bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of End-of-Life Chrome-Magnesia Refractories Using X-Ray Computed Tomography
Authors: Pankka Iida , Ahmed Muhammad Saboor , Tammela Joonas , Taskinen Pekka , Lindberg Daniel
Published: September 2024

The lifespan of refractory linings is a major industrial concern for safety, on-line availability, and financial reasons. In copper smelting, batchwise operating matte converters are the furnaces that pose the greatest challenge when it comes to refractory wear and lining life. In this work, the structure and morphology of used magnesia–chrome bricks were studied using X-ray computed tomography and mineralogical techniques. The bricks were taken from various locations of an end-of-life brick lining of an industrial Peirce–Smith converter, after a normal campaign at Boliden Harjavalta smelter (Finland). The results show that it is possible to visualize in 3D, e.g., porosity, metal-containing phases, and refractory magnesia in the used bricks. Different digital images, such as cross-sections and average volume fractions, were used as a non-destructive method to characterize the bricks’ internal structure. The metal/matte infiltration in the open porosity was found to differ based on the location in the converter, with some bricks having no metal/matte infiltration and the tuyere line showing metal/matte infiltration at a depth of about 100 mm from the hot face.
Urethroplasty- a single centre single surgeon experience
Authors: McNicholas Daniel Peter , Taylor Alexander , Baird Andrew D.
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Male urethral stricture affects 100 in 100,000 men. These are investigated using uroflowmetry, retrograde urethrography and cystourethroscopy. Management is usually endoscopic with urethral dilation or direct visual internal urethrotomy, although they have high failure rates. It is now recommended that urethroplasty is performed earlier. In this study we have reviewed a single surgeons experience with urethroplasty and patient outcomes.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed a prospectively maintained database of all urethroplasty operations performed in our hospital over a 5 -year period.

Results

Forty-five patients were identified, with a mean age of 46. The most common presenting symptom was poor flow (100%). Uroflowmetry was performed in 31 of 45 patients(69%). More patients had a urethrogram (58%) than flexible cystoscopy (38%). Most strictures were idiopathic (67%). Mean stricture length was 2.6 cm. 71% did not require any further intervention. Five patients required repeat surgery. Four required DVIU and one required a repeat urethroplasty.

Discussion

The most popular techniques for urethroplasty in the UK are augmentation urethroplasty using a buccal mucosal graft and anastomotic urethroplasty, both of which we describe. There are variations in what is deemed as successful surgery. The most widely used definition is ‘the lack of need for any further operative intervention’. We have recently adopted Patient Reported Outcome Measures using a validated questionnaire to measure the patients perception of a successful outcome. Complex strictures have a higher incidence of complications. 42% of our cohort were complex and we describe results comparable to the published literature.
Using academic mathematical knowledge when working on interface tasks–analyses of pre-service teachers’ arguments about rotationally symmetric figures
Authors: Hoffmann Max , Biehler Rolf
Published: September 2024

Special tasks for pre-service teachers (PSTs) in university mathematics courses (“interface tasks”) are a common innovation in recent years to overcome the second discontinuity. By this, we mean tasks that are situated by typical everyday challenges of mathematics teaching and in which PSTs must use their mathematical knowledge and skills in a professionally relevant way. In this paper, we analyze answers that PSTs have created to an interface task on symmetry. The PSTs were asked to clarify a student’s question from a mathematical perspective and then give a suitable elementarized answer. We situate these two steps theoretically and reconstruct the mathematical reasoning in PSTs' answers. Through qualitative content analysis, we examined how PSTs justify figures' symmetries from a university mathematics perspective and when responding to the fictitious student. The scenario of a student questioning the existence of 100° rotationally symmetrical figures elicited rich and varied responses, proving suitable for an interface task. We compared PSTs' reasoning related to mathematical clarification with the reasoning related to elementarization. In many cases, this revealed a productive use of course content. An interesting result is that there is no uniform picture as to whether the arguments are more detailed in the mathematical clarification or in the elementarization.
Application of random survival forest to establish a nomogram combining clinlabomics-score and clinical data for predicting brain metastasis in primary lung cancer
Authors: Shi Zhongxiang , Chen Yixin , Liu Aoyu , Zeng Jingya , Xie Wanlin , Lin Xin , Cheng Yangyang , Xu Huimin , Zhou Jialing , Gao Shan , Feng Chunyuan , Zhang Hongxia , Sun Yihua
Published: September 2024

Purpose

To establish a nomogram for predicting brain metastasis (BM) in primary lung cancer at 12, 18, and 24 months after initial diagnosis.

Methods

In this study, we included 428 patients who were diagnosed with primary lung cancer at Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital between January 2020 and January 2022. The endpoint event was BM. The patients were randomly categorized into two groups in a 7:3 ratio: training (n = 299) and validation (n = 129) sets. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator was utilized to analyze the laboratory test results in the training set. Furthermore, clinlabomics-score was determined using regression coefficients. Then, clinlabomics-score was combined with clinical data to construct a nomogram using random survival forest (RSF) and Cox multivariate regression. Then, various methods were used to evaluate the performance of the nomogram.

