bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Interpolator, Providing High Accuracy of Industrial Robot’s End-Effector Speed. Part II
Authors: Larichev D. V. , Romanov M. P. , Romanov A. M.
Published: January 2025

The interpolator is one of the critical components of industrial robots control, significantly affecting their accuracy. In such technological tasks as welding, laser cutting, coating, and surfacing, in addition to the spatial accuracy of the robot’s endeffector, the accuracy of its velocity during motion along complex trajectories plays an important role. In this paper, we propose a new approach for solving the interpolation problem of a multi-axis industrial robot based on the B-splines. The proposed algorithms can be easily adapted for robots with any kinematics, generating the current, velocity, and position setpoints for the control loops of each of its actuators. A software implementation of the offline interpolator based on the proposed algorithms was developed and executed on B&R industrial controllers. During the experimental studies performed on a SCARA robot, it was demonstrated that the developed algorithmic solutions outperform the standard interpolator of B&R control systems, exceeding it up to 2 times in terms of spatial accuracy and up to 4 times in terms of root mean square velocity deviation. The maximum deviation of the tool’s velocity using the developed algorithms did not exceed 2.4 mm/s, comparable to the results of the most modern planar solutions based on NURBS curves. At the same time, unlike their planar analogs, the solutions proposed in this paper are suitable for multidimensional interpolation. This part is devoted to simulation and field experimental studies of the algorithms described in Part I of this paper, as well as a summary of the the research results
Advancements and Applications of Wireless Sensor Networks: Optimizing Energy and Enhancing Security
Authors: . Vipan
Published: January 2025

Wireless Sensor Networks have emerged as a transformative technology with a wide range of applications across diverse domains, including military operations, surveillance systems, and intelligent transportation. These networks comprise spatially distributed sensor nodes that collect, process, and transmit data, enabling real-time monitoring and decision-making. WSNs have had a significant impact on various fields, providing valuable insights from remote or inaccessible areas. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the advancements and applications of WSNs, with a particular focus on optimizing energy consumption and enhancing security features. Key application areas include battlefield surveillance, traffic monitoring, and infrastructure tracking. Techniques such as duty-cycling and data aggregation have been employed to optimize energy use, while cryptographic techniques and secure protocols have been developed to address security challenges. Simulation platforms like NS-2 and OMNET++ have been instrumental in supporting research and development in this domain. The paper concludes by highlighting future research opportunities in emerging technologies and robust protocols for WSNs.
Probing the Mechanism of DNA Protein Crosslink Formation by
Aziridinomitosenes Through the Selective Precipitation of Protein Salts
Authors: Blair Michael
Published: January 2025

Aziridinomitosenes are synthetic chemotherapeutic agents that are analogs of
Mitomycin C, as well as other mitomycins. They are known for their ability to
form DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs), and more recently have been observed to
form DNA-protein cross-links (DPCs). In this work, three synthetic
aziridinomitsenes were prepared and studied to better understand the role of the
C6 and C7 positions in the formation of DNA-protein cross-links. In addition,
two separate methods, the advanced recovery of K-SDS precipitates and the K-SDS
assays were utilized and compared to assess the advancements in the analysis of
DPC formation. H AZM, C6 AZM, Dimethyl AZM, and Mitomycin C were compared to
formaldehyde, a known DNA-protein cross-linking agent in these techniques.
Results from the ARK assay displayed a 4-fold increase in average response in
nearly every treatment group when compared to the previously developed K-SDS
method. Additionally, the ARK assay provided tighter standard deviations
indicating more reliable data. Analysis of ARK data displayed that the C6 AZM
was capable of forming a greater percentage of DNA-protein cross-links compared
to the H AZM and Dimethyl AZM. These results indicated that the C6 and C7
positions of aziridinomitosenes play an important role in DNA-protein cross-link
formation.
Verifying the Taxonomic Validity and Resolving the Subspecific Boundaries of
the Lomatium foeniculaceum Complex
Authors: Botello Daniel
Published: January 2025

