Advancements and challenges in neuroimaging for the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms:Addressing false positive diagnoses and emerging techniques

Despite advancements in neuroimaging,false positive diagnoses of intracranial aneurysms remain a significant concern.This article examines the causes,prevalence,and implications of such false-positive diagnoses.We discuss how conditions like arterial occlusion with vascular stump formation and infundibular widening can mimic aneurysms,particularly in the anterior circulation.The article compares various imaging modalities,including computer tomography angiogram,magnetic resonance imaging/angiography,and digital subtraction angiogram,highlighting their strengths and limitations.We emphasize the im-portance of accurate differentiation to avoid unnecessary surgical interventions.The potential of emerging technologies,such as high-resolution vessel wall ima-ging and deep neural networks for automated detection,is explored as promising avenues for improving diagnostic accuracy.This manuscript underscores the need for continued research and clinical vigilance in the diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms.

The Application of Analytical Techniques to Alpha-Synuclein in Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor symptoms such as tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia, as well as non-motor symptoms including cognitive impairment and mood disorders. A hallmark of PD is the accumulation of alpha-synuclein, a presynaptic neuronal protein that aggregates to form Lewy bodies, leading to neuronal dysfunction and cell death. The study of alpha-synuclein and its pathological forms is crucial for understanding the etiology of PD and developing effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Analytical techniques play a pivotal role in elucidating the structure, function, and aggregation mechanisms of alpha-synuclein. Biochemical methods such as Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are employed to detect and quantify alpha-synuclein in biological samples, offering insights into its expression levels and post-translational modifications. Imaging techniques like immunohistochemistry and positron emission tomography (PET) allow for the visualization of alpha-synuclein aggregates in tissue samples and in vivo, respectively, facilitating the study of its spatial distribution and progression in PD Spectroscopic methods, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, provide detailed structural information on alpha-synuclein and its isoforms, aiding in the identification of conformational changes associated with aggregation. Emerging techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) and single-molecule fluorescence enable high-resolution structural analysis and real-time monitoring of alpha-synuclein aggregation dynamics, respectively. The application of these analytical techniques has significantly advanced our understanding of the pathophysiological role of alpha-synuclein in PD. They have contributed to the identification of potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and the evaluation of therapeutic interventions targeting alpha-synuclein aggregation. Despite technical limitations and challenges in clinical translation, ongoing advancements in analytical methodologies hold promise for improving the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of Parkinson’s disease through a deeper understanding of alpha-synuclein pathology.

Pretreatment and analysis techniques development of TKIs in biological samples for pharmacokinetic studies and therapeutic drug monitoring

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors(TKIs)have emerged as the first-line small molecule drugs in many cancer therapies,exerting their effects by impeding aberrant cell growth and proliferation through the modulation of tyrosine kinase-mediated signaling pathways.However,there exists a substantial inter-individual variability in the concentrations of certain TKIs and their metabolites,which may render patients with compromised immune function susceptible to diverse infections despite receiving theoretically efficacious anticancer treatments,alongside other potential side effects or adverse reactions.Therefore,an urgent need exists for an up-to-date review concerning the biological matrices relevant to bioanalysis and the sampling methods,clinical pharmacokinetics,and therapeutic drug monitoring of different TKIs.This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the advancements in pretreatment methods,such as protein precipitation(PPT),liquid-liquid extraction(LLE),solid-phase extraction(SPE),micro-SPE(μ-SPE),magnetic SPE(MSPE),and vortex-assisted dispersive SPE(VA-DSPE)achieved since 2017.It also highlights the latest analysis techniques such as newly developed high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)and high-resolution mass spectrometry(HRMS)methods,capillary electrophoresis(CE),gas chromatography(GC),supercritical fluid chromatography(SFC)procedures,surface plasmon resonance(SPR)assays as well as novel nanoprobes-based biosensing techniques.In addition,a comparison is made between the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches while presenting critical challenges and prospects in pharmacokinetic studies and therapeutic drug monitoring.

Isothermal hydrogen absorption process of Pd-capped Mg films traced by ion beam techniques and optical methods

Pd-capped nanocrystalline Mg films were prepared by electron beam evaporation and hydrogenated under isothermal conditions to inves-tigate the hydrogen absorption process via ion beam techniques and in situ optical methods.Films were characterized by different techniques such as X-ray diffraction(XRD)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).Rutherford backscattering spectrometry(RBS)and elastic recoil detection analysis(ERDA)provided a detailed compositional depth profile of the films during hydrogenation.Gas-solid reaction kinetics theory applied to ERDA data revealed a H absorption mechanism controlled by H diffusion.This rate-limiting step was also confirmed by XRD measurements.The diffusion coefficient(D)was also determined via RBS and ERDA,with a value of(1.1±0.1)·10^(−13)cm^(2)/s at 140℃.Results confirm the validity of IBA to monitor the hydrogenation process and to extract the control mechanism of the process.The H kinetic information given by optical methods is strongly influenced by the optical absorption of the magnesium layer,revealing that thinner films are needed to extract further and reliable information from that technique.