Results

Five independent predictive factors (pathological type, diameter, lymph node metastasis, non-lymph node metastasis and clinlabomics-score) were used to construct the nomogram. In the validation set, the bootstrap C-index was 0.7672 (95% CI 0.7092–0.8037), 12-month AUC was 0.787 (95% CI 0.708–0.865), 18-month AUC was 0.809 (95% CI 0.735–0.884), and 24-month AUC was 0.858 (95% CI 0.792–0.924). In addition, the calibration curve, decision curve analysis and Kaplan–Meier curves revealed a good performance of the nomogram.

Conclusions

Finally, we constructed and validated a nomogram to predict BM risk in primary lung cancer. Our nomogram can identify patients at high risk of BM and provide a reference for clinical decision-making at different disease time points.
Understanding involvement in environmental activism: relationships to pathological narcissistic grandiosity, virtue signaling, dominance, and sensation seeking
Authors: Krispenz Ann , Bertrams Alex
Published: September 2024

In a pre-registered study, we sought initial evidence for the relationship between pathological narcissistic grandiosity and involvement in environmental activism. This relationship was predicted based on the dark-ego-vehicle principle (DEVP) for which research is currently still rare. Using a socio-demographically diverse US sample (N = 1,145), we not only aimed at conceptually replicating previous findings on the DEVP but also at examining differential patterns of narcissistic engagement in environmental activism. In particular, we expected higher pathological narcissistic grandiosity to be more strongly related to greater engagement in environmental leadership actions than to greater engagement in environmental participatory actions. Results support the validity of the DEVP by showing that higher pathological narcissistic grandiosity was related to greater involvement in environmental activism, even above and beyond relevant covariates (i.e., pathological narcissistic vulnerability, age, and gender). Also, we found positive relationships between involvement in environmental activism and typical correlates of pathological narcissistic grandiosity (i.e., virtue signaling, dominance, and sensation seeking). Contrary to our predictions, we did not find the relationship between pathological narcissistic grandiosity and environmental activism to be more intense for environmental leadership actions compared to environmental participatory actions. These results are discussed considering the DEVP.
Multi-method dating reveals 200 ka of Middle Palaeolithic occupation at Maras rock shelter, Rhône Valley, France
Authors: Richard Maïlys , del Val Miren , Fewlass Helen , Sinet-Mathiot Virginie , Lanos Philippe , Pons-Branchu Edwige , Puaud Simon , Hublin Jean-Jacques , Moncel Marie-Hélène
Published: September 2024

The emergence of the Middle Palaeolithic, and its variability over time and space are key questions in the field of prehistoric archaeology. Many sites have been documented in the south-eastern margins of the Massif central and the middle Rhône valley, a migration path that connects Northern Europe with the Mediterranean. Well-dated, long stratigraphic sequences are essential to understand Neanderthals dynamics and demise, and potential interactions with Homo sapiens in the area, such as the one displayed at the Maras rock shelter (“Abri du Maras”). The site is characterised by exceptional preservation of archaeological remains, including bones dated using radiocarbon (14C) and teeth using electron spin resonance combined with uranium series (ESR/U-series). Optically stimulated luminescence was used to date the sedimentary deposits. By combining the new ages with previous ones using Bayesian modelling, we are able to clarify the occupation time over a period spanning 200,000 years. Between ca. 250 and 40 ka, the site has been used as a long-term residence by Neanderthals, specifically during three interglacial periods: first during marine isotopic stage (MIS) 7, between 247 ± 34 and 223 ± 33 ka, and then recurrently during MIS 5 (between 127 ± 17 and 90 ± 9 ka) and MIS 3 (up to 39,280 cal BP).
Induction and maintenance of mucosal healing in Crohn’s disease with ustekinumab in clinical practice across all care levels in Germany (MUCUS)
Authors: Baumgart Daniel C. , Stallmach Andreas , Grunert Philip , Schubert Stefan , Howaldt Stefanie , von Arnim Ulrike , Ochsenkühn Thomas , Stein Jürgen , Lügering Andreas , Schmidt Daniel , Schulz Marten , Fischer Andreas
Published: September 2024

The impact of ustekinumab (UST) on mucosal- and fistula healing and extraintestinal manifestations (EIM) in Crohn’s disease (CD) were not fully elucidated in the registration trials. In this prospective, multicenter study (EudraCT number: 2017-005151-83) we evaluated the German label real-world-effectiveness of UST to achieve the primary endpoint of combined clinical and endoscopic response at week 52 and several secondary endpoints. Of 79 screened we enrolled 52 patients (female n = 28, bionaïve n = 13, biologic n = 39). At week 52 (per protocol analysis), 52% (n = 13/25) of patients achieved the primary endpoint [50% (n = 3/6) in the bionaïve, 45.5% (n = 5/11) biologic, 62.5% (n = 5/8 ) multiple biologics cohorts, respectively with age as independent predictor [OR 95% CI 0.933 (0.873, 0.998) p = 0.043], 60% (n = 15/25) achieved endoscopic response [50% (n = 3/6) in the bionaïve, 54.5% (n = 6/11) biologic, 75% (n = 6/8) multiple biologics cohorts, respectively], 36% (n = 9/25) achieved endoscopic remission [50% (n = 3/6) in the bionaïve, 27.3% (n = 3/11) biologic, 37.5% (n = 3/8) multiple biologics cohorts, respectively], 48% (n = 12/25) achieved mucosal healing [50% (n = 3/6) in the bionaïve, 36.4% (n = 4/11) biologic, 62.5% (n = 5/8) multiple biologics cohorts, respectively]. All achieved a fistula response and 33.3% (n = 1/3) in the multiple biologics group fistula remission at week 52. EIM decreased (week 0 28.2% vs. week 52 8%). CRP, FCP, PRO-2, EQ-5D-5L improved throughout. 36 patients (69.2%) experienced ≥ 1 treatment emergent adverse event, in 8 (15.4%) cases rated as severe and in 5 (9.6%) leading to UST discontinuation, but no very severe events or deaths. The effectiveness of UST was better than in the registration trials.
Increasing extreme precipitation variability plays a key role in future record-shattering event probability
Authors: de Vries Iris , Sippel Sebastian , Zeder Joel , Fischer Erich , Knutti Reto
Published: September 2024

