Developed steady-state response for a new hybrid damper mounted on structures.

Coulomb friction is considered as a mechanical approach to diminish the structural responses during the excitations. However, in case of severe oscillations supplementary mechanisms are employed besides the friction to mitigate the destructive effects of the vibrations in structures. Therefore, the main goal of this research is to develop a new Hybrid System (HS) which is a parallel combination of Viscous Damping (VD) and Coulomb friction for structures subjected to dynamic load.

Development of adjustable variable stiffness restrainer for bridge subjected to seismic excitation.

This paper presents a numerical and experimental assessment of a developed adjustable variable stiffness restrainer (AVSR) utilized for short span bridges. This restrainer has the ability to demonstrate multi stiffness capacity in different stages of bridge's superstructure movement to mitigate the severe damage of bridge due to an earthquake. The multi-level stiffness behavior of developed AVSR is achieved by using multiple mechanical springs with different lengths and placed in parallel in proposed design.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 and glucose-regulated protein 78 kDa: Potential biomarkers affect prognosis in IDH-wildtype glioblastoma patients.

Background: The overall survival of IDH-wildtype glioblastoma patients is poor despite best available treatments. There is an urgent need for new biomarkers to inform more precise disease stratification. Previous studies have identified insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) as a potential biomarker for glioblastoma diagnosis and therapeutic targeting.

NanoBiT- and NanoBiT/BRET-based assays allow the analysis of binding kinetics of Wnt-3a to endogenous Frizzled 7 in a colorectal cancer model.

Background And Purpose: Wnt binding to Frizzleds (FZD) is a crucial step that leads to the initiation of signalling cascades governing multiple processes during embryonic development, stem cell regulation and adult tissue homeostasis. Recent efforts have enabled us to shed light on Wnt-FZD pharmacology using overexpressed HEK293 cells. However, assessing ligand binding at endogenous receptor expression levels is important due to differential binding behaviour in a native environment.

Privacy-preserving artificial intelligence in healthcare: Techniques and applications.

There has been an increasing interest in translating artificial intelligence (AI) research into clinically-validated applications to improve the performance, capacity, and efficacy of healthcare services. Despite substantial research worldwide, very few AI-based applications have successfully made it to clinics. Key barriers to the widespread adoption of clinically validated AI applications include non-standardized medical records, limited availability of curated datasets, and stringent legal/ethical requirements to preserve patients' privacy.

Experimental validation of computerised models of clustering of platelet glycoprotein receptors that signal via tandem SH2 domain proteins.

The clustering of platelet glycoprotein receptors with cytosolic YxxL and YxxM motifs, including GPVI, CLEC-2 and PEAR1, triggers activation via phosphorylation of the conserved tyrosine residues and recruitment of the tandem SH2 (Src homology 2) domain effector proteins, Syk and PI 3-kinase. We have modelled the clustering of these receptors with monovalent, divalent and tetravalent soluble ligands and with transmembrane ligands based on the law of mass action using ordinary differential equations and agent-based modelling. The models were experimentally evaluated in platelets and transfected cell lines using monovalent and multivalent ligands, including novel nanobody-based divalent and tetravalent ligands, by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy.

A Spiking Neural Network Model of Rodent Head Direction Calibrated With Landmark Free Learning.

Maintaining a stable estimate of head direction requires both self-motion (idiothetic) information and environmental (allothetic) anchoring. In unfamiliar or dark environments idiothetic drive can maintain a rough estimate of heading but is subject to inaccuracy, visual information is required to stabilize the head direction estimate. When learning to associate visual scenes with head angle, animals do not have access to the 'ground truth' of their head direction, and must use egocentrically derived imprecise head direction estimates.

Living wearables: Bacterial reactive glove.

A reactive bacterial glove is a cotton glove colonised by Acetobacter aceti, an example of biofabrication of a living electronic sensing device. The bacterial colony, supported by a cellulose-based hydrogel, forms a several millimetres-thick living coating on the surface of the glove. This paper proposes a novel method for analysing the complex electrical activity of trains of spikes generated by a living colony.