Advances in the application of auxiliary imaging techniques in parathyroid diseases

Hypoparathyroidism is one of the main complications after total thyroidectomy,severely affecting patients’quality of life.How to effectively protect parathyroid function after surgery and reduce the incidence of hypoparathyroidism has always been a key research area in thyroid surgery.Therefore,precise localization of parathyroid glands during surgery,effective imaging,and accurate surgical resection have become hot topics of concern for thyroid surgeons.In response to this clinical phenomenon,this study compared several different imaging methods for parathyroid surgery,including nanocarbon,indocyanine green,near-infrared imaging techniques,and technetium-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile combined with gamma probe imaging technology.The advantages and disadvantages of each method were analyzed,providing scientific recommendations for future parathyroid imaging.In recent years,some related basic and clinical research has also been conducted in thyroid surgery.This article reviewed relevant literature and provided an overview of the practical application progress of various imaging techniques in parathyroid surgery.

Discrete Choice Models and Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Predicting the Determinants of Transport Mode Choice--A Systematic Review

Forecasting travel demand requires a grasp of individual decision-making behavior.However,transport mode choice(TMC)is determined by personal and contextual factors that vary from person to person.Numerous characteristics have a substantial impact on travel behavior(TB),which makes it important to take into account while studying transport options.Traditional statistical techniques frequently presume linear correlations,but real-world data rarely follows these presumptions,which may make it harder to grasp the complex interactions.Thorough systematic review was conducted to examine how machine learning(ML)approaches might successfully capture nonlinear correlations that conventional methods may ignore to overcome such challenges.An in-depth analysis of discrete choice models(DCM)and several ML algorithms,datasets,model validation strategies,and tuning techniques employed in previous research is carried out in the present study.Besides,the current review also summarizes DCM and ML models to predict TMC and recognize the determinants of TB in an urban area for different transport modes.The two primary goals of our study are to establish the present conceptual frameworks for the factors influencing the TMC for daily activities and to pinpoint methodological issues and limitations in previous research.With a total of 39 studies,our findings shed important light on the significance of considering factors that influence the TMC.The adjusted kernel algorithms and hyperparameter-optimized ML algorithms outperform the typical ML algorithms.RF(random forest),SVM(support vector machine),ANN(artificial neural network),and interpretable ML algorithms are the most widely used ML algorithms for the prediction of TMC where RF achieved an R2 of 0.95 and SVM achieved an accuracy of 93.18%;however,the adjusted kernel enhanced the accuracy of SVM 99.81%which shows that the interpretable algorithms outperformed the typical algorithms.The sensitivity analysis indicates that the most significant parameters influencing TMC are the age,total trip time,and the number of drivers.

ML and DL-based Phishing Website Detection:The Effects of Varied Size Datasets and Informative Feature Selection Techniques

Onemust interact with a specific webpage or website in order to use the Internet for communication,teamwork,and other productive activities.However,because phishing websites look benign and not all website visitors have the same knowledge and skills to inspect the trustworthiness of visited websites,they are tricked into disclosing sensitive information and making them vulnerable to malicious software attacks like ransomware.It is impossible to stop attackers fromcreating phishingwebsites,which is one of the core challenges in combating them.However,this threat can be alleviated by detecting a specific website as phishing and alerting online users to take the necessary precautions before handing over sensitive information.In this study,five machine learning(ML)and DL algorithms—cat-boost(CATB),gradient boost(GB),random forest(RF),multilayer perceptron(MLP),and deep neural network(DNN)—were tested with three different reputable datasets and two useful feature selection techniques,to assess the scalability and consistency of each classifier’s performance on varied dataset sizes.The experimental findings reveal that the CATB classifier achieved the best accuracy across all datasets(DS-1,DS-2,and DS-3)with respective values of 97.9%,95.73%,and 98.83%.The GB classifier achieved the second-best accuracy across all datasets(DS-1,DS-2,and DS-3)with respective values of 97.16%,95.18%,and 98.58%.MLP achieved the best computational time across all datasets(DS-1,DS-2,and DS-3)with respective values of 2,7,and 3 seconds despite scoring the lowest accuracy across all datasets.