Plant species in western North America historically have been delimited using
morphological differences and geographic distribution of the species’
populations. Historically, the subspecies rank was relegated to populations that
are geographically coherent but morphologically intergradient at areas of
sympatry, resulting in doubts on the taxonomic validity and usefulness of the
subspecific rank. The Lomatium foeniculaceum complex of the
Perennial Endemic North American clade (PENA) of Apiaceae is present across much
of the Great Plains and Intermountain Region, and as far north as northeast
British Columbia. It is comprised of five subspecies and is the most widely
distributed complex in the PENA clade. As delineated by previous taxonomic
treatments, these infrataxa are separated by the presence or absence of variable
characters such as petal ciliation, petal color, and involucel geometry. The
Continental Divide has been used as a geographic barrier to separate the Great
Plains taxa from species occurring in Idaho southward to New Mexico. Recent
phylogenetic research has found that morphology alone in the PENA clade does not
always reflect evolutionary history and is often misleading when used for
species delimitation. Additionally, only a few samples of L.
foeniculaceum have ever been included in recent phylogenetic
analyses, and not all subspecies have been sampled. To study the species
boundaries of all subspecies within the taxa, fifty populations of L.
foeniculaceum were selected based on general distribution, and to
include all named subspecies and areas where sympatry or peripatry of subspecies
occurs. Target capture with the Angiosperm353 bait kit, next generation
sequencing, and gene assembly with HybPiper and HybPhaser were employed to
retrieve genes suitable for various phylogenetic analyses. Results from the
maximum likelihood analysis (RAxML), pseudo-coalescent analysis (ASTRAL),
coalescent analysis (STACEY), as well as results from ecological analyses and
morphological measurements, support distinct clades for subspecies west of the
Continental Divide. We find that samples associated with L.
foeniculaceum subsp. daucifolium and L.
foeniculaceum subsp. foeniculaceum occurring in
the Great Plains do not form distinct clades congruent across all phylogenetic
analyses and should be retained as subspecies. Phylogenetic analyses, in
conjunction with herbarium collections, have allowed us to discover
morphological characters that align with our phylogenetic results. Using the
general lineage concept of species, along with support from various analyses, we
propose the recognition of L. foeniculaceum subsp.
inyoense, L. foeniculaceum subsp.
fimbriatum, L. foeniculaceum subsp.
macdougalii as distinct species, and the recognition of an
undescribed species occurring mainly in Idaho.
A Computational Framework for Predicting Cell-Specific Nucleo-Cytoskeletal
Forces
Authors: Goldfeldt Madison Leigh
Published: January 2025

Understanding the influence of mechanical forces on cell function and fate is
crucial in unraveling the intricate mechanisms that govern cellular behavior.
The cytoskeleton, a dynamic network of protein filaments, plays a pivotal role
in sensing and transmitting mechanical cues within cells. The nucleus relies on
cytoskeletal mechanical input through nuclear envelope adaptor proteins to sense
external stimuli and respond by regulating intra-nuclear chromatin organization.
This research provides a means for examining the interplay between mechanical
forces and the cytoskeleton in regulating various cellular processes, including
cell adhesion, migration, division, and differentiation. Through studying and
simulating the cellular response to mechanical forces, this research aims to
bridge the gap between mechanics and biology, uncovering the interrelation
between physical forces and biochemical signaling. The developed computational
framework reliably reconstructs nucleo-cytoskeletal morphology and computes
cytoskeletal forces on the nuclear surface via finite element (FE) analyses.
Utilizing this method, we found that cytoskeletal force was sensitive to changes
in nuclear Young’s modulus and volume. Our cell specific models further confirm
apical stress fibers’ role as critical load-carrying components, deforming the
nuclei by 46.93% - 51.67% and matching target intact profiles with 2.19%-13.20%
accuracy. In summary, our computational framework provides an important tool to
probe nucleo-cytoskeletal Factin forces in cells and may shed light on
fundamental questions in nuclear mechanotransduction and diseases where
cytoskeletal force generation is impaired.
Development and Validation of an Improved Sagittal Plane Device for Infant
Product Safety Testing
Authors: Goldrod Sarah Marie
Published: January 2025

Infants need constant care and support through the first year of life. To
minimize the burden of ongoing attending, caregivers frequently use commercial
infant products to enable them to carry out daily tasks without holding the
baby. An estimated 11,500 infant injuries involving nursery products were
treated in emergency rooms in 2021, and 58 deaths were reported in seated
nursery products between 2017 and 2019. Head-neck flexion and hyperextension and
trunk flexion negatively influence normal breathing and can contribute to
positional asphyxia in infants. The body position of infants lying within seated
products is an important consideration for safety. Thus, the purpose of this
study was to develop an improved testing device that can be easily manufactured,
is simple to use, and is validated with human subjects’ data to provide valuable
body position information to infant product designers and manufacturers.

First, we developed two anthropometry-based devices to measure the body position
of infants in seated products. The newly developed device and three existing
devices were used to measure the head-neck, trunk, and torso-pelvis flexion
angles in four seated products. Second, a motion capture data collection was
conducted to evaluate the body position of 13 infants in the same four seated
products. An analysis of the testing device compared to the human subjects data
was completed to evaluate the accuracy of each of the devices in measuring
infant body position. The CAMI dummy predicted infant head-neck flexion in the
seated products the most closely compared to the other sagittal plane devices.
This indicates that the three-dimensional shape of the CAMI head better
replicates infant head-neck flexion. The 5-segment device generally
underestimated trunk flexion angles but provided the closest measurements to
infant data, and it was more accurate in predicting the torso-pelvis angles than
other measurement devices; though further improvements are necessary. This work
is the first to analyze a test-lab-style device to evaluate body position in
infant products that could easily be manufactured and implemented into product
testing regulations compared to in vivo human subjects’
data.
Development and Characterization of a Low Intensity Vibrational System for
Microgravity Studies
Authors: Khan Omor
Published: January 2025