Multimodal Representation Learning for Place Recognition Using Deep Hebbian Predictive Coding.

Recognising familiar places is a competence required in many engineering applications that interact with the real world such as robot navigation. Combining information from different sensory sources promotes robustness and accuracy of place recognition. However, mismatch in data registration, dimensionality, and timing between modalities remain challenging problems in multisensory place recognition.

Peer Review Processes for Quality Improvement in Health Care Settings and Their Implications for Health Care Professionals: A Meta-Ethnography.

Introduction: Peer review processes are used to improve professional practice in health care, although no synthesis of existing studies has yet been undertaken. These processes are included in the UK professional revalidation processes for medical practitioners and nurses and midwives but not for allied health professionals. The purpose of this review was to identify, appraise, and synthesize the available qualitative evidence regarding health care professionals' experiences and views about peer review processes and to explore the implications for health care professionals in the United Kingdom.

Electrical activity of fungi: Spikes detection and complexity analysis.

Oyster fungi Pleurotus djamor generate actin potential like spikes of electrical potential. The trains of spikes might manifest propagation of growing mycelium in a substrate, transportation of nutrients and metabolites and communication processes in the mycelium network. The spiking activity of the mycelium networks is highly variable compared to neural activity and therefore can not be analysed by standard tools from neuroscience.

Interaction between GRP78 and IGFBP-3 Affects Tumourigenesis and Prognosis in Breast Cancer Patients.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) plays a key role in breast cancer progression and was recently shown to bind to the chaperone protein glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78); however, the clinical significance of this association remains poorly investigated. Here we report a direct correlation between the expression of GRP78 and IGFBP-3 in breast cancer cell lines and tumour sections. Kaplan-Meier survival plots revealed that patients with low GRP78 expression that are positive for IGFBP-3 had poorer survival rates than those with low IGFBP-3 levels, and we observed a similar trend in the publicly available METABRIC gene expression database.

Appearance Concerns, Psychosocial Outcomes, and the Feasibility of Implementing an Online Intervention for Adolescents Receiving Outpatient Burn Care.

The current study assessed the prevalence of appearance concerns, psychosocial difficulty, and use of an appearance-focused social and psychological support resource (Young Person's Face IT; YPF) within a population of teens (12-17 year-olds) receiving outpatient burn care with the goal to assess the feasibility of routine use of the resource in outpatient burn care. The study sample included 78 patients ages 12 to 17 receiving outpatient care for burns at one hospital. Appearance concerns were measured via the Burn Outcomes Questionnaire Appearance Subscale, the Appearance Subscale of the Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents, and a 2-part question which asked participants directly about appearance concerns related to the burn injury.

Tactile Signatures and Hand Motion Intent Recognition for Wearable Assistive Devices.

Within the field of robotics and autonomous systems where there is a human in the loop, intent recognition plays an important role. This is especially true for wearable assistive devices used for rehabilitation, particularly post-stroke recovery. This paper reports results on the use of tactile patterns to detect weak muscle contractions in the forearm while at the same time associating these patterns with the muscle synergies during different grips.

Novel, rapid, low-cost screen-printed (bio)sensors for the direct analysis of boar taint compounds androstenone and skatole in porcine adipose tissue: Comparison with a high-resolution gas chromatographic method.

This is the first report on the fabrication, characterisation and application of an electrochemical (bio)sensor system for the simultaneous measurement of skatole and androstenone. A biosensor for androstenone was fabricated using a Meldola's Blue modified SPCE (MB-SPCE) by depositing NADH and the enzyme 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase onto the MB-SPCE surface; samples of adipose tissue were analysed using the biosensors in conjunction with chronoamperometry. Cyclic voltammetry was used to investigate the electrochemical behaviour of skatole at a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE vs.

Students' perceptions of self-direction in pre-registration nurse education.