Climate events that break records by large margins are a threat to society and ecosystems. Climate change is expected to increase the probability of such events, but quantifying these probabilities is challenging due to natural variability and limited data availability, especially for observations and very rare extremes. Here we estimate the probability of precipitation events that shatter records by a margin of at least one pre-industrial standard deviation. Using large ensemble climate simulations and extreme value theory, we determine empirical and analytical record shattering probabilities and find they are in high agreement. We show that, particularly in high emission scenarios, models project much higher record-shattering precipitation probabilities in a changing relative to a stationary climate by the end of the century for almost all the global land, with the strongest increases in vulnerable regions in the tropics. We demonstrate that increasing variability is an essential driver of near-term increases in record-shattering precipitation probability, and present a framework that quantifies the influence of combined trends in mean and variability on record-shattering behaviour in extreme precipitation. Probability estimates of record-shattering precipitation events in a warming world are crucial to inform risk assessment and adaptation policies.
Multidisciplinary approaches in electronic nicotine delivery systems pulmonary toxicology: emergence of living and non-living bioinspired engineered systems
Authors: Benam Kambez H.
Published: September 2024

Technology-based platforms offer crucial support for regulatory agencies in overseeing tobacco products to enhance public health protection. The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), such as electronic cigarettes, has surged exponentially over the past decade. However, the understanding of the impact of ENDS on lung health remains incomplete due to scarcity of physiologically relevant technologies for evaluating their toxicity. This review examines the societal and public health impacts of ENDS, prevalent preclinical approaches in pulmonary space, and the application of emerging Organ-on-Chip technologies and bioinspired robotics for assessing ENDS respiratory toxicity. It highlights challenges in ENDS inhalation toxicology and the value of multidisciplinary bioengineering approaches for generating reliable, human-relevant regulatory data at an accelerated pace.
Polarized metal–metal multiple bonding and reactivity of phosphinoamide-bridged heterobimetallic group IV/cobalt compounds
Authors: Hunter Nathanael H. , Thomas Christine M.
Published: September 2024

Trends in metal–metal bonding and reactivity among phosphinoamide-bridged M/Co heterobimetallic complexes are summarized.
Asymmetric imidazole-4,5-dicarboxamide derivatives as SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors: design, synthesis and biological evaluation
Authors: Huynh Phuong Nguyen Hoai , Khamplong Phatcharin , Phan Minh-Hoang , Nguyen Thanh-Phuc , Vu Phuong Ngoc Lan , Tang Quang-Vinh , Chamsodsai Phumin , Seetaha Supaphorn , Tuong Truong Lam , Vu Thien Y. , Vo Duc-Duy , Choowongkomon Kiattawee , Vo Cam-Van T.
Published: September 2024

Novel asymmetric imidazole-4,5-dicarboxamide derivatives were synthesized, evaluated for SARS-CoV-2 MPro inhibitory activity in vitro, and investigated for binding ability in silico.
Glycerol-derived ethers enable hydrogen-free reductive catalytic fractionation of softwood lignin into functionalized aromatic monomers
Authors: Ekeoma Bernard C. , Bara Jason E. , Sheehan James D.
Published: September 2024

H2-free RCF with glycerol-derived ethers facilitates the production of functionalized aromatic monomers.
SRL‐ProtoNet: Self‐supervised representation learning for few‐shot remote sensing scene classification
Authors: Liu Bing , Zhao Hongwei , Li Jiao , Gao Yansheng , Zhang Jianrong
Published: September 2024