The advent of extended-duration human spaceflight demands a better comprehension
of the physiological impacts of microgravity. One primary concern is the adverse
impact on the musculoskeletal system, including muscle atrophy and bone density
reduction. Ground-based microgravity simulations have provided insights, with
vibrational bioreactors emerging as potential mitigators of these negative
effects. Despite the potential they have, the adaptation of vibrational
bioreactors for space remains unfulfilled, resulting in a significant gap in
microgravity research. This paper introduces the first automated low-intensity
vibrational (LIV) bioreactor designed specifically for the International Space
Station (ISS) environment. Our research covers the bioreactor's design and
characterization, the selection of an optimal linear guide for consistent 1-axis
acceleration, a thorough analysis of its thermal and diffusion dynamics, and the
pioneering use of BioMed Clear resin for enhanced scaffold design. This
advancement sets the stage for more authentic space-based biological studies,
vital for ensuring the safety of future space explorations.
Narratives on Homelessness
Authors: McGinnis-Brown Lantz
Published: January 2025

The increasing privatization of government and the associated growth of the
nonprofit sector means that the delivery of public services is increasingly
taking place outside of the traditional domain of government. Variation between
nonprofits now significantly shapes the range of public experiences with
‘government’. The type of feedback process that a nonprofit employs with a
particular stakeholder group may shape that group’s experiences in an
organization’s “action situation” - the “social spaces where individuals
interact, exchange goods and services, solve problems, dominate one another, or
fight” (Ostrom, 2011, p.11). Nonprofits with poor feedback processes, and
accordingly poor conceptions of client needs and characteristics, are expected
to face difficulty in representing their clients effectively or equitably (Guo
& Musso, 2007).

Few studies have explicitly looked at the connection between organizational
narratives and structures. To best examine this connection, this study employs a
comparative case study of 46 homelessness service nonprofit organizations across
a clustered sample of cities similar to Boise, Idaho. The Narrative Policy
Framework is used to identify key narrative areas in which organizations may
vary, including prevailing descriptions of the setting/context that the
organization operates within, the key characters at play, the nature of the
problem being addressed, the solution for that problem, and the plot (the
perceived relationship between the other elements) (Jones & McBeth, 2010).
This study considers these elements and their impact, through feedback
processes, on client representation.
Additive Manufacturing of Microelectronic Devices for Extreme
Environments
Authors: McKibben Nicholas
Published: January 2025

This work encompasses a comprehensive exploration of advanced manufacturing
techniques for fabricating microelectronic devices compatible with extreme
environments. The research integrates the fields of chemistry, nanomaterials,
and additive manufacturing to achieve remarkable progress in sensor development,
with a particular emphasis on aerosol jet printing (AJP), surface acoustic wave
(SAW) devices, patterned graphene growth, and surface functionalization. The
investigation begins with the AJP process development of a commercial silver
nanoparticle ink, culminating in the fabrication of a piezoelectric SAW
transducer that was prototyped as a high-temperature thermometer, showing
excellent linearity when validated to 200°C. Next, the investigation continued
with the development and formulation of a water-based nickel nanoparticle ink
that was utilized to create novel fabrication routes to high-temperature
microelectronic devices and patterned graphene. Thermal sintering experiments
were performed on the nickel nanoparticle thin films, showing good survivability
up to 600°C and beyond. Several fundamental physical processes were observed
during these experiments, such as high-temperature failure, which appears to be
thickness dependent and resulted in the spontaneous dewetting of the thin film,
as well as the reduction mechanism of oxidized nickel films, which resembled
that of typical nucleation and coalescence. Finally, a novel, reactive, lithium
niobate ink was conceptualized for functionalizing passive substrate surfaces,
and preliminary process development steps were taken toward realizing this AJP
ink.
Democracy Building Instruction
Authors: Miller Jackie M.
Published: January 2025

What are the attitudes, mindsets, and capacities that promote the full
flourishing of individuals as well as our collective society? Based on a review
of the literature on democratic education, the researcher posits a humble theory
(i.e., a local theory in educational research) of the dispositions of democracy
and then asks educators from Kindergarten through College (K-College) to share
their perspectives, reflect on, co-construct, and revise this initial theory.
The study considers the overarching question: What do educators perceive to be
the essential dispositions necessary to promoting, perpetuating, and
productively participating in a democracy, and how can educators help students
acquire these dispositions? To this end, the study addresses two research questions:

What are educators’ perceptions about the presented theory of the
dispositions of democracy, as developed by the researchers based on the
literature on democracy building instruction?

What are educators’ beliefs and practices regarding the dispositions of
democracy?

Participants in the study included K-College educators who participated in a
weeklong institute and fellowship year entitled the “DBI Squared
(DBI2) Institute: Democracy Building Instruction Through
Document-Based Inquiries.” This professional development engaged educators in
participating in a democratic learning community in which they experienced,
practiced, and transferred essential dispositions like fostering curiosity and
openness, engaging in productive dialogue and civic discourse, honoring diverse
perspectives and the multiplicity of ideas, seeing problems as possibilities,
and advancing equity and social justice, in order to teach through and for
democracy in their classrooms.