This study explored to understand the lived experiences of a group of pre-registration nursing students' in a United Kingdom Higher Education setting, in the context of increasing responsibility for self-direction throughout the learning process. Care is underpinned by evidence, knowledge and problem solving skills, predicated on enhanced student capability to ensure self-direction in learning. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach framed within an interpretative paradigm enabled exploration to seek out individual and collective perceptions of the learning process.

Parameterization of a coarse-grained model of cholesterol with point-dipole electrostatics.

We present a new coarse-grained (CG) model of cholesterol (CHOL) for the electrostatic-based ELBA force field. A distinguishing feature of our CHOL model is that the electrostatics is modeled by an explicit point dipole which interacts through an ideal vacuum permittivity. The CHOL model parameters were optimized in a systematic fashion, reproducing the electrostatic and nonpolar partitioning free energies of CHOL in lipid/water mixtures predicted by full-detailed atomistic molecular dynamics simulations.

Proceeding of the 8th Alcohol Hangover Research Group Meeting.

Alcohol hangover is one of the most commonly experienced consequences of alcohol consumption. An alcohol hangover develops as the blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) approaches zero, and is characterized by a general feeling of misery. More insight into the pathology of an alcohol hangover needs to be gained, in order to enhance the understanding of the area, and as a potential contribution to the innovation of a preventative or hangover curing treatment.

Patient-directed therapy during in-patient stroke rehabilitation: stroke survivors' views of feasibility and acceptability.

Purpose: Patient-led therapy, in which patients work outside therapy sessions without direct supervision, is a possible way to increase the amount of therapy stroke patients' receive without increasing staff demands. Here, we report patients' views of patient-led mirror therapy and lower limb exercises.

Method: 94 stroke survivors with upper and lower limb limitations at least 1-week post-stroke undertook 4 weeks of daily patient-led mirror therapy or lower limb exercise, then completed questionnaires regarding their experience and satisfaction.

Staff's views on delivering patient-led therapy during inpatient stroke rehabilitation: a focus group study with lessons for trial fidelity.

Background: Fidelity to the treatment protocol is key to successful trials but often problematic. This article reports the staff's views on delivering a complex rehabilitation intervention: patient-led therapy during inpatient stroke care.

Methods: An exploratory qualitative study using focus groups with staff involved in a multicenter (n = 12) feasibility trial of patient-led therapy (the MAESTRO trial) was undertaken as part of the evaluation process.

Phase II Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial of Patient-Led Therapies (Mirror Therapy and Lower-Limb Exercises) During Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation.

Background And Objective: Patient-led therapy has the potential to increase the amount of therapy patients undertake during stroke rehabilitation and to enhance recovery. Our objective was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of 2 patient-led therapies during the acute stages of stroke care: mirror therapy for the upper limb and lower-limb exercises for the lower limb.

Methods: This was a blind assessed, multicenter, pragmatic randomized controlled trial of patient-led upper-limb mirror therapy and patient-led lower leg exercises.

Kanizsa illusory contours appearing in the plasmodium pattern of Physarum polycephalum.

The plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum is often used in the implementation of non-linear computation to solve optimization problems, and this organismal feature was not used in this analysis to compute perception and/or sensation in humans. In this paper, we focused on the Kanizsa illusion, which is a well-known visual illusion resulting from the differentiation-integration of the visual field, and compared the illusion with the adaptive network in the plasmodium of P. polycephalum.

Effects of triclosan and triclosan monophosphate on maximum specific growth rates, biomass and hydrolytic enzyme production of Streptococcus sanguis and Capnocytophaga gingivalis in continuous culture.

Dental plaque species, Streptococcus sanguis and Capnocytophaga gingivalis, were grown in continuous culture with progressively increasing concentrations of triclosan or its phosphorylated derivative, triclosan monophosphate (TMP). For both organisms, the maximum specific growth rates decreased with increasing concentrations of triclosan or TMP until complete inhibition of growth occurred, which for S. sanguis was at 20 mg/L and 50 mg/L, and for C.