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Abstract This paper reviewed the application of parametric building information modelling (BIM) in bridge engineering, highlighting its contributions to improving workflows, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, enhancing interoperability, and optimizing design processes. It examined how parametric modeling facilitated rapid design exploration and simulation-driven optimization through flexible, rule-based relationships. Case studies illustrated the use of parametric techniques to create customizable bridge components and assemblies, which enhanced decision-making through seamless integration with analysis tools. Furthermore, this study discussed forward design, an emerging trend that improved collaboration efficiency and cost control by establishing early computational definitions, as opposed to following traditional document-driven design methods. It also emphasized the importance of open standards, such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC), for information exchange, noting the need to extend these standards for specialized infrastructure domains. Finally, it outlined future research directions, including scalability, multimodal data integration, and generative design, aiming to fully leverage the potential of BIM throughout the lifecycle of bridges.

This study presents a collaborative sensing approach that integrates the pre-embedded sensor method and the impact-echo technique to enhance the accuracy of grout filling quality assessment for precast concrete sleeve connections. The pre-embedded sensor method, which relies on vibration energy attenuation, enables continuous monitoring of the grout filling process; however, its accuracy is limited at low filling degrees, as vibration energy values remain constant at approximately 255 when the filling degree is below 70%. In contrast, the impact-echo technique, based on the principle of impact elastic wave propagation, demonstrates high accuracy in evaluating grout filling degrees across various levels, with reflected waveform amplitude increasing accordingly. This collaborative approach establishes a functional relationship between vibration energy values from the pre-embedded sensor method and grout filling degree, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of grout filling quality. In field demonstrations, the calculated grout filling degree values deviated by less than 5% from the set values. Practical guidelines for implementing the collaborative sensing approach are also provided. The method developed in this study offers a reliable solution for assessing grout filling quality in precast concrete sleeve connections, addressing the limitations of individual testing methods.

BackgroundDepressive symptoms are frequently observed in patients with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD), a prevalent metabolic disorder that affects many individuals. It is not yet clear whether there is an association between serum chromium levels and depression.ObjectiveThe purpose of this research was to explore the association between serum chromium level and the manifestation of depression among patients with MAFLD.MethodsThe selection of 1837 patients diagnosed with MAFLD was based on data obtained from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database in this research. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was employed to evaluate the severity of depression. The researchers utilized logistic regression models that were weighted for multiple variables to investigate the association between depression and serum chromium levels.ResultsIn our study, we found that 8.98% of US adults with MAFLD were suffering from depression at the time of evaluation. In the logistic regression model, serum chromium levels showed an inverse association with depression (OR=0.82, 95%CI: 0.69-0.96; p=0.016), this relationship remained after adjusting for fully confounding factors (OR=0.83, 95%CI: 0.71-0.97; p=0.021), subgroup analyses showed that the association between serum chromium levels and depression existed in relatively high-prevalence of depression groups.ConclusionPatients diagnosed with MAFLD have a greater likelihood of experiencing depression, whereas individuals with higher levels of serum chromium are less likely to suffer from depression, and this association persists even after adjusting for other factors. These findings indicate supplementing chromium may be a viable treatment for their depressive symptoms.

Cracks will inevitably occur in concrete structural during the normal use phase due to load action, fatigue effect, and environmental corrosion. Concrete resistance can reflect some internal concrete damage. In this work, three-point bending tests were performed on concrete beams. We simultaneously measured the concrete beam resistance before and after cracking to investigate the feasibility of resistance measurement for achieving self-monitoring of concrete cracking and crack development. This work provides a methodology for the monitoring of engineering structures. It establishes a quantitative reference for the relationship between the number of steel fibers used and their conductive and mechanically sensitive properties.

As transportation networks continue to expand into mountainous regions with high seismic activity, ensuring the seismic safety of tunnels crossing active faults has become increasingly crucial. This study aimed to enhance our understanding of the impact of fault zones on the seismic behavior of tunnels and to provide optimized seismic design recommendations through a comprehensive experimental and numerical investigation. The focus of this research is the Xiangyangshan Highway Tunnel in China, which intersects a significant longitudinal fault. Large-scale shake table tests were performed on 1:100 scale physical models of the tunnel to analyze the seismic responses under various ground motion excitations. Detailed three-dimensional finite difference models were developed in FLAC3D and calibrated based on the shake table results. The tests indicated that strains, earth pressures, and accelerations experience localized amplification within 10–20 m of the fault interface compared to undisturbed ground sections. Common seismic mitigation measures, such as rock grouting, seismic joints, and shock absorption layers, were observed to effectively reduce the amplified seismic demands. Grouting, in particular, led to an average reduction of up to 56.3% in circumferential strain and 38.5% in earth pressure. It was concluded that 6 m thick grouted zones and 20 cm thick rubber interlayers between tunnel lining shells provide optimal structural reinforcement against the effects of fault zones. This study provides valuable insights for improving the seismic resilience of underground transportation corridors in seismically active regions.