The research in this study follows a method of applied theory-building research
and focuses on the conceptual development and operationalization phases. In the
DBI2 Institute, educators helped construct knowledge around the
dispositions of democracy by defining them, considering their value for
democracy both in and beyond schools, and reflecting on how to teach them.
Educators discussed and provided feedback on the dispositions proposed by the
researchers and considered how to teach these to students in the current
educational climate. Educators also constructed mental models to conceptualize
the theory and make it usable by other educators. The research findings provide
valuable insights and implications for democratic teaching and learning that
support students in knowing, doing, participating, and living in democratic
communities of practice.
UAS-Based Quantification of Dynamic Lahar Channel Morphology at Volcán de
Fuego, Guatemala
Authors: Mock Jerry Clay
Published: January 2025

Lahars are responsible for 26% of the deaths associated with volcanic activity
reported since 1500 AD, and are extremely destructive to infrastructure (Thouret
et al., 2020). Secondary lahars are volcanic mudflows commonly triggered by
rainfall. Valuable land and buildings may be covered or destroyed by thick
deposits including heavy boulders, mud, and debris. Bridges and roads can be
washed out, cutting people off from vital services and potentially placing them
in danger from other hazards. Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala actively produces
pyroclastic material in small Strombolian eruptions every 15-20 minutes. Fuego
occasionally has larger eruptions and has produced over 50 with a Volcanic
Explosivity Index (VEI) ≥ 2 since 1524 (Naismith et al., 2019). In June of 2018,
a set of pyroclastic currents filled more than 12 km of the Las Lajas drainage.
The abundant pyroclastic material from ongoing eruptive activity is remobilized
seasonally during heavy precipitation, which can impact infrastructure and
populations living near Fuego. This study quantifies erosional and depositional
processes for secondary lahars in Las Lajas drainage at Volcán de Fuego,
Guatemala during the May through October 2021 rainy season. The region of focus
was in an agricultural zone 6-10 km from the summit, surveyed with an Unoccupied
Aerial System (UAS) quadcopter at monthly intervals. The imagery was processed
into time-lapse structure from motion digital elevation models (DEMs). DEMs were
differenced to find volumetric changes as a function of the channel flow path
distance to track channel morphology changes over time. The methods explored in
this study to difference DEMs from UAS data have been adapted in a collaborative
effort between myself and Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanologia,
Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH) in Guatemala to develop a streamlined
workflow for change detection and erosion monitoring along lahar channels. The
largest measured volume changes were a 490 m3/day loss in the upper-most section
(~ 6.0-6.5 km from summit) and a 440 m3/day gain in the lowest section (9.3-9.8
km from summit). The natural constriction and widening of Las Lajas in more
distal sections control the behavior and stability of the stream evolution.
Above the constriction, the channel is primarily downcutting and meandering
within an old flood plain, which had been filled in by pyroclastic materials
deposited by the June 2018 eruption. The Morphological Activity Factor (MAF) is
a novel measurement I developed to quantify the amount of change happening where
deposition and erosion are occurring next to each other in the transition from
erosion to deposition along the channel.
ID-GNN
Authors: Mount Sara Lilly
Published: January 2025

Graph-structured data has increasing applicability in hundreds of domains, the
majority of which produce mostly unlabeled data. For this reason, the supervised
methods of graph representation learning, which dominate current methods, have
limited use in many cases. Similarly, many methods rely on a graph being
homophilic in which proximity implies similarity. In many applications, the
structure of a node’s connections carries more relevant information than the
nodes to which it is connected. The proposed method is an unsupervised graph
neural network that doesn't rely on homophily of the graphs. It creates an
identifying signature for each node and supplements each node's features with
the IDs of its neighbors to encourage representations that can be used to
reconstruct the features of the neighbors. The produced representations may be
used in downstream tasks such as node classification. Experiments show that
ID-GNN is within 3% of the node classification accuracy of state-of-the-art
methods on heterophilic graphs.
Witnessing Bullying and Defending Behavior Among Elementary and Middle School
Students
Authors: Peck Matt
Published: January 2025