Using a deep learning method to classify a large amount of labelled remote sensing scene data produces good performance. However, it is challenging for deep learning based methods to generalise to classification tasks with limited data. Few‐shot learning allows neural networks to classify unseen categories when confronted with a handful of labelled data. Currently, episodic tasks based on meta‐learning can effectively complete few‐shot classification, and training an encoder that can conduct representation learning has become an important component of few‐shot learning. An end‐to‐end few‐shot remote sensing scene classification model based on ProtoNet and self‐supervised learning is proposed. The authors design the Pre‐prototype for a more discrete feature space and better integration with self‐supervised learning, and also propose the ProtoMixer for higher quality prototypes with a global receptive field. The authors’ method outperforms the existing state‐of‐the‐art self‐supervised based methods on three widely used benchmark datasets: UC‐Merced, NWPU‐RESISC45, and AID. Compare with previous state‐of‐the‐art performance. For the one‐shot setting, this method improves by 1.21%, 2.36%, and 0.84% in AID, UC‐Merced, and NWPU‐RESISC45, respectively. For the five‐shot setting, this method surpasses by 0.85%, 2.79%, and 0.74% in the AID, UC‐Merced, and NWPU‐RESISC45, respectively.
Optimizing traffic signal control for continuous‐flow intersections: Benchmarking against a state‐of‐practice model
Authors: Hu Yining , Rey David , Mohajerpoor Reza , Saberi Meead
Published: September 2024

Continuous‐flow intersections (CFI), also known as displaced left‐turn (DLT) intersections, aim to improve the efficiency and safety of traffic junctions. A CFI introduces additional cross‐over intersections upstream of the main intersection to split the left‐turn flow from the through movement before it arrives at the main intersection which decreases the number of conflict points between left‐turn and through movements. This study develops and examine a two‐step optimization model for CFI traffic signal control design and demonstrates its performance across more than 300 different travel demand scenarios. The proposed model is compared against a state‐of‐practice CFI signal control model as a benchmark. Microsimulation results suggest that the proposed model reduces average delay by 17% and average queue length by 32% for a full CFI compared with the benchmark signal control model.
Wind energy system fault classification using deep CNN and improved PSO‐tuned extreme gradient boosting
Authors: Lee Chun‐Yao , Maceren Edu Daryl C.
Published: September 2024

Intelligent fault diagnosis for wind energy systems requires identifying unique characteristics to differentiate various fault types effectively, even when data discrepancy occurs due to the unpredictable and dynamic nature of its environment. This article addresses some of the challenges of fault classification in wind energy systems by proposing an integrated approach that combines deep learning features with a resampled supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) dataset. The methodology involves resampling the imbalanced SCADA dataset using synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) and near‐miss undersampling techniques, extracting deep learning features using deep convolutional neural network, and feeding them into an XGBoost (extreme gradient boosting) classifier with tuned parameters using adaptive elite‐particle swarm optimization (AEPSO). The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through validation conducted on a different imbalanced dataset showing superior performance metrics in terms of accuracy. Additionally, the study contributes to methodological advancements in wind turbine fault diagnosis by providing a rigorous framework for fault classification. It is confirmed that utilizing the extracted deep learning features into the resampled data can significantly affect the classification performance metrics. Furthermore, the proposed integrated approach shows significance for fault diagnosis enhancement in wind energy systems and advancing the field towards more efficient and reliable operation.
Energy and helicity evolution in a flux emergence simulation
Authors: Moraitis K. , Archontis V. , Chouliaras G.
Published: September 2024

Aims. The main aim of this work is to study the evolution of the recently introduced relative helicity of the magnetic polarity inversion line (PIL) in a magnetohydrodynamics simulation.

Methods. The simulation used is a typical flux emergence simulation in which there is additionally an oblique, pre-existing magnetic field. The interaction of the emerging and ambient fields produces intense coronal activity, with four jets standing out. The 3D magnetic field allows us to compute various energies and helicities, and to study their evolution during the simulation, especially around the identified jets. We examine the evolution of all quantities in three different regions: in the whole volume, in three separate subvolumes of the whole volume, and in a 2D region around the PIL on the photosphere.

Results. We find that the helicities are in general more responsive to the jets, followed by the free energy. The eruptivity index, the ratio of the current-carrying helicity to the relative helicity, does not show the typical behaviour it has in other cases, as its variations do not follow the production of the jets. By considering the subvolumes we find that the magnetic field gets more potential and less helical with height. The PIL relative helicity confirms the recent results it showed in observed active regions, exhibiting stronger variations during the jets compared to the standard relative helicity. Moreover, the current-carrying helicity around the PIL has a similar behaviour to the PIL relative helicity, and so this quantity could be equally useful in solar eruptivity studies.
Inference of black-hole mass fraction in Galactic globular clusters
Authors: Della Croce A. , Aros F. I. , Vesperini E. , Dalessandro E. , Lanzoni B. , Ferraro F. R. , Bhat B.
Published: September 2024

Context. Globular clusters (GCs) are suggested to host many stellar-mass black holes (BHs) at their centers, thus resulting in ideal testbeds for BH formation and retention theories. BHs are expected to play a major role in GC structural and dynamical evolution and their study has attracted a lot of attention. In recent years, several works attempted to constrain the BH mass fraction in GCs typically by comparing a single observable (for example, mass segregation proxies) with scaling relations obtained from numerical simulations.

Aims. We aim to uncover the possible intrinsic degeneracies in determining the BH mass fraction from single dynamical parameters and identify the possible parameter combinations that are able to break these degeneracies.

Methods. We used a set of 101 Monte Carlo simulations sampling a large grid of initial conditions. In particular, we explored the impact of different BH natal kick prescriptions on widely adopted scaling relations. We then compared the results of our simulations with observations obtained using state-of-the-art HST photometric and astrometric catalogs for a sample of 30 Galactic GCs.