Heart failure (HF) is one of the diseases that lead to high mortality of patients. Finding natural compounds with cardioprotective properties and identifying their action mechanisms is of great importance. In this research, the effect of propolis and triblock copolymer nano-vesicles loaded with propolis were studied in Wistar rats HF model. After preparing propolis and Polylactide-block-poly (ethylene glycol)-block-polylactide (PLA-PEG-PLA) loaded with propolis using thin film hydration method, nanoparticles were identified using transmission electron microcopy (TEM) and Zetasizer techniques. Induction of HF in animals was done with 85 mg/kg isoproterenol for 2 consecutive days and 200 mg/kg/day of both propolis and PLA-PEG-PLA nano-vesicle loaded with propolis were administered to rats by oral gavage one week before HF induction and one week after that. On the last day, echocardiography parameters were measured and then, with blood sampling and plasma preparation, the levels of biochemical parameters such as B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), Galectin-3, interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), interleukin (IL-17), reduced AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and silent information regulator (SIRT1) were measured using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Both propolis and PLA-PEG-PLA nano-vesicle loaded with propolis led to improvement of echocardiographic parameters in HF rats. Also, the administration of these two compounds decreased the expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6 and IL-17 and increased the expression of IL-10 in HF rats. The levels of SIRT1 and AMPK in HF rats receiving propolis and PEG-PLA loaded with propolis were upregulated compared to HF control ones. In conclusion, it can be indicated that propolis and PEG-PLA loaded with propolis have cardio protection effects through decreasing inflammation and activation of SIRT1-AMPK axis.

BackgroundChickenpox is an old but easily neglected infectious disease. Although chickenpox is preventable by vaccines, vaccine breakthroughs often occur, and the chickenpox epidemic is on the rise. Chickenpox is not included in the list of regulated communicable diseases that must be reported and controlled by public and health departments; therefore, it is crucial to rapidly identify and report varicella outbreaks during the early stages. The Baidu index (BDI) can supplement the traditional surveillance system for infectious diseases, such as brucellosis and dengue, in China. The number of reported chickenpox cases and internet search data also showed a similar trend. BDI can be a useful tool to display the outbreak of infectious diseases. ObjectiveThis study aimed to develop an efficient disease surveillance method that uses BDI to assist in traditional surveillance. MethodsChickenpox incidence data (weekly from January 2017 to June 2021) reported by the Yunnan Province Center for Disease Control and Prevention were obtained to evaluate the relationship between the incidence of chickenpox and BDI. We applied a support vector machine regression (SVR) model and a multiple regression prediction model with BDI to predict the incidence of chickenpox. In addition, we used the SVR model to predict the number of chickenpox cases from June 2021 to the first week of April 2022. ResultsThe analysis showed that there was a close correlation between the weekly number of newly diagnosed cases and the BDI. In the search terms we collected, the highest Spearman correlation coefficient was 0.747. Most BDI search terms, such as “chickenpox,” “chickenpox treatment,” “treatment of chickenpox,” “chickenpox symptoms,” and “chickenpox virus,” trend consistently. Some BDI search terms, such as “chickenpox pictures,” “symptoms of chickenpox,” “chickenpox vaccine,” and “is chickenpox vaccine necessary,” appeared earlier than the trend of “chickenpox virus.” The 2 models were compared, the SVR model performed better in all the applied measurements: fitting effect, R2=0.9108, root mean square error (RMSE)=96.2995, and mean absolute error (MAE)=73.3988; and prediction effect, R2=0.548, RMSE=189.1807, and MAE=147.5412. In addition, we applied the SVR model to predict the number of reported cases weekly in Yunnan from June 2021 to April 2022 using the same period of the BDI. The results showed that the fluctuation of the time series from July 2021 to April 2022 was similar to that of the last year and a half with no change in the level of prevention and control. ConclusionsThese findings indicated that the BDI in Yunnan Province can predict the incidence of chickenpox in the same period. Thus, the BDI is a useful tool for monitoring the chickenpox epidemic and for complementing traditional monitoring systems.

A literary criticism of the book "Foe" by J.M. Coetzee is presented. Topics discussed include experience of bafflement and relationships between a fiction and the paradigms; fundamental solipsism in the novel's structure and subject; and Friday's physical mutilation serves as a metonymic marker for the power.

