Fasting mimicking diet during neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial study.

Objective: Preclinical evidences suggests that while fasting can reduce the side effects and toxicity of chemotherapy, it can make cancer cells more susceptible to chemotherapy. This study aimed to examine the effects of fasting mimicking diet (FMD) during neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer (BC) patients.

Methods: Forty-four newly diagnosed human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-negative) patients with BC were randomized equally into two groups (22 each), to receive either a fasting mimicking diet (FMD) or their regular diet for 3 days prior to and during neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Parametric investigation of rectangular CFRP-confined concrete columns reinforced by inner elliptical steel tubes using finite element and machine learning models.

Nowadays, due to the structural advantages gained by combining three different materials' properties, columns made of carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP)-confined concrete with inner steel tube have received researchers' interest. This article presents the nonlinear finite element analysis and multiple machine learning (ML) model-based study on the behavior of round corner rectangular CFRP-confined concrete short columns reinforced by the inner high-strength elliptical steel tube under the axial load. The reliability of the proposed nonlinear finite element model was verified against the existing experimental investigations.

Calcium Intake and the Pancreatic Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

Unlabelled: Calcium plays a major role in apoptosis, cell proliferation, and various cellular mechanisms. It is also essential for the function of the pancreas. However, the association between calcium intake and pancreatic cancer is not clear.

Carbohydrate quality indices and lung cancer risk: a case-control study from Iran.

Considering that carbohydrates play an important role in supplying the body with energy and exhibit diverse mechanisms that can either prevent or stimulate cancer, we hypothesize that the quality of carbohydrate intake may be associated with cancer risk, including lung cancer. This hospital-based case-control study was conducted on 135 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients, and 237 healthy age- and sex-matched hospitalized controls. We used a valid and reliable 148-item Food Frequency Questionnaire to collect the dietary intake of subjects.

Study on fresh and hardened state properties of eco-friendly foamed concrete incorporating waste soda-lime glass.

Improper waste management is causing global environmental problems. Waste glass may have adverse impacts on the ecosystem. While a substantial amount of soda-lime glass bottle (SGB) undergoes recycling to create new glass items, a significant volume still ends up in landfills.

Application of hybridized ensemble learning and equilibrium optimization in estimating damping ratios of municipal solid waste.

The dynamic analysis of municipal solid waste (MSW) is essential for optimizing landfills and advancing sustainable development goals. Assessing damping ratio (D), a critical dynamic parameter, under laboratory conditions is costly and time-consuming, requiring specialized equipment and expertise. To streamline this process, this research leveraged several novel ensemble machine learning models integrated with the equilibrium optimizer algorithm (EOA) for the predictive analysis of damping characteristics.

A formulation for asphalt concrete air void during service life by adopting a hybrid evolutionary polynomial regression and multi-gene genetic programming.

Bitumen, aggregate, and air void (VA) are the three primary ingredients of asphalt concrete. VA changes over time as a function of four factors: traffic loads and repetitions, environmental regimes, compaction, and asphalt mix composition. Due to the high as-constructed VA content of the material, it is expected that VA will reduce over time, causing rutting during initial traffic periods.

Influence of ceramic waste powder on shear performance of environmentally friendly reinforced concrete beams.

This investigation considered the usability of ceramic waste powder (CWP) in altered quantities in reinforced concrete beams (RCBs). In this way, it was aimed to reduce the environmental impacts of concrete by using CWP as a raw material in RCBs. 12 small-scale shear RCBs with the dimensions of 100 × 150 × 1000 mm were tested in this study.

Experimental investigation and analytical verification of buckling of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced sandwich beams.

Carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforcement can lead to a new way to enhance the properties of composites by transforming the reinforcement phases into nanoscale fillers. In this study, the buckling response of functionally graded CNT-reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) sandwich beams was investigated experimentally and analytically. The top and bottom plates of the sandwich beams were composed of carbon fiber laminated composite layers and hard core.

Influence of pozzolanic addition on strength and microstructure of metakaolin-based concrete.

The intent of this study is to explore the physical properties and long-term performance of concrete made with metakaolin (MK) as a binder, using microsilica (MS) and nanosilica (NS) as substitutes for a portion of the ordinary Portland cement (OPC) content. The dosage of MS was varied from 5% to 15% for OPC-MK-MS blends, and the dosage of NS was varied from 0.5% to 1.

A State-of-the-Art Review on Structural Strengthening Techniques with FRPs: Effectiveness, Shortcomings, and Future Research Directions.

In the pursuit of creating more sustainable and resilient structures, the exploration of construction materials and strengthening methodologies is imperative. Traditional methods of relying on steel for strengthening proved to be uneconomical and unsustainable, prompting the investigation of innovative composites. Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs), known for their lightweight and high-strength properties, gained prominence among structural engineers in the 1980s.

Enhanced fresh and hardened properties of foamed concrete modified with nano-silica.