Results. We find that using a single observable to infer the present-day BH mass fraction in GCs is degenerate, as similar values could be attained by simulations including different BH mass fractions. We argue that the combination of mass-segregation indicators with GC velocity dispersion ratios could help us to break this degeneracy efficiently. We show that such a combination of parameters can be derived with currently available data. However, the limited sample of stars with accurate kinematic measures and its impact on the overall errors do not allow us to discern fully different scenarios yet.
H3+ absorption and emission in local (U)LIRGs with JWST/NIRSpec: Evidence for high H2 ionization rates
Authors: Pereira-Santaella Miguel , González-Alfonso Eduardo , García-Bernete Ismael , Donnan Fergus R. , Santa-Maria Miriam G. , Goicoechea Javier R. , Lamperti Isabella , Perna Michele , Rigopoulou Dimitra
Published: September 2024

We study the 3.4 − 4.4 μm fundamental rovibrational band of H3+, a key tracer of the ionization of the molecular interstellar medium (ISM), in a sample of 12 local (d < 400 Mpc) (ultra)luminous infrared galaxies ((U)LIRGs) observed with JWST/NIRSpec. The P, Q, and R branches of the band are detected in 13 out of 20 analyzed regions within these (U)LIRGs, which increases the number of extragalactic H3+ detections by a factor of 6. For the first time in the ISM, the H3+ band is observed in emission; we detect this emission in three regions. In the remaining ten regions, the band is seen in absorption. The absorptions are produced toward the 3.4 − 4.4 μm hot dust continuum rather than toward the stellar continuum, indicating that they likely originate in clouds associated with the dust continuum source. The H3+ band is undetected in Seyfert-like (U)LIRGs where the mildly obscured X-ray radiation from the active galactic nuclei might limit the abundance of this molecule. For the detections, the H3+ abundances, N(H3+)/NH = (0.5 − 5.5)×10−7, imply relatively high ionization rates, ζH2, of between 3 × 10−16 and > 4 × 10−15 s−1, which are likely associated with high-energy cosmic rays. In half of the targets, the absorptions are blueshifted by 50–180 km s−1, which is lower than the molecular outflow velocities measured using other tracers such as OH 119 μm or rotational CO lines. This suggests that H3+ traces gas close to the outflow-launching sites before it has been fully accelerated. We used nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium models to investigate the physical conditions of these clouds. In seven out of ten objects, the H3+ excitation is consistent with inelastic collisions with H2 in warm translucent molecular clouds (Tkin ∼ 250–500 K and n(H2) ∼102 − 3 cm−3). In three objects, dominant infrared pumping excitation is required to explain the absorptions from the (3,0) and (2,1) levels of H3+ detected for the first time in the ISM.
Patients with Pulmonary Artery Reconstruction or Double Sleeve Resection Show Inferior Survival than Patients with Bronchial Sleeve Resection for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Herrmann Dominik , Gencheva-Bozhkova Plamena , Starova Urim , Luta Luiza Alexandra , Hamouri Shadi , Ewig Santiago , Oggiano Melanie , Hecker Erich , Scheubel Robert
Published: September 2024

Sleeve lobectomy or resection with pulmonary artery reconstruction is a technique that allows for resection of locally advanced central lung carcinoma, preserving lung function, and is associated with lower morbidity and mortality than pneumonectomy. This survey aimed to assess the long-term survival comparing different types of sleeve lobectomy and identify risk factors affecting survival.

All consecutive patients who underwent anatomical resection for primary non-small cell lung cancer with bronchial sleeve or pulmonary artery reconstruction in our department between September 2003 and September 2021 were included in this study. Cases with carinal sleeve pneumonectomy were excluded. Data were evaluated retrospectively.

Bronchial sleeve resection was performed in 227 patients, double sleeve resection in 67 patients, and 45 cases underwent isolated lobectomy with pulmonary artery reconstruction. The mean follow-up was 33.5 months. The 5-year survival was 58.5% for patients after bronchial sleeve, 43.2% after double sleeve, and 36.8% after resection with vascular reconstruction. The difference in overall survival of these three groups was statistically significant (p = 0.012). However, the UICC stage was higher in cases with double sleeve resection or resection with vascular reconstruction (p = 0.016). Patients with lymph node metastases showed shorter overall survival (p = 0.033). The 5-year survival rate was 60.1% for patients with N0 and 47% for patients with N1 and N2 status. Induction therapy, vascular sleeve resection, and double sleeve resection were independent adverse predictors for overall survival in multivariate analysis.

Sleeve lobectomy and resection with vascular reconstruction are safe procedures with good long-term survival. However, double sleeve resection and vascular sleeve resection were adverse predictors of survival, possibly due to a higher UICC stage in these patients.
Knowledge and Awareness of Pelvic Floor Disorders and Rehabilitation in Postpartum Women: An Observational Study
Authors: Mahishale Arati , Parikh Zankhana
Published: September 2024

Background The prevalence of pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) is considerably high, yet, only a handful of women seek help as most of them accept it as a consequence of pregnancy, childbirth, and as a part of aging process. Pelvic floor physiotherapy is considered primary treatment for management of PFDs. Inadequate knowledge is a major obstacle in seeking appropriate treatment. The present study intends to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of PFDs and rehabilitation in postpartum women.