This dissertation includes three individual articles that explore the
relationship between witnessing bullying and defending behavior among students
who are bystanders of bullying. Chapter One provides the rationale and purpose
of this dissertation and an overview of the three articles that comprise it.
Chapter Two employed a cross-sectional analysis to examine the moderating effect
of gender on witnessing bullying, defending behavior, and internalizing symptoms
while controlling for previous experiences with bullying perpetration and
victimization. Results indicated that students who witness bullying and utilize
defending behavior exhibit different internal symptoms based on gender. In a
longitudinal study, Chapter Three expands this line of inquiry by exploring
individual factors that moderate the relationship between gender and defending
behavior among student bystanders trained in a brief, bullying bystander
intervention (STAC). Results indicated that defending behavior was positively
associated with self-esteem for females and fear of negative evaluation for
males. To explore the process of defending behavior further, Chapter Four uses a
longitudinal study that pairs the Bystander Intervention Model (BIM) with STAC
to explore additional factors that may contribute to these differences in
student defending behavior. Students trained in STAC reported changes in three
of the five steps of the model, with two of the five steps being unique
indicators of defending behavior post-training. Chapter Five concludes this
dissertation and includes a summary of the three articles.
Toward Privacy-Preserving Electronic Voting with Ballot-Spoiling Using
Blockchain
Authors: Ra Yoonsu
Published: January 2025

Several voting techniques have been presented in recent years to address the
security and privacy concerns associated with electronic voting. Some of these
systems have used blockchain technology to reduce the requirement for
centralized authority trust while maintaining voter privacy and ballot
confidentiality. Existing methods, however, neglect to comply with government
standards and therefore are unsuitable for real-world election settings. They
often overlook essential attributes such as ballot spoiling and voter-to-ballot
unlinkability, dismissing them as conflicting features. In this thesis, we
introduce ORBIT, a cryptographic voting scheme that complies with regulations
outlined in the Idaho state law while achieving receipt-freeness (security) and
ballot-hiding (privacy).
Improving Security of Order-Preserving Encryption and Its Applications in
Data Outsourcing
Authors: Shen Ning
Published: January 2025

Encryption is an important tool to protect data confidentiality and privacy. One
important practice of computation primitives is encrypting data with
Order-Preserving Encryption (OPE). Order-Preserving Encryption is an encryption
algorithm that allows the ciphertexts to preserve the same order of plaintext
and it is very useful for range queries in databases and other applications.
However, OPE has certain security vulnerabilities, such as it may leak sensitive
information other than the ordering. Currently, the application of OPE is also
limited, which is primarily used in the encryption of outsourced databases.

Due to the OPE’s security concern and limited usage, this dissertation focuses on
improving the security of OPE algorithms and extending OPE’s user scenarios to
more applications. Chapter one gives an introduction to this research, as well
as the research objectives and contribution of the work. Chapter two gives the
background of this research. It contains a synthesis of literature on the
security of OPE algorithms and the backgrounds of the proposed applications
where OPE can be applied. From Chapter three to Chapter five, I describe the
three themes of my research in detail. To improve the security of the OPE
algorithms, Chapter four presents a new practical and secure OPE algorithm. The
new algorithm compensates for the security weakness while it remains efficient.
To apply OPE to more applications, I propose two schemes which utilize OPE
algorithms to solve real word problems in Chapter three and five. One scheme
uses OPE to protect the completeness of outsourced databases, while the other
one makes use of OPE to implement a privacy-preserving Location-Based Service
(LBS) protocol which allows the clients to query the nearby Points of Interest
(POIs). Both of these schemes outperform existing approaches in different key
metrics, highlighting their contributions. In Chapter six, a summary of the
three studies is presented, outlining their practical implications and
identifying areas that warrant further research.
Differentiating for Teacher Learners
Authors: Uriarte Paula M.
Published: January 2025

Teachers need access to quality professional development (PD) to navigate the
complexities of the teaching profession. An important aspect of this PD is that
it is differentiated to meet the needs of teacher-learners with varying ability
levels, teaching experiences, content knowledge, and teaching contexts.
Stakeholders need access to high-quality research to attend to these diverse
needs in PD. My dissertation consists of three connected Systematic Literature
Review studies that examine the current quality of PD research at the secondary
level, to determine what research says about differentiating for
teacher-learners to provide guidance for education practitioners who make PD
decisions. The first study is a systematic literature review to determine the
current quality of PD research. Study II identified high-quality PD research and
to what extent it supports differentiation practices. Study III is a review of
three practitioner journals to determine to what extent the recommendations made
in these journals are consistent with what the high-quality research supports. I
concluded that while differentiation practices are beginning to make their way
into PD research and conversations, more high-quality research is needed to
identify effective ways PD can be tailored to meet the needs of individual
teachers to ultimately improve student learning outcomes.
Novel Sensors and Measurement Techniques for Thermal Properties in Extreme
Environments
Authors: Wada Katelyn
Published: January 2025