Effect of Different Flue-curing Techniques on the Taste and Aroma Substances of Tobacco Leaves

[Objective]This study aimed to optimize the conditions for curing tobacco leaf, so as to improve its flavor and quality. [Method] Leaves of Yuanyan 87 were col ected and cured by three different techniques （moderate-intensity conditions throughout the curing course; high-intensity conditions at leaf yel owing and wilting stages, moderate-intensity conditions at leaf drying and vein drying stages; high-in-tensity conditions throughout the curing course）, and then the contents of 48 aroma substances and taste indices of the finished tobacco leaves were measured. [Result] The contents of 28 aroma substances in the tobacco leaves cured under high-inten-sity conditions throughout the course were higher and the taste indices of these to-bacco leaves were better, compared with those flue-cured by the other two tech-niques. The contents of the other 20 aroma substances were not significantly af-fected by the curing techniques. The second best technique was high-intensity con-ditions at leaf yel owing and wilting stages and moderate-intensity conditions at leaf drying and vein drying stages. Curing tobacco leaves at moderate-intensity condi-tions throughout the course was the worst one. [Conclusion] Compared with the oth-er two methods, the contents of aroma substances and taste indices of the tobacco leaves cured under high-intensive conditions throughout the course were the best.

Water Surface Landscaping Techniques and Theoretic Research of Four Famous Gardens in China

With Summer Resort,Clear Ripples Garden,Humble Administrator's Garden and Lingering Garden as the study subjects,the paper had focused on researches on water surface landscaping techniques and relevant theories of four famous gardens in China.Water bodies in Summer Resort aimed to manifest the sentimental appeal of lower reaches of Yangtze River,and water surface treatment techniques were based on local characteristics which were dense river network,sandbars and islands surrounded by water and scattered distribution of rivers.Sandbars,islands,banks and bridges were utilized to divide water surface,so as to display basic natural feature of water surface at lower reaches of Yangtze River.Water bodies in Clear Ripples Garden aimed to imitate the artistic concept of West Lake.As for its water surface treatment technique,divided "west dyke" and branch dykes had been used to separate water surface,so as to endow it with the ideological content of "fairy court" and "telepathy between human and nature".Water bodies in Humble Administrator's Garden and Lingering Garden aimed to realize "all rivers and lakes" with "one scoop of water",so that people could associate the artistic conception of a vase expanse of water.The study could provide reference for designers of landscape architecture to conduct water surface design.

The Application of Modern Art Techniques in T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land

The literature in 20th century is mainly characterized by irrationalism presented in modernism. Under the background, this paper aims to explore how Eliot attempts to use modern art techniques in The Waste Land to reveal a real life to readers.

Exploration to the writing techniques of Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights has been one of the most famous novels in English literature. Emily's writing skills are worth the exploration. She can successfully handle the events out of chronological order; she can master the multiple narrator technique; she can create such repetitions of plots and she can design many meaningful symbols. No wonder why Wuthering Heights is in the a high position in the world literature.

Improving the Segmentation of Arabic Handwriting Using Ligature Detection Technique

Recognizing handwritten characters remains a critical and formidable challenge within the realm of computervision. Although considerable strides have been made in enhancing English handwritten character recognitionthrough various techniques, deciphering Arabic handwritten characters is particularly intricate. This complexityarises from the diverse array of writing styles among individuals, coupled with the various shapes that a singlecharacter can take when positioned differently within document images, rendering the task more perplexing. Inthis study, a novel segmentation method for Arabic handwritten scripts is suggested. This work aims to locatethe local minima of the vertical and diagonal word image densities to precisely identify the segmentation pointsbetween the cursive letters. The proposed method starts with pre-processing the word image without affectingits main features, then calculates the directions pixel density of the word image by scanning it vertically and fromangles 30° to 90° to count the pixel density fromall directions and address the problem of overlapping letters, whichis a commonly attitude in writing Arabic texts by many people. Local minima and thresholds are also determinedto identify the ideal segmentation area. The proposed technique is tested on samples obtained fromtwo datasets: Aself-curated image dataset and the IFN/ENIT dataset. The results demonstrate that the proposed method achievesa significant improvement in the proportions of cursive segmentation of 92.96% on our dataset, as well as 89.37%on the IFN/ENIT dataset.

