. This innovation has the potential to accelerate advancements in abdominal imaging research, leading to improved diagnostic tools and treatment options for patients. These phantoms could be used to develop and test new imaging techniques with high accuracy.","PeriodicalId":8224,"journal":{"name":"Applied Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142249219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marta Maciejewska, Paula Kurzawska-Pietrowicz, Marta Galant-Gołębiewska, Michał Gołębiewski, Remigiusz Jasiński
The paper discusses a case study of obtaining an airline pilot license in integrated training—the so-called “from zero to Airline Transport Pilot License”. The environmental implications of simulator-based training were examined across multiple dimensions. Key areas of research include the reduction of harmful exhaust gases pollution associated with traditional flight training activities. Based on our analysis, it can be stated that increasing the use of Flight Simulation Training Devices in pilot training should be significant consideration. This approach brings many benefits, especially ecological ones. Changing the training program and increasing the use of flight simulators can result in a reduction of CO2 emissions by up to 70%. Based on country specific electricity factors, CO2 emissions during flight training in each EU country were calculated. Using Levelized Cost of Electricity average value to calculate training costs in EU countries depends on the mix of energy sources (wind, photovoltaics, carbon and gas). The findings highlight the significant ecological advantages of simulator-based training methods in mitigating the environmental footprint of aviation operations. By seeking to minimize environmental disruption and increase training efficiency, the adoption of simulators is a sustainable approach to pilot training that is consistent with global efforts to mitigate climate change and protect natural ecosystems.
{"title":"Ecological and Cost Advantage from the Implementation of Flight Simulation Training Devices for Pilot Training","authors":"Marta Maciejewska, Paula Kurzawska-Pietrowicz, Marta Galant-Gołębiewska, Michał Gołębiewski, Remigiusz Jasiński","doi":"10.3390/app14188401","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/app14188401","url":null,"abstract":"The paper discusses a case study of obtaining an airline pilot license in integrated training—the so-called “from zero to Airline Transport Pilot License”. The environmental implications of simulator-based training were examined across multiple dimensions. Key areas of research include the reduction of harmful exhaust gases pollution associated with traditional flight training activities. Based on our analysis, it can be stated that increasing the use of Flight Simulation Training Devices in pilot training should be significant consideration. This approach brings many benefits, especially ecological ones. Changing the training program and increasing the use of flight simulators can result in a reduction of CO2 emissions by up to 70%. Based on country specific electricity factors, CO2 emissions during flight training in each EU country were calculated. Using Levelized Cost of Electricity average value to calculate training costs in EU countries depends on the mix of energy sources (wind, photovoltaics, carbon and gas). The findings highlight the significant ecological advantages of simulator-based training methods in mitigating the environmental footprint of aviation operations. By seeking to minimize environmental disruption and increase training efficiency, the adoption of simulators is a sustainable approach to pilot training that is consistent with global efforts to mitigate climate change and protect natural ecosystems.","PeriodicalId":8224,"journal":{"name":"Applied Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142249268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study examines the potential use of wash fines, a waste product from concrete plant cleaning, as supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) in mortars. The main objective is to assess the feasibility and benefits of this incorporation in terms of technical performance and environmental impact. Extensive tests were carried out on different mortar formulations, incorporating varying rates of washing fines (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%) as a partial replacement for cement. This choice of replacement is prompted by the fineness of washing fine particles. The properties studied included compressive and flexural strength, porosity, density, water absorption, shrinkage and fire resistance. The results show that the incorporation of washing fines increases porosity and decreases mortar density. There was also a decrease in mechanical strength and fire resistance as the substitution rate increased. However, the use of washing fines enables a significant reduction in the mortar’s carbon footprint, reaching up to 29% for the formulation with 30% substitution. This study demonstrates the potential of washing fines as an alternative SCM, as part of a circular economy approach to reducing the environmental impact of the concrete industry. However, it underlines the need to optimize formulations to maintain acceptable technical performance.