Nowadays, the application of nanotechnology has gained increased attention in the concrete technology field. Several applications of concrete require light weight; one such concrete used is foamed concrete (FC), which has more voids in the microstructure. In this study, nano-silica (NS) was utilized, which exhibits a pozzolanic nature, and it reacts with other pozzolanic compositions (like lime, alumina, etc.

Structural retrofitting of RC slabs using bamboo fibre laminate: Flexural performance and crack patterns.

Enhancing the durability of structural elements is a viable approach to promote sustainability in civil engineering. Research has shown that well-maintained slabs outperform degraded ones, which deteriorate rapidly due to insufficient upkeep. The occurrence of cracking and deformation in slabs subjected to sustained loads significantly impacts their functionality.

Effects of eccentric loading on performance of concrete columns reinforced with glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars.

Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforcements are superior to traditional steel bars in concrete structures, particularly in vertical elements like columns, and offer significant advantages over conventional steel bars when subjected to axial and eccentric loadings. However, there is limited experimental and numerical research on the behavior of GFRP-reinforced concrete (RC) columns under eccentric loading having different spacing of stirrups. In this study, six specimens were cast under three different values of eccentricities (25 mm, 50 mm, and 75 mm) with two groups of stirrups spacing (50 mm and 100 mm).

Dietary insulin indices and low-carbohydrate diet and the odds of colorectal cancer: a case-control study.

Background: Regarding the role of insulin and insulin-inducing dietary factors in some cancers' etiology, we hypothesized that the risk of colorectal cancer may be lessened by following a lower carbohydrate and insulinogenic diet. Therefore, we performed this study to explore the association between a low-carbohydrate diet and insulin indices and the odds of colorectal cancer.

Method: This hospital-based case-control study was conducted on 150 newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients and 300 healthy age- and sex-matched hospitalized controls.

Dietary Diabetes Risk Reduction Score (DDRRS) and Breast Cancer Risk: A Case-Control Study in Iran.

Introduction: Given the role of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance in tumor initiation, we hypothesized that following a diet that reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes could also reduce the risk of breast cancer. Herein, we conducted a case-control study to investigate the association between dietary diabetes risk reduction score and breast cancer risk in Iranian women.

Method: We recruited 136 newly diagnosed cases and 272 age-matched hospitalized controls from referral hospitals.

Graphene-Based Strain Sensing of Cementitious Composites with Natural and Recycled Sands.

Structural health monitoring is crucial for ensuring the safety and reliability of civil infrastructures. Traditional monitoring methods involve installing sensors across large regions, which can be costly and ineffective due to the sensors damage and poor compliance with structural members. This study involves systematically varying the graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) concentration and analyzing the strength performance and piezoresistive behavior of the resulting composites.

Dietary iron and the risk of lung cancer.

Animal models have suggested the carcinogenic effect of iron due to its oxidative potential. The lung is particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress. However, epidemiological studies investigating the association between dietary iron and the risk of lung cancer have reported inconclusive results.

The association between skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and survival after gastrectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Objective: Low skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) is frequently identified in gastric cancer patients but its association with patient survival rate is not clear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to clarify the association between SMI and overall survival in gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy.

Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from database inception until July 2021.

The Effect of Neurofeedback Training on Executive Control Network of Attention and Dart-Throwing Performance in Individuals with Trait Anxiety.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of neurofeedback training on the executive control network of attention and dart-throwing skill performance in individuals with trait anxiety. Twenty girls (24.65 [Formula: see text] 2.

Structural Performance of Infilled Steel-Concrete Composite Thin-Walled Columns Combined with FRP and CFRP: A Comprehensive Review.

Fiber addition enhances the composite action between the steel tube and concrete core, increasing the strength of the concrete core. To better understand how fiber-reinforced infilled steel-concrete composite thin-walled columns (SCTWCs) behave, multiple investigations have been conducted using both experimental and analytical methods. This article provides a comprehensive review of SCTWCs' confinement approaches using fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).

Assessment of Convolutional Neural Network Pre-Trained Models for Detection and Orientation of Cracks.

Failure due to cracks is a major structural safety issue for engineering constructions. Human examination is the most common method for detecting crack failure, although it is subjective and time-consuming. Inspection of civil engineering structures must include crack detection and categorization as a key component of the process.

Enhancing Sustainability of Corroded RC Structures: Estimating Steel-to-Concrete Bond Strength with ANN and SVM Algorithms.

The bond strength between concrete and corroded steel reinforcement bar is one of the main responsible factors that affect the ultimate load-carrying capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. Therefore, the prediction of accurate bond strength has become an important parameter for the safety measurements of RC structures. However, the analytical models are not enough to estimate the bond strength, as they are built using various assumptions and limited datasets.

Healthy Dietary Pattern Reduces Risk of Gallstones: Results of a Case-Control Study in Iran.

Background: Nutrition-related factors have been of great interest as one of risk factors of biliary stones. This study evaluated the association of dietary patterns with biliary stone among Iranians.

Methods: This is a hospital-based case-control study, which was conducted in a general hospital in Tehran, Iran.