Advancements in thermal properties analysis is crucial for improvement of
existing and next generation reactors, space exploration, and environmental
safety. Extreme environments pose a great hurdle for instrumentation to measure
real time thermal properties due to the extreme temperatures, high radiation,
and variable electromagnetic environments. Nevertheless, measurement systems are
tremendously important for the design, P.E.rformance, and safety considerations
of nuclear fuels, space crafts, and deep sea/deep earth drilling. Thermal
properties may change significantly in these environments creating challenging
problems for temperature and thermal conductivity measurement systems. A recent
focus has surrounded improvements in such systems for accurate determination of
temperature and thermal properties to increase efficiencies, reduce costs,
calibrate models, and tackle problems previously unfulfilled. Here we report on
various devices and techniques for measuring temperature and thermal
conductivity in harsh environments. First, a novel 1-wire line heat source probe
and measurement technique were developed to monitor the temperature rise of the
sample via the temperature dependent resistance of the probe’s heater wire and
using a multilayer analytical model in tandem to extract the thermal
conductivity of the sample. Second, a more robust 2-wire probe geometry was
developed that improves upon the 1-wire approach. This geometry allows the use
of a thermocouple as a dual temperature and thermal conductivity probe.
Analytical models for both geometries were verified against COMSOL Multiphysics
finite element analysis and experimental measurements. Finally, a third device
is proposed for temperature measurements; a printed niobium/molybdenum (Nb/Mo)
high temperature irradiation resistant thermocouple (HTIR-TC). This device will
have the durability necessary for surviving extreme radiation and temperatures
while being compact and versatile in design. These innovative approaches provide
feasible methods for extracting temperature and thermal conductivity in extreme
environments.
Semantic segmentation of hyperspectral images using convolutional neural networks and the attention mechanism
Authors:   Samara National Research University,, Gribanov D.N. , Mukhin A.V. ,   Samara National Research University, Kilbas I.A. ,   Samara National Research University, Paringer R.A. ,   Samara National Research University
Published: January 2025

This paper investigates an effect of the attention mechanism on the accuracy of hyperspectral image segmentation by convolutional neural networks in agriculture. The study compares two modifications of neural network architectures: with and without the attention mechanism. The attention mechanism is implemented as two modules: position-based (PAM) and channel-based (CAM). The positional module (PAM) considers the global context using information about the spatial domain of the whole image. The channel module (CAM) in turn takes into account the information of all spectral components. L2Net and U-Net architectures are used for a comparative study. Modified versions with the addition of the attention mechanism are developed: L2AT-Net and ULAT-Net. The experimental results show that adding the attention mechanism to the U-Net and L2Net architectures increases the mean value of the F1 metric from 0.80 to 0.83 and from 0.74 to 0.78, respectively. The results show that the application of the attention mechanism can improve the quality of semantic segmentation of hyperspectral images.
Features of focusing of optical vortices using subwavelength elements with varying height of odd and even relief zones
Authors:   Samara National Research University, Savelyev D.A. ,   Image Processing Systems Institute, NRC "Kurchatov Institute"
Published: January 2025

In this work, the propagation of optical vortices with circular, radial, and azimuthal polarization through subwavelength ring gratings with standard and GRIN substrates using a finite difference time domain method is numerically simulated. It is shown that it is possible to select the polarization of laser radiation and parameters of the element in such a way that a long optical needle (up to 8.04λ, radial polarization), a tight focal spot (up to 0.4λ in diameter, circular polarization), single optical traps, and combinations thereof are generated on the optical axis.
Method of automatic coregistration of digital remote sensing images from different sources
Authors:   Samara National Research University, Borisov A.N. , Myasnikov V.V. ,   Samara National Research University, Sergeev V.V. ,   Samara National Research University
Published: January 2025

In this paper, a method for the automatic alignment of diverse digital Earth remote sensing images using survey data is proposed. The method is designed to align color, grayscale, multispectral, and radar images, as well as their combinations, with potential differences in spatial resolution of up to four times (optionally – sixteen times). The main stages of the proposed method include: an optional upscaling (up to four times); an optional number of image channels reduction to three or one; keypoint detection, their description and alignment. To achieve a universal and robust solution in the latter stages, the best-known algorithms were compared: SIFT, SAR-SIFT, RIFT, and the trainable RoMa. Experimental studies using the indicated types of space images demonstrate a clear advantage of the trainable neural network model RoMa trained on a variety of heterogeneous images. For additional improvement of the alignment accuracy, we utilized a priori data about the images in the form of their georeferencing information.
A unified neural network-based single super-resolution method for heterogeneous digital earth remote sensing images
Authors:   Samara National Research University, Konovalov V.F. , Myasnikov V.V. ,   Samara National Research University, Sergeev V.V. ,   Samara National Research University
Published: January 2025

This paper is devoted to finding a unified solution for the practical problem of increasing the resolution of heterogeneous digital images of remote sensing of the Earth: panchromatic images, color images, multispectral and hyperspectral images, as well as images obtained by synthetic aperture radar (SAR). To obtain such a solution, an aggregated dataset was collected from the existing datasets, including both pairs of high- and low-resolution images and individual images acting as high-resolution images. For the collected database and a typical distortion model, an experimental comparison of various modern neural network models of resolution enhancement (including pre-tuned and retrained options) was carried out, which are listed in reviews as state-of-the-art: convolutional, generative adversarial and transform (based on the attention mechanism). Taking into account possible limitations of the models on the number of layers of space images, two options for image preprocessing were considered. The final result of the work is a single neural network model for increasing the resolution of digital space images, supplemented by adapters for their various types, which, when trained, surpasses or is not inferior to modern specialized state-of-the-art solutions.
The effectivity of pandanus leaf extract for the treatment of sangkuriang catfish juvenile Clarias gariepinus infected by Aeromonas hydrophila
Authors: Sopiah Siti , Rosidah Rosidah , Lili Walim , Iskandar Iskandar , Suryadi Ibnu Bangkit
Published: January 2025

