Structural Optimization of a High-Performance Green Sandwich Made of Sisal Reinforced Epoxy Facings and Balsa Core.

Within the range of composite laminates for structural applications, sandwich laminates are a special category intended for applications characterized by high flexural stresses. As it is well known from the technical literature, structural sandwich laminates have a simple configuration consisting of two skins of very strong material, to which the flexural strength is delegated, between which an inner layer (core) of light material with sufficient shear strength is interposed. As an example, a sandwich configuration widely used in civil, naval, and mechanical engineering is that obtained with fiberglass skins and a core of various materials, such as polyurethane foam or another lightweight material, depending on the application.

Image biomarkers and explainable AI: handcrafted features versus deep learned features.

Feature extraction and selection from medical data are the basis of radiomics and image biomarker discovery for various architectures, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs). We herein describe the typical radiomics steps and the components of a CNN for both deep feature extraction and end-to-end approaches. We discuss the curse of dimensionality, along with dimensionality reduction techniques.

Fatigue Behaviour of High-Performance Green Epoxy Biocomposite Laminates Reinforced by Optimized Long Sisal Fibers.

In recent decades, in order to replace traditional synthetic polymer composites, engineering research has focused on the development of new alternatives such as green biocomposites constituted by an eco-sustainable matrix reinforced by natural fibers. Such innovative biocomposites are divided into two different typologies: random short fiber biocomposites characterized by low mechanical strength, used for non-structural applications such as covering panels, etc., and high-performance biocomposites reinforced by long fibers that can be used for semi-structural and structural applications by replacing traditional materials such as metal (carbon steel and aluminum) or synthetic composites such as fiberglass.

Understanding the Dermoscopic Patterns of Basal Cell Carcinoma Using Line-Field Confocal Tomography.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most frequent malignancy in the general population. To date, dermoscopy is considered a key tool for the diagnosis of BCC; nevertheless, line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT), a new non-invasive optical technique, has become increasingly important in clinical practice, allowing for in vivo imaging at cellular resolution. The present study aimed to investigate the possible correlation between the dermoscopic features of BCC and their LC-OCT counterparts.

Prospective Application of the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) as a Possible Inflammatory Marker in Feline Patients.

The application of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in feline medicine is currently unavailable, while in canine medicine it has been rediscovered due to the introduction of an automated ESR device. Our aims were to (1) define the reference interval (RI) of the ESR in healthy cats, (2) evaluate the ESR values between healthy and ill cats, (3) evaluate relationships between the ESR and some inflammatory markers, and (4) assess ESR changes in different durations of illness (acute, chronic, or acute-on-chronic). A prospective multicentric cohort study on 200 client-owned cats: 57 healthy cats and 143 ill cats for the other aims.