Supplement of iron abrogates SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection in a 3D model of vascularized organoids

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cause severe outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Even though vaccination, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 is still continue. It is urgent to have a model that can efficiently evaluate potential therapeutic agents to counteract SARS-CoV-2 infection. Iron is an essential molecule for maintaining homeostasis. Supplement of iron significantly to affect virus infection. But the detailed mechanisms of iron on regulating SARS-CoV-2 infection are still unveiled. The three-dimensional (3D) model is a promising system for drug screening and disease progression analysis. Organoid is a typical 3D culture system that recapitulates genetic characteristics and phenotypic features of organs within body. Vasculature is prevalent for all various organs or tumors in the body which transport nutrients, oxygen and metabolites to maintain cellular homeostasis. Thus, we have established a 3D model of vascularized organoid to evaluate the effects of iron on infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus to provide the novel therapeutic strategy in coping SARS-CoV-2 infection. © 2022 IEEE.

Structural Landscape of nsp Coding Genomic Regions of SARS-CoV-2-ssRNA Genome: A Structural Genomics Approach Toward Identification of Druggable Genome, Ligand-Binding Pockets, and Structure-Based Druggability.

SARS-CoV-2 has a single-stranded RNA genome (+ssRNA), and synthesizes structural and non-structural proteins (nsps). All 16 nsp are synthesized from the ORF1a, and ORF1b regions associated with different life cycle preprocesses, including replication. The regions of ORF1a synthesizes nsp1 to 11, and ORF1b synthesizes nsp12 to 16. In this paper, we have predicted the secondary structure conformations, entropy & mountain plots, RNA secondary structure in a linear fashion, and 3D structure of nsp coding genes of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. We have also analyzed the A, T, G, C, A+T, and G+C contents, GC-profiling of these genes, showing the range of the GC content from 34.23 to 48.52%. We have observed that the GC-profile value of the nsp coding genomic regions was less (about 0.375) compared to the whole genome (about 0.38). Additionally, druggable pockets were identified from the secondary structure-guided 3D structural conformations. For secondary structure generation of all the nsp coding genes (nsp 1-16), we used a recent algorithm-based tool (deep learning-based) along with the conventional algorithms (centroid and MFE-based) to develop secondary structural conformations, and we found stem-loop, multi-branch loop, pseudoknot, and the bulge structural components, etc. The 3D model shows bound and unbound forms, branched structures, duplex structures, three-way junctions, four-way junctions, etc. Finally, we identified binding pockets of nsp coding genes which will help as a fundamental resource for future researchers to develop RNA-targeted therapeutics using the druggable genome.

The Design of Workplaces with Augmented Reality in Engineering Education

The article deals with the possibility of using augmented reality on the principle of marker target for student education. The whole proposed concept consists of the principle of displaying 3D models of machines, equipment, robots, conveyors, and accessories above the markers depicting an actual device. The first part of the article was focused on the 3D model software tools and was presented a step-by-step procedure for creating an AR application. We will describe a specific strategy for building a 3D model, creating a marker in the Vuforia engine interface. Subsequently, the procedure for working in the Unity development interface up to the final export of the final application was presented. The second part of the article was focused on the developed application and the possibilities of its deployment in the educational process. The initial tests were used by university students on the subject “Digitalisation of Production and Services”. The gained results show the innovativeness of the proposed solution. In this article, an AR application was implemented in the educational process as a new distance education tool during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new way of presenting 3D models using AR falls under the concept of Industry 4.0, which is becoming a necessity today and brings many benefits in education and practice. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Predicting 3D Model of Images for Augmented Reality Applications

Following the COVID-19 Pandemic, traditional offline education has shifted to the online model. Hence, studying anatomy in a 3D view without visiting virtual laboratories can benefit medical students in the online education system. Similarly, a 3D view of furniture items can help enhance customers’ shopping experience while shopping online. Our Android Application will leverage an Augmented Reality Camera to place 3D models in the user's space. To achieve this, we seek to predict the 3D model from a 2D image by using a Differentiable Renderer with PyTorch3D. Previously, Machine Learning Frameworks called Generative Adversarial Networks (3D GAN) used Variational Autoencoder to generate a 3D model corresponding to an input image. This approach was further improved by Hierarchical Surface Prediction (HSP) that used Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to predict Volumetric Pixels for the object surface rather than the object volume, reducing the computational power in contrast to 3D GAN. Finally, the Differentiable Renderer came into being and eliminated the drawbacks of 3D GAN and HSP techniques. The latter approaches only considered voxels for 3D Modelling;however, Differentiable Renderer uses Machine Learning to predict the texture and lighting of the model as well. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Integrated Architectural Survey Techniques for the Cultural Heritage Preservation and Enhancement in the Covid-Era. The Case Study of Venosa’s Most Holy Trinity Complex, Italy