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to determine the effective concentration of pandanus Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf extract for the treatment of sangkuriang catfish juvenile infected by Aeromonas hydrophila. The method used in this study was an experimental method with completely randomized design consisted of five treatments and three replications. The treatments were A (control), B (400 mg/L), C (600 mg/L), D (800 mg/L), and E (1000 mg/L) trough immersion for 24 hours through immersion for 24 hours.  The fish has infected with A. hydrophila bacteria as much as 20 mL of NaCl/L in 10 L of water medium with a density of 108 CFU/mL through immersion. The observed parameters were clinical symptoms, recovery process, survival rate, and water quality. The results showed that pandanus leaf extract at a concentration of 800 mg/L for 24 hours was effective for treating sangkuriang catfish juvenile that infected by A. hydrophila with a survival rate of 86.67%. Based on the regression analysis, it discovered that the optimum concentration of pandanus leaf extract through immersion for 24 hours was 774.39 mg/L and the predicted survival was 92.16%.  Keywords: Aeromonas hydrophila, catfish fingerlings, effective concentration, infection, pandanus leaf extract   ABSTRAKPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan konsentrasi yang efektif dari ekstrak daun pandan  wangi Pandanus amaryllifolius untuk pengobatan benih lele sangkuriang Clarias gariepinus yang terinfeksi bakteri A. hydrophila. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode eksperimental rancangan acak lengkap dengan lima perlakuan dan tiga ulangan. Perlakuan penelitian adalah A (kontrol), B (400 mg/L), C (600 mg/L), D (800 mg/L), dan E (1000 mg/L). Ikan uji diinfeksi bakteri A. hydrophila sebanyak 20 mL NaCl/L dalam 10 L media air dengan kepadatan 108 CFU/mL melalui perendaman selama 24 jam. Parameter yang diamati meliputi gejala klinis, waktu pulih, kelangsungan hidup, dan kualitas air. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan ekstrak daun pandan wangi pada konsentrasi 800 mg/L selama 24 jam efektif untuk pengobatan benih lele sangkuriang yang terinfeksi bakteri A. hydrophila dengan tingkat kelangsungan hidup sebesar 86,67%. Berdasarkan analisis regresi diketahui bahwa konsentrasi optimum penggunaan ekstrak daun pandan wangi melalui perendaman selama 24 jam yaitu 774,39 mg/L dan prediksi kelangsungan hidup ikan adalah 92,16%. Kata kunci : Aeromonas hydrophila, benih lele sangkuriang, ekstrak daun pandan, infeksi, efektifitas konsentrasi
Techniques analytiques applicables aux liquides et gaz de pyrolyse de la biomasse tropicale
Authors: Vergnet Anne-Marie , Villeneuve Françis
Published: January 2025

Afin de pouvoir valoriser les sous-produits de la pyrolyse de la biomasse tropicale dans des procédés chimiques ou énergétiques, il est essentiel de connaître les constituants de la fraction gazeuse et de la fraction liquide.A cette fin, une méthode d’analyse a été développée qui permet d'étudier cette fraction. Cette analyse est basée sur une séparation par chromatographie en phase gazeuse dont les paramètres sont décrits dans cet article. Ces techniques peuvent être utilisées pour étudier la carbonisation du matériel végétal et le comportement de diverses matières premières végétales dans les mêmes conditions de carbonisation.
Ochrona własności przemysłowej wobec problemu dyfuzji wiedzy w modelu open innovation (casus firm biotechnologicznych)
Authors: Niklewicz-Pijaczyńska Małgorzata
Published: January 2025

The monograph addresses the issue of knowledge management and its diffusion in the context of opening the innovation process.
The structure of the book consists of four chapters. First three chapters are theoretical in nature and contain a critical review of the literature, while the fourth presents the results of the author's own research. The empirical part focuses on biotechnology companies, which are increasingly faced with the problem of implementing a more flexible strategy for acquiring, creating and protecting intellectual property and the need to decentralize the innovation process.
The aim of the study was to attempt to answer the question whether and to what extent European biotechnology companies are focused on opening innovation processes by using external technical knowledge and establishing research cooperation. To achieve the above objective, two research methods were used. The first method is a detailed analysis of patent documentation in terms of bibliographic data. The second method is appropriate for the so-called patentometrics, i.e. a review of patent citations, in the first stage backward citations (first-degree diffusion), and in the second forward citations (second-degree diffusion).
The research results indicate a specific dualism in the innovation strategy modelling of the analysed biotechnology companies. On the one hand, they implement a closed innovation scheme, strongly protecting the results of their research and focusing primarily on their internal research potential. On the other hand, they open the innovation process in a controlled manner by using other people's knowledge, including technical knowledge archived in patent databases, and by establishing project cooperation in teams created with external entities.
Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the issues undertaken, which require a holistic approach, the economic basis of the considerations conducted was supplemented with the necessary analyses of a legal nature, especially in the area of material and intellectual property.
Militancy and children’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Experiences from Imo
Authors: Uche Okala Agwu , Uche Ijeoma Blessing
Published: January 2025