Methodology The study comprised of 316 postpartum women from a tertiary care center in Belagavi district. Data was collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire about PFDs and questions to assess awareness of pelvic floor physiotherapy.

Outcome Measures Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire which comprises of 42 questions, divided in 4 domains, about bladder, bowel, prolapse, and sexual function was used along with 6 self-designed questions about pelvic floor physiotherapy, to evaluate the knowledge of PFDs and rehabilitation.

Results The statistical analysis was done using the SPSS software version 26. The prevalence of PFDs was 63.6% with bladder component affected in 54.11%, bowel in 26.8%, prolapse symptoms in 2.21%, and sexual function in 22% postpartum women. They lacked knowledge regarding PFDs and rehabilitation with 84.4% considering the symptoms as normal and only 5.69% aware about pelvic floor physiotherapy.

Conclusion The study concludes that there is a high prevalence of PFDs and a substantial lack of knowledge and awareness regarding PFDs and its rehabilitation.
Comparing the Accuracy of Patient-Specific Guide and Universal Guide for Distal Femoral Osteotomy in Dogs
Authors: Cheon Jaeeon , Kang Jinsu , Kim Namsoo , Heo Suyoung
Published: September 2024

Objective To introduce a novel universal guide design for distal femoral osteotomy (DFO) to treat femoral deformities and other hindlimb orthopaedic diseases, and to compare its accuracy to the patient-specific guide in vitro and ex vivo on X-ray and computed tomography (CT).

Methods Thirteen anatomic specimens of canine femurs and 13 3D-printed femoral bone models were subjected to DFO using a patient-specific and a universal guide. The anatomical lateral distal femoral angle and anteversion angle were measured on radiographic and CT images before and after surgical procedure and used to compare the accuracy of the surgical guides in treating uniplanar or biplanar deformities. Bone models were used to compare the accuracy with ex vivo models.

Results The mean correction errors were −1.18° to 0.72° on X-ray and −1.91° to 0.53° on CT scan. The analysis showed no statistically significant difference in the mean error between the groups based on type of guide used, nor in the mean error between groups based on whether anteversion correction was performed based on both the CT and X-ray imaging data.

Conclusion Both the patient-specific and universal guides can produce accurate results in DFO surgery, and the universal guide shows potential as a useful surgical tool.
Priority rules for handling containers to improve energy consumption and terminal efficiency
Authors: Giulianetti Alessia , Sciomachen Anna
Published: September 2024

This paper addresses the optimization of the yard crane handling processes in a container terminal to reduce energy consumption and improve overall system performance. More precisely, the paper presents and evaluates different sequencing rules, based on predefined priorities, to organize the rail yard to minimize moves during the rail loading operations. The minimization of overall energy consumption and maximum tardiness are considered, simultaneously assessing these two components of the objective function to better understand how they interact and how they can be optimized together. As a novel issue in optimization, a hill climbing algorithm is implemented, searching for the yard configuration that most improves the efficiency of container handling while being able to integrate different management rules of the terminal. The reference case study is the PSA Pra terminal in Genoa, Italy. A full rail yard with known delivery times, and crane operating along a single stack, is the operative scenario. Random due time sequences are generated during test instances, while technical data of crane are used. Moreover, crane movements involve both loading and unloading along multiple axes. From the results, the best priority rules improve energy consumption and lateness of the initial configuration of the yard by up to 55%, thus allowing the terminal management to reorganize the storage areas accordingly and improve their efficiency. The proposed priority rules bridge the gap between theoretical optimization procedures and container terminal practices.
Multimodal optical ultrasound imaging: Real-time imaging under concurrent CT or MRI
Authors: Watt Fraser T. , Muthurangu Vivek , Steeden Jennifer , Mackle Eleanor C. , Desjardins Adrien E. , Zhang Edward Z. , Beard Paul C. , Alles Erwin J.
Published: September 2024

Optical ultrasound (OpUS) imaging is an ultrasound modality that utilizes fiber-optic ultrasound sources and detectors to perform pulse-echo ultrasound imaging. These probes can be constructed entirely from glass optical fibers and plastic components, and as such, these devices have been predicted to be compatible with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), modalities that use intense electromagnetic fields for imaging. However, to date, this compatibility has not been demonstrated. In this work, a free-hand OpUS imaging system was developed specifically to investigate the compatibility of OpUS systems with CT and MRI imaging systems. The OpUS imaging platform discussed in this work was used to perform real-time OpUS imaging under (separately) concurrent CT and MRI. CT and MRI imaging of the OpUS probe was used to determine if the probe itself would induce artifacts in the CT and MRI imaging, and ultrasound resolution targets and background measurements were used to assess any impact of CT and MRI on the OpUS signal fidelity. These measurements demonstrate that there was negligible interaction between the OpUS system and both the CT and MRI systems, and to further demonstrate this capability, concurrent OpUS-CT and OpUS-MRI imaging was conducted of a tissue-mimicking phantom and a dynamic motion phantom. This work presents a comprehensive demonstration of an OpUS imaging system operating alongside CT and MRI, which opens up new applications of ultrasound imaging in electromagnetically challenging settings.
Interoceptive signals shape the earliest markers and neural pathway to awareness at the visual threshold
Authors: Leupin Viviana , Britz Juliane
Published: September 2024