A Brief Discussion on the Development of the Silk-Weaving Industry Along the “Southern Silk Road” in Yunnan

Ancient Yunnan was one of the most significant regions along China’s ancient“Southern Silk Road.”During the Nanzhao period(738–902)of the late Tang Dynasty,Yunnan’s silk-weaving industry underwent a qualitative leap as skilled silk craftsmen from the Bashu area migrated to Yunnan and introduced mulberry planting,silkworm breeding,and advanced silk-weaving techniques from Sichuan to the region.Consequently,people in Yunnan gradually acquired expertise in brocade weaving and embroidery.Many even mastered complex silk-weaving techniques.The development and progress of the silk-weaving industry in the ancient Yunnan region were intricately linked to the economic function and value of silk as both a commodity and currency along the“Southern Silk Road.”The local government in ancient Yunnan was greatly motivated by the economic interests brought by the development of silk-related industries and recognized the significance of developing the local silk industry.They even initiated a campaign to capture skilled silk craftsmen from Sichuan,aiming to foster the growth of the silk-weaving industry in Yunnan.After years of dedicated efforts from the local government in ancient Yunnan,the region emerged as a significant hub for silk production along China’s ancient“Southern Silk Road.”Despite the devastation caused by the wars in other parts of the country,Yunnan’s silk industry continued to thrive and provide ample silk products to sustain trade along this renowned route.In the contemporary era,amidst the decline of the silk-weaving industry in eastern China,Yunnan has proposed an industrial development strategy known as“relocating the silk-weaving industry from east to west.”This involves introducing advanced silk production techniques from the eastern regions into Yunnan to enhance and enrich its local silk industry,thereby establishing it as a traditional national sector and securing a competitive position within the global silk market.The historical experience of Yunnan’s silk industry demonstrated that economic development opportunities can only be seized through proactive endeavors rather than passive anticipation.The modern Yunnan silk industry,which upholds its historical traditions,continues to actively engage in international high-end technical cooperation,thus ensuring the enduring vitality of the ancient“Southern Silk Road.”

Modern approaches for detection of volatile organic compounds in metabolic studies focusing on pathogenic bacteria:Current state of the art

Pathogenic microorganisms produce numerous metabolites,including volatile organic compounds(VOCs).Monitoring these metabolites in biological matrices(e.g.,urine,blood,or breath)can reveal the presence of specific microorganisms,enabling the early diagnosis of infections and the timely implementation of tar-geted therapy.However,complex matrices only contain trace levels of VOCs,and their constituent com-ponents can hinder determination of these compounds.Therefore,modern analytical techniques enabling the non-invasive identification and precise quantification of microbial VOCs are needed.In this paper,we discuss bacterial VOC analysis under in vitro conditions,in animal models and disease diagnosis in humans,including techniques for offline and online analysis in clinical settings.We also consider the advantages and limitations of novel microextraction techniques used to prepare biological samples for VOC analysis,in addition to reviewing current clinical studies on bacterial volatilomes that address inter-species in-teractions,the kinetics of VOC metabolism,and species-and drug-resistance specificity.

The status of exploitation techniques of natural gas hydrate

Natural gas hydrate(NGH)has been widely considered as an alternative form of energy with huge potential,due to its tremendous reserves,cleanness and high energy density.Several countries involving Japan,Canada,India and China have launched national projects on the exploration and exploitation of gas hydrate resources.At the beginning of this century,an early trial production of hydrate resources was carried out in Mallik permafrost region,Canada.Japan has conducted the first field test from marine hydrates in 2013,followed by another trial in 2017.China also made its first trial production from marine hydrate sediments in 2017.Yet the low production efficiency,ice/hydrate regeneration,and sand problems are still commonly encountered;the worldwide progress is far before commercialization.Up to now,many gas production techniques have been proposed,and a few of them have been adopted in the field production tests.Nevertheless,hardly any method appears really promising;each of them shows limitations at certain conditions.Therefore,further efforts should be made on the economic efficiency as well as sustainability and environmental impacts.In this paper,the investigations on NGH exploitation techniques are comprehensively reviewed,involving depressurization,thermal stimulation,chemical inhibitor injection,CO2–CH4 exchange,their combinations,and some novel techniques.The behavior of each method and its further potential in the field test are discussed.The advantages and limitations of laboratory studies are also analyzed.The work could give some guidance in the future formulation of exploitation scheme and evaluation of gas production behavior from hydrate reservoirs.