Armed violence is significantly associated with mental stress among those who are affected by it. The experience tends to be extreme for children, who as soft targets are very prone to suffer a combination of physical harm and mental torture even beyond childhood. To provide more evidence about this, the current study investigated the effects of militancy on the experience and prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among children in Imo State, Nigeria. In-depth interviews were used to obtain information from 16 respondents. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select children affected by militancy-related post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as adults, who helped with triangulating the responses of the children. Findings revealed that post-traumatic stress disorder among children included the experiences of anxiety, lack of concentration, violent nightmares, loss, displacement and disruption of daily life routine. Despite limited access to mental health services, traditional methods were commonly used to address post-traumatic stress disorder. Hence, the need to incorporate cultural perspectives into mental health interventions, emphasizing the need for culturally attuned approaches to address the mental well-being of affected children. Caregivers such as psychologists, guidance counselors, psychiatrists, school administrators, and social workers can link, advocate and collaborate with relevant authorities to establish accessible and culturally sensitive mental health services in the community.
The application value of preoperative F-FDG PET/CT in preoperative localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Betsunoh Hironori , Takada-Owada Atsuko , Sakamoto Setsu , Yuki Hideo , Nukui Akinori , Hayashi Keitaro , Yoshihiro Nakagami , lshida Kazuyuki , Kamai Takako
Published: January 2025

Aim: In cancer tissues, glycolysis metabolism is often heightened, making 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) useful for assessing glucose metabolism. However, the kidneys' high glucose metabolism makes it difficult to distinguish between normal renal tissue and renal cancer. This study aims to evaluate the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) in renal cancer using PET/CT and determine its relationship to prognosis.

Methods: We also aim to examine the correlation between SUVmax and clinical parameters and its potential link to prognosis. We enrolled 105 patients who underwent FDG-PET/CT between March 2012 and October 2017. These patients, diagnosed with localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC), underwent surgery and were pathologically confirmed to have clear cell RCC (ccRCC). We investigated the impact of SUVmax and other parameters on recurrence.

Results: SUVmax and C-reactive protein (CRP) were associated with tumor progression, alongside stage, nuclear grade, microvascular invasion [v(+)], and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Multivariate analysis with recurrence-free survival (RFS) as the endpoint indicated significant results (SUVmax ≥ 3.7: relative risk 8.98, P < 0.01; CRP ≥ 0.11 mg/dL: relative risk 6.03, P < 0.01, n = 89). In survival curve analysis with RFS, high SUVmax or elevated CRP predicted poor prognosis, with further worsening when v(+) was added.

Conclusion: SUVmax is a strong prognostic factor for poor outcomes. CRP is also a prognostic factor, though it should be interpreted cautiously, as CRP reflects overall systemic conditions and may not exclusively represent renal cancer activity. Further research into pre-treatment RCC prognosis prediction is anticipated.
The peroxidase toxicity assay for the rapid evaluation of municipal effluent quality
Authors: André Chantale , Smyth Shirley-Ann , Gagné Francois
Published: January 2025

Rapid and cost-effective tests for the evaluation of industrial and municipal effluents are urgently needed for environmental monitoring. In this context, peroxidase (PER) activity has been proposed as an early-warning biosensor for assessing the water quality of various wastewater discharges and leachates. The peroxidase-toxicity (Perotox) assay includes 0.1 µg/mL PER, albumin, DNA (for the DNA protection index), 0.001% monounsaturated Tween-80, and the substrates luminol and H2O2. The results revealed that an initial burst of luminescence was followed by a steady decrease in luminescence within the first minute, accompanied by periodic (cyclic) changes in the intermediate compound III (CIII) of PER. When urban effluents were added, PER activity was inhibited, with a concomitant increase in lipid peroxidation, indicating oxidative damage. The reduction in PER activity was also associated with the collapse in the periodic formation of CIII, alongside a steady increase in CIII over time. The addition of DNA to the reaction mixture helped mitigate the inhibition of PER by certain effluents, enabling the calculation of a DNA protection index. The levels of polystyrene (PS) in the organic fraction of the effluents were higher in the primary aeration lagoon (36 µg/L) compared to secondary lagoons and membrane filtration (< 16 µg/L). Data analysis revealed that PER activity was negatively correlated with population size (r = -0.34) and the levels of PS materials (r = -0.56). In conclusion, the Perotox assay is proposed as a rapid screening tool for identifying potentially toxic environmental complex mixtures, such as municipal effluents.