{"title":"Characterization of Mortars Incorporating Concrete Washing Fines: Impact on Mechanical Properties, Microstructure and Carbon Footprint","authors":"Bechara Haddad, Farjallah Alassaad, Houssam Affan, Abdelrahman Mohamad, Nassim Sebaibi","doi":"10.3390/app14188381","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/app14188381","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines the potential use of wash fines, a waste product from concrete plant cleaning, as supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) in mortars. The main objective is to assess the feasibility and benefits of this incorporation in terms of technical performance and environmental impact. Extensive tests were carried out on different mortar formulations, incorporating varying rates of washing fines (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%) as a partial replacement for cement. This choice of replacement is prompted by the fineness of washing fine particles. The properties studied included compressive and flexural strength, porosity, density, water absorption, shrinkage and fire resistance. The results show that the incorporation of washing fines increases porosity and decreases mortar density. There was also a decrease in mechanical strength and fire resistance as the substitution rate increased. However, the use of washing fines enables a significant reduction in the mortar’s carbon footprint, reaching up to 29% for the formulation with 30% substitution. This study demonstrates the potential of washing fines as an alternative SCM, as part of a circular economy approach to reducing the environmental impact of the concrete industry. However, it underlines the need to optimize formulations to maintain acceptable technical performance.","PeriodicalId":8224,"journal":{"name":"Applied Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142249216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper designs a minimal neural network (NN)-based model-free control structure for the fast, accurate trajectory tracking of robotic arms, crucial for large movements, velocities, and accelerations. Trajectory tracking requires an accurate dynamic model or aggressive feedback. However, such models are hard to obtain due to nonlinearities and uncertainties, especially in low-cost, 3D-printed robotic arms. A recently proposed model-free architecture has used an NN for the dynamic compensation of a proportional derivative controller, but the minimal requirements and optimal conditions remain unclear, leading to overly complex architectures. This study aims to identify these requirements and design a minimal NN-based model-free control structure for trajectory tracking. Two architectures are compared, one NN per joint (INN) and one global NN (GNN), each tested on two serial robotic arms in simulations and real scenarios. The results show that the architecture reduces tracking errors (RMSE < 2°). The INN is accurate for decoupled joint dynamics and requires fewer training data than the GNN. A table summarizes the design process. Future works will apply this control structure to low-cost robotic arms and micro-movements.
本文设计了一种基于最小神经网络（NN）的无模型控制结构，用于快速、准确地跟踪机器人手臂的轨迹，这对于大运动、大速度和大加速度至关重要。轨迹跟踪需要精确的动态模型或积极的反馈。然而，由于非线性和不确定性，这种模型很难获得，尤其是在低成本的 3D 打印机械臂中。最近提出的一种无模型架构使用了 NN 对比例导数控制器进行动态补偿，但其最低要求和最佳条件仍不明确，导致架构过于复杂。本研究旨在确定这些要求，并为轨迹跟踪设计一种基于 NN 的最小无模型控制结构。研究比较了两种架构，一种是每个关节一个 NN（INN），另一种是一个全局 NN（GNN），每种架构都在两个串行机械臂上进行了模拟和实际场景测试。结果表明，该架构可减少跟踪误差（RMSE < 2°）。与 GNN 相比，INNN 对解耦关节动态的处理更加准确，所需的训练数据也更少。表格总结了设计过程。未来的工作将把这种控制结构应用于低成本机械臂和微型运动。
{"title":"Design of Minimal Model-Free Control Structure for Fast Trajectory Tracking of Robotic Arms","authors":"Baptiste Toussaint, Maxime Raison","doi":"10.3390/app14188405","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/app14188405","url":null,"abstract":"This paper designs a minimal neural network (NN)-based model-free control structure for the fast, accurate trajectory tracking of robotic arms, crucial for large movements, velocities, and accelerations. Trajectory tracking requires an accurate dynamic model or aggressive feedback. However, such models are hard to obtain due to nonlinearities and uncertainties, especially in low-cost, 3D-printed robotic arms. A recently proposed model-free architecture has used an NN for the dynamic compensation of a proportional derivative controller, but the minimal requirements and optimal conditions remain unclear, leading to overly complex architectures. This study aims to identify these requirements and design a minimal NN-based model-free control structure for trajectory tracking. Two architectures are compared, one NN per joint (INN) and one global NN (GNN), each tested on two serial robotic arms in simulations and real scenarios. The results show that the architecture reduces tracking errors (RMSE < 2°). The INN is accurate for decoupled joint dynamics and requires fewer training data than the GNN. A table summarizes the design process. Future works will apply this control structure to low-cost robotic arms and micro-movements.","PeriodicalId":8224,"journal":{"name":"Applied Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142249275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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