Delineation of groundwater potential zones in Theni district,Tamil Nadu,using remote sensing,GIS and MIF techniques

Integration of remote sensing data and the geographical information system （GIS） for the exploration of groundwater resources has become a breakthrough in the field of groundwater research, which assists in assessing, monitoring, and conserving groundwater resources. In the present paper, various groundwater potential zones for the assessment of groundwater availability in Theni district have been delineated using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Survey of India toposheets and IRS-IC satel- lite imageries are used to prepare various thematic layers viz. lithology, slope, land-use, lineament, drainage, soil, and rainfall were transformed to raster data using feature to raster converter tool in ArcGIS. The raster maps of these factors are allocated a fixed score and weight computed from multi influencing factor （MIF） technique. Moreover, each weighted thematic layer is statistically computed to get the groundwater potential zones. The groundwater potential zones thus obtained were divided into four categories, viz., very poor, poor, good, and very good zones. The result depicts the groundwater potential zones in the study area and found to be helpful in better planning and management of ground- water resonrces.

Cartilage repair techniques of the talus: An update

Symptomatic chondral or osteochondral defects of the talus reduce the quality of life of many patients.Although their pathomechanism is well understood,it is well known that different aetiologic factors play a role in their origin.Additionally,it is well recognised that the talar articular cartilage strongly differs from that in the knee.Despite this fact,many recommendations for the management of talar cartilage defects are based on approaches that were developed for the knee.Conservative treatment seems to work best in paediatric and adolescent patients with osteochondritis dissecans.However,depending on the size of the lesions,surgical approaches are necessary to treat many of these defects.Bone marrow stimulation techniques may achieve good results in small lesions.Large lesions may be treated by open procedures such as osteochondral autograft transfer or allograft transplantation.Autologous chondrocyte transplantation,as a restorative procedure,is well investigated in the knee and has been applied in the talus with increasing popularity and promising results but the evidence to date is poor.The goals of the current article are to summarise the different options for treating chondral and osteochondral defects of the talus and review the available literature.

State of the art and practice of pavement anti-icing and de-icing techniques

Pavement snow and icing are worldwide problems, but effective countermeasures are just beginning to be developed in China. The two most common snow and ice removal methods are mechanical clearance and chemical melting, and the advantages and disadvantages of each approach are discussed here, including environmental and structural damage caused by corrosive snow melting agents. New developments in chemical melting agents and mechanical equipment are discussed, and an overview of alternative thermal melting systems is presented, including the use of geothermy and non-geothermal heating systems utilizing solar energy, electricity, conductive pavement materials, and infrared/microwave applications. Strategic recommendations are made for continued enhancement of public safety in snow and ice conditions.

Complex Exploration Techniques for the Low-permeability Lithologic Gas Pool in the Upper Paleozoic of Ordos Basin

The Ordos basin is a stable craton whose late Paleozoic undergoes two sedimentary stages: from the middle- late Carboniferous offshore plain to the Permian continental river and lake delta. Sandstones in delta plain channels, delta-front river mouth bars and tidal channels are well developed. The sandstones are distributed on or between the genetic source rocks, forming good gas source conditions with widespread subtle lithologic gas pools of low porosity, low permeability, low pressure and low abundance. In recent years, a series of experiments has been done, aimed at overcoming difficulties in the exploration of lithologic gas pools. A set of exploration techniques, focusing on geological appraisal, seismic exploration, accurate logging evaluation and interpretation, well testing fracturing, has been developed to guide the exploration into the upper Paleozoic in the basin, leading to the discoveries of four large gas fields: Sulige, Yulin, Wushenqi and Mizhi.

Vegetation Change Prediction with Geo-Information Techniques in the Three Gorges Area of China

A computerized parametric methodology was applied to monitor, map, and estimate vegetation change in combination with '3S' (RS-remote sensing, GIS-geographic information systems, and GPS-global positioning system) technology and change detection techniques at a 1:50000 mapping scale in the Letianxi Watershed of western Hubei Province, China. Satellite images (Landsat TM 1997 and Landsat ETM 2002) and thematic maps were used to provide comprehensive views of surface conditions such as vegetation cover and land use change. With ER Mapper and ERDAS software, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was computed and then classified into six vegetation density classes. ARC/INFO and ArcView software were used along with field observation data by GPS for analysis. Results obtained using spatial analysis methods showed that NDVI was a valuable first cut indicator for vegetation and land use systems. A regression analysis revealed that NDVI explained 94.5% of the variations for vegetation cover in the largest vegetation area, indicating that the relationship between vegetation and NDVI was not a simple linear process. Vegetation cover increased in four of areas. This meant 60.9% of land area had very slight to slight vegetation change, while 39.1% had moderate to severe vegetation change. Thus, the study area, in general, was exposed to a high risk of vegetation cover change.