Variations in interoceptive signals from the baroreceptors (BRs) across the cardiac and respiratory cycle can modulate cortical excitability and so affect awareness. It remains debated at what stages of processing they affect awareness-related event-related potentials (ERPs) in different sensory modalities. We investigated the influence of the cardiac (systole/diastole) and the respiratory (inhalation/exhalation) phase on awareness-related ERPs. Subjects discriminated visual threshold stimuli while their electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, and respiration were simultaneously recorded. We compared ERPs and their intracranial generators for stimuli classified correctly with and without awareness as a function of the cardiac and respiratory phase. Cyclic variations of interoceptive signals from the BRs modulated both the earliest electrophysiological markers and the trajectory of brain activity when subjects became aware of the stimuli: an early sensory component (P1) was the earliest marker of awareness for low (diastole/inhalation) and a perceptual component (visual awareness negativity) for high (systole/exhalation) BR activity, indicating that BR signals interfere with the sensory processing of the visual input. Likewise, activity spread from the primary visceral cortex (posterior insula) to posterior parietal cortices during high and from associative interoceptive centers (anterior insula) to the prefrontal cortex during low BR activity. Consciousness is thereby resolved in cognitive/associative regions when BR is low and in perceptual centers when it is high. Our results suggest that cyclic fluctuations of BR signaling affect both the earliest markers of awareness and the brain processes underlying conscious awareness.
A review of a decade of scaffolding practices for learning in CLIL science classrooms
Authors: Nashaat-Sobhy Nashwa , Mestre-Mestre Eva M. , MacDonald Penny
Published: September 2024

This systematic review examines scaffolding practices in science instruction within Content and Language
Integrated Learning (CLIL) environments, where English as a foreign language is the medium of instruction (L2). Adopting PRISMA
guidelines, 1,052 records were identified, of which 19 were eligible for inclusion. Our analysis shows the essentiality of
rediscursification (modifying instructional discourse) and transsemiotization (combining semiotic resources to enhance the
message). It also shows variability in the discourse around translanguaging (the fluid use of languages) across contexts, and that
preferences for scaffolding practices are shaped by cultural dispositions. The majority of the studies were non-experimental and
focused on vocabulary, with only a minority applying heuristics designed for integrating content and language. We raise the
question whether some multimodal resources and students’ first languages truly promote science literacy in CLIL. Finally, we
provide research-based implications for science CLIL teachers and trainers to support deeper learning in the L2 science
classroom.
Improved Chua’s chaotic system with a novel memristor: generating multi-scroll hidden attractors and applications in image encryption
Authors: Ding Pengfei , Zhang Juan , Zhu Jingge
Published: September 2024

In this paper, a new method for generating multi-scroll chaotic attractors by introducing a new memristor model into an improved Chua’s system is presented. The dynamic characteristics of the system are analyzed, including equilibria and stability, bifurcation diagrams, Lyapunov exponents and phase diagrams. Strikingly, it can exhibit three-scroll, four-scroll and five-scroll hidden attractors by only changing one system parameter and different shapes of chaotic attractors coexist with the same parameter. Furthermore, the high randomness of the system is verified through 0–1 test and NIST test. By using the high randomness of the system, an image encryption algorithm (IEA) is designed to guarantee the secure and efficient transmission of digital images. This IEA uses whirlpool transformation to scramble pixel positions and DNA computation to diffuse pixel values. The simulation and performance analysis results indicate that the proposed IEA has high security and reliable encryption performance, which in turn confirms the availability of the new memristor-based Chua’s chaotic system.
Simulation on the hollow cathode discharge in hydrogen
Authors: He Shoujie , Zhang Hong , Qi Renjie , Zhou Jia , Jia Liu , Li Qing
Published: September 2024

A rectangular hollow cathode discharge (HCD) in hydrogen with a pressure of 2 Torr is simulated using a 2-D fluid model. The potential, electric field, particle density, and average electron temperature are calculated. The discharge space consists of the cathode sheath region near the cathode electrode and the negative glow (NG) region in the central region of the discharge cell. A high electric field of thousands of V/cm and a low electric field of tens of V/cm appear in the cathode sheath region and NG region, respectively. The average electron temperature in the cathode sheath region is tens of eV, which is significantly higher than that in the NG region. Electrons and H3
+ are the main negative particles and positive ions, whose peaks appear in the NG region, and the peak magnitude is on the order of 1010 cm−3. H atom is the highest-density neutral particle other than H2 with a peak density of 1013 cm−3. The reaction kinetics of the generation and consumption of different particles are explored. The results show that each reaction generates certain particles while consuming other particles, ultimately achieving a dynamic equilibrium in the density of various particles. The electrons mainly originate from the ground state ionization between electron and H2 (e+H2 → e+H2
++e) and are consumed by the dissociative attachment (e+H2 → H−+H). The charge transfer collision reaction (H2
++H2 → H3
++H) is the only reaction that produces H3
+ ions. Different reactions to the consumption of H3
+ ions do not differ significantly. The generation and consumption of H mainly originate from the electron collision dissociation reaction (e+H2 → e+H+H) and the ionization reaction (e+H→H++2e).
Effective and efficient coded aperture cone-beam computed tomography via generative adversarial U-Net
Authors: Mao Tianyi , Liang Lei , Gao Caijie , Bian Chuanzhen , Wang Dongmiao , Zhu Shujin , Dai Xiubin
Published: September 2024