Past studies on the protective effects of chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) commonly rely on animal models, because traditional cell culture systems couldn’t faithfully mimic human intestinal physiology. Here a novel human gut-on-a-chip microsystem was established to further explore the regulatory effects of COS on the occurrence and development of human enteritis. By constructing an intestinal injury model caused by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) on the chip, this study proved that COS can reduce intestinal epithelial injury by promoting the expression of the mucous layer for the first time. By establishing an inflammatory bowel disease model on the chip caused by E. coli 11775, this study demonstrated that COS can protect the intestinal epithelial barrier and vascular endothelial barrier by inhibiting the adhesion and invasion of E. coli 11775 for the first time. In addition, similar to the results in vivo, COS can decrease the inflammatory response by reducing the expression of toll-like receptor 4 protein and reducing the nuclear DNA binding rate of nuclear factor kappa-B protein on this chip. In summary, COS can be used as a potential drug to treat human IBD and the human gut-on-a-chip would be used as a platform for quick screening drugs to treat human IBD in future.

As a promising electrochemical energy device, a rechargeable zinc-air battery (RZAB) requires cost-effective cathode catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Some earth-abundant transition metal oxides have certain levels of bi-functional ORR/OER catalytic activities yet low electronic conductivities. The addition of high-electronic-conductivity material such as carbon black could result in another problem because there is low compatibility between metal oxide and carbon. In this work, polymer chains are ultrasonically prepared to act as binders to anchor metal-oxide active sites to porous domains of carbon black. The monomer N-isopropyl acrylamide is polymerized under ultrasonication instead of using conventional radical initiators which are dangerous and harmful. Reactive free radicals produced by ultrasonic irradiation can also help to form the Mn-Ni-Fe tri-metallic oxide. Thus, aided by the amide-type polymer as an adhesive, the tri-metallic oxide anchored on polymer-grafted carbon black prepared by ultrasonication possess a large number of metal-oxide active sites and hierarchical pores, contributing substantially to the enhanced ORR/OER electrocatalytic performance in the RZABs. Accordingly, this work provides interesting insight into the effective combination of inherently incompatible components for the fabrication of composite materials from an ultrasonic standpoint.

This article presents a double-layer four-corner-fed slotted waveguide sparse array antenna designed for the near-field-focused applications in the X-band. Generally, it is challenging to realize the ideal phase distribution of the near-field focused array antenna, especially for the near-field focusing array antenna with a focal distance less than $5\lambda $ . We propose a four-corner-feed structure associated with appropriate waveguide dimensions to realize approximately ideal phase distribution for a focus at $1.5\lambda $ . The sparse array based on the particle swarm optimization is adopted to suppress the sidelobes and the grating lobes on the focal plane caused by the residual phase errors. A test antenna is designed at the center frequency of 10 GHz, and is fabricated by Direct Metal Laser Sintering technique for demonstration. It is verified by the experiment that we achieve satisfying near-field focusing effects, especially in terms of the focal spot size and sidelobe levels on the focal plane 45 mm away from the antenna aperture.

An in vitro human renal proximal tubule model that represents the proper transporter expression and pronounced epithelial polarization is necessary for the accurate prediction of nephrotoxicity. Here, we constructed a high-throughput human renal proximal tubule model based on an integrated biomimetic array chip (iBAC). Primary human renal proximal tubule epithelial cells (hRPTECs) cultured on this microfluidic platform were able to form a tighter barrier, better transporter function and more sensitive nephrotoxicity prediction than those on the static Transwell. Compared with the human immortalized HK2 model, the hRPTECs model on the chip gained improved apical-basolateral polarization, barrier function and transporter expression. Polymyxin B could induce nephrotoxicity not only from the apical of the hRPTECs, but also from the basolateral side on the iBAC. However, other chemotherapeutic agents, such as doxorubicin and sunitinib, only induced nephrotoxicity from the apical surface of the hRPTECs on the iBAC. In summary, our renal proximal tubule model on the chip exhibits improved epithelial polarization and membrane transporter activity, and can be implemented as an effective nephrotoxicity-screening toolkit.

Intestinal floras influence a lot of biological functions of the organism. Although animal model are strong tools for researches on the relationship between host and microbe, a physiologically relevant in vitro human gut model was still required. Here, a novel human gut-vessel microfluidic system was established to study the host–microbial interaction. Peristaltic motion of the cells on the chip was driven by a pneumatic pump. When intestinal epithelial cells (Caco2) were co-cultured with vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) on the peristaltic microfluidic chip, Caco2 showed normal barrier and absorption functions after 5 days cultivation, which generally took 21 days in static Transwell models. Intestinal microvilli and glycocalyx layer were seen after 4 days cultivation, and Lactobacillus casei was successfully co-cultured for a week in the intestinal cavity. A model for intestinal damage and inflammatory responses caused by E. coli was set up on this chip, which were successfully suppressed by Lactobacillus casei or antibiotic. In summary, this human gut-vessel microfluidic system showed a good potential for investigating the host–microbial interaction and the effect and mechanism of microbiome on intestinal diseases in vitro.