Acquiring the digital documentation of the Cultural Heritage buildings is a complex process, which varies considerably according to the nature of the artefact and the equipment used. Today it is possible to rely on several survey techniques that lead to the creation of a realistic 3D model, featuring a high metric quality and details in line with the geometric features of the object. The main goal of the present study is the development of a unified process using different architectural survey techniques, such as range-based and image-based techniques, as from the case study of Venosa’s Most Holy Trinity Complex, in Potenza, Italy. In addition, the paper explores the potential of online virtualisation at 360° of the architectural survey, being a contribute to the disciplinary knowledge and, at the same time, to remote tourism, thus overcoming the travel restrictions due to the necessity to preserve the environmental sustainability and cope with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Intelligent display bracket based on IoT

With the outbreak of the Covid-19, people's reliance on electronic devices has become more and more serious. Especially in the special period in present, the mode of online learning through electronic devices has been widely adopted by young students at different stages. There are various supports for electronic devices, but most of them can only be placed in a fixed position. Some display supports can be manually adjusted to a suitable position, which cannot provide more intelligent functions. Based on the current circumstances, by using computer software to build a 3D bracket model, and make it by 3D printer, with raspberry pi as the main control chip and stm32 as the system auxiliary chip, a set of intelligent display screen bracket based on IOT is developed. The smart bracket can independently adjust the position of the user and the screen, and can set auxiliary functions in real time according to needs, such as reminder of learning hours, sitting posture adjustment, voice interaction, etc. and can control core functions through the mobile terminal of the mobile phone. This paper aims to alleviate the problems of eye fatigue and high myopia rate caused by the improper posture of young people when using electronic display devices. © COPYRIGHT SPIE. Downloading of the is permitted for personal use only.

What Not to Do with PPE: A Digital Application to Raise Awareness of Proper PPE Protocol.

With a rise in personal protective equipment (PPE) use by all healthcare professionals (HCP) as a prime infection control strategy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic comes the potential increase in its misuse. Evidence suggests this failure to follow proper PPE protocol to prevent self-contamination and transmission can be attributed to both a lack of formal training and guidance and, now, atrophy of infrequently used skills, with many senior professionals demonstrating a lack of proficiency despite years of service. Previous research shows current written and illustrated instructional material depicting PPE guidelines are abundant but does not provide an answer on how best to target violations in protocol and better instruct those that are providing pre-hospital emergency healthcare.In this chapter, we aim to address the gap in paramedic-specific research into PPE protocol and provide an educational, digital tool to work alongside the current guidelines, potentially exploring the cognitive load theory as a design strategy. The use of 3D, interactive animations depicting errors in protocol and their potential contamination consequences in a device-based application could engage clinicians in a more effective way, thus increasing protection and decreasing transmission. This chapter describes the methodology behind the design and development of such an application for emergency care providers and provides the relevant materials needed to carry out user testing and evaluation once participants have been recruited.

Mitigation effect of face shield to reduce SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission risk: Preliminary simulations based on computed tomography.

We aimed to develop a model to quantitatively assess the potential effectiveness of face shield (visor) in reducing airborne transmission risk of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 during the current COVID-19 pandemic using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The studies with and without face shield in both an infected and healthy person have been considered in indoor environment simulation. In addition to the influence of the face shield and the synchronization of the breathing process while using the device, we also simulated the effect of small air movements on the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate (outdoor environment simulation). The contact with infectious particles in the case without a face shield was 12-20 s (s), in the presence of at least one person who was positive for SARS-CoV-2. If the infected person wore a face shield, no contact with contaminated air was observed during the entire simulation time (80 s). The time of contact with contaminated air (infection time) decreases to about 11 s when the surrounding air is still and begins to move at a low speed. Qualitative differences between simulations performed on the patients with and without the face shield are clearly visible. The maximum prevention of contagion is probably a consequence of wearing a face shield by an infected person. Our results suggest that it is possible to determine contact with air contaminated by SARS-CoV-2 using the CFD method under realistic conditions for virtually any situation and configuration. The proposed method is probably the fastest and most reliable among those based on CFD-based techniques.