Coded aperture cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) represents a crucial method for acquiring high-fidelity three-dimensional (3D) tomographic images while reducing radiation exposure. However, projections are non-uniformly and discontinuously sampled with the coded apertures placed in front of the x-ray source, leading to very small reconstruction scale and time-intensive iterations. In this study, an alternative approach to reconstruct coded aperture CBCT based on generative adversarial U-net is proposed to effectively and efficiently reconstruct large scale 3D CBCT images. Our method entails predicting complete and uniform projections from incomplete and non-uniform coded projections, enabling the requirement of continuity for the use of analytical algorithms in 3D image reconstruction. This novel technique effectively mitigates the traditional trade-off between image fidelity and computational complexity inherent in conventional coded aperture CBCT reconstruction methods. Our experimental results, conducted using clinical datasets comprising CBCT images from 102 patients at Nanjing Medical University, demonstrate that high-quality CBCT images with voxel dimensions of 400 × 400 × 400 can be reconstructed within 35 s, even when 95% of projections are blocked, yielding images with PSNR values exceeding 25dB and SSIM values surpassing 0.85.
Salient object detection with bayesian inference based on radar and camera fusion used in UAV obstacle avoidance
Authors: Wang Xiyue , Wang Xinsheng , Zhou Zhiquan , Song Yanhong
Published: September 2024

Most existing salient object detection methods are sensitive to background noise and rely on prior information in UAV obstacle avoidance applications despite detection methods witnessing rapid progress. In this paper, we propose an efficient framework for salient object detection based on radar-camera fusion and iterative Bayesian optimization. A rough salient object (RSO) image is first built through radar and camera calibration. Next, the RSO image is used to calculate the edge response based on the receptive field mechanism of the primary visual cortex to construct the contour image. Finally, the above two images and the 2D Gaussian distribution are jointly integrated into an iterative Bayesian optimization scheme to get the final salient object image. Different from typical detection methods, this method suppresses background noise by filtering out irrelevant pixels using fusion information. The Bayesian inference framework’s detection performance is improved by precise spatial prior, consisting of optimized contour and RSO images. Experimental results indicate that the presented algorithm performs well against state-of-the-art salient object detection methods on several reference datasets in different evaluation metrics.
Developing novel wormhole metrics in finsler-randers geometry using the barthel connection and osculating-riemannian method
Authors: Praveen J , Narasimhamurthy S K
Published: September 2024

In this research, we focus on modelling a wormhole using Finsler-Randers geometry. By applying the Barthel connection from the range of Finslerian connections, we have developed a new wormhole metric, termed the osculating Barthel-Finsler-Randers metric, through the osculating-Riemannian method within the Finsler-Randers framework. The fundamental field equations are formulated in terms of the obtained metric tensor characterised by η(r), which plays a pivotal role in characterizing the anisotropy of the model. To explore the application of Finsler geometry in addressing the existence of a wormhole, we adopt an exponential shape function. Further, in order to streamline the computational aspects of our analysis, and to discuss the effect of anisotropy effect of Finsler Rander geometry, we adopt a specific functional form for the anisotropic parameter

η
(
r
)
=
a

r

n

,

where α is a constant with implications for the anisotropy, among various possibilities for η(r) a non-zero analytical component of vector field in Randers metric. In addition, we consider three distinct values for the exponent n = −1, 0, and 1 and subsequently, we proceed to develop two distinct models for each of these three values of n with constant and non-constant redshift function. We analyse the physical implications of η(r) on the energy conditions. Our results demonstrate the crucial impact of anisotropy on the stability and structure of wormholes, emphasizing the requirement of exotic matter under specific conditions. This research deepens the understanding of wormhole physics within Finsler geometry, shedding light on the theoretical frameworks essential for the existence and stability of these cosmic structures.
Ab initio study of Z(N) = 6 magicity*
Authors: Li 李 He 贺 , Ong H. J. , Fang 房 Dong-Liang 栋梁 , Mazur I. A. , Shin I. J. , Shirokov A. M. , Vary J. P. , Yin 尹 Peng 鹏 , Zhao 赵 Xing-Bo 行波 , Zuo 左 Wei 维
Published: September 2024

The existence of magic numbers of protons and neutrons in nuclei is essential for understanding the nuclear structure and fundamental nuclear forces. Over decades, researchers have conducted theoretical and experimental studies on a new magic number, Z(N)=6, focusing on observables such as radii, binding energy, electromagnetic transition, and nucleon separation energies. We performed ab initio no-core shell model calculations for the occupation numbers of the lowest single particle states in the ground states of Z(N)=6 and Z(N)=8 isotopes (isotones). The results of our calculations do not support Z(N)=6 as a magic number over a range of atomic numbers. However, 14C and 14O exhibit the characteristics of double-magic nuclei.