bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glass‐Like Phonon Dynamics and Thermal Transport in a GeTe Nano‐Composite at Low Temperature
Authors: Cravero R. , Tlili A. , Paterson J. , Tomelleri M. , Marcello P. , Debord R. , Pailhès S. , Bourgeois O. , Hippert F. , Le Qui D. , Raty J.‐Y. , Noe P. , Giordano V. M.
Published: April 2024

In this work, the experimental evidence of glass‐like phonon dynamics and thermal conductivity in a nanocomposite made of GeTe and amorphous carbon is reported, which is of interest for microelectronics, and specifically phase change memories. It is shown that, the total thermal conductivity is reduced by a factor of three at room temperature with respect to pure GeTe, due to the reduction of both electronic and phononic contributions. This latter, similarly to glasses, is small and weakly increasing with temperature between 100 and 300 K, indicating a mostly diffusive thermal transport and reaching a value of 0.86(7) Wm−1K−1 at room temperature. A thorough investigation of the nanocomposite's phonon dynamics reveals the appearance of an excess intensity in the low energy vibrational density of states, reminiscent of the Boson peak in glasses. These features can be understood in terms of an enhanced phonon scattering at the interfaces, due to the presence of elastic heterogeneities, at wavelengths in the 2–20 nm range. The findings confirm recent simulation results on crystalline/amorphous nanocomposites and open new perspectives in phonon and thermal engineering through the direct manipulation of elastic heterogeneities.
Photo‐Driven Ion Directional Transport across Artificial Ion Channels: Band Engineering of WS2 via Peptide Modification
Authors: Jin Xiaoyan , Zeng Yabing , Zhou Min , Quan Di , Jia Meijuan , Liu Biying , Cai Kaicong , Kang Lei , Kong Xiang‐Yu , Wen Liping , Jiang Lei
Published: April 2024

Biological photo‐responsive ion channels play important roles in the important metabolic processes of living beings. To mimic the unique functions of biological prototypes, the transition metal dichalcogenides, owing to their excellent mechanical, electrical, and optical properties, are already used for artificial intelligent channel constructions. However, there remain challenges to building artificial bio‐semiconductor nanochannels with finely tuned band gaps for accurately simulating or regulating ion transport. Here, two well‐designed peptides are employed for the WS2 nanosheets functionalization with the sequences of PFPFPFPFC and DFDFDFDFC (PFC and DFC; P: proline, D: aspartate, and F: phenylalanine) through cysteine (Cys, C) linker, and an asymmetric peptide‐WS2 membrane (AP‐WS2M) could be obtained via self‐assembly of peptide‐WS2 nanosheets. The AP‐WS2M could realize the photo‐driven anti‐gradient ion transport and vis‐light enhanced osmotic energy conversion by well‐designed working patterns. The photo‐driven ion transport mechanism stems from a built‐in photovoltaic motive force with the help of formed type II band alignment between the PFC‐WS2 and DFC‐WS2. As a result, the ions would be driven across the channels of the membrane for different applications. The proposed system provides an effective solution for building photo‐driven biomimetic 2D bio‐semiconductor ion channels, which could be extensively applied in the fields of drug delivery, desalination, and energy conversion.
Intramolecular Quaternary Carbon Nitride Homojunction for Enhanced Visible Light Hydrogen Production
Authors: Zhong Xiang , Zhu Yuxiang , Wang Yan , Jia Zhengtao , Jiang Meng , Sun Qiufan , Yao Jianfeng
Published: April 2024

In this work, an intramolecular carbon nitride (CN)‐based quaternary homojunction functionalized with pyridine rings is prepared via an in situ alkali‐assisted copolymerization strategy of bulk CN and 2‐aminopyridine for efficient visible light hydrogen generation. In the obtained structure, triazine‐based CN (TCN), heptazine‐based CN (HCN), pyridine unit incorporated TCN, and pyridine ring inserted HCN constitute a special multicomponent system and form a built‐in electric field between the crystalline semiconductors by the arrangement of energy band levels. The electron‐withdrawing function of the conjugated heterocycle can trigger the skeleton delocalization and edge induction effect. Highly accelerated photoelectron‐hole transfer rates via multi‐stepwise charge migration pathways are achieved by the synergistic effect of the functional group modification and molecular quaternary homojunction. Under the addition of 5 mg 2‐aminopyridine, the resulting homojunction framework exhibits a significantly improved hydrogen evolution rate of 6.64 mmol g−1 h−1 with an apparent quantum efficiency of 12.27% at 420 nm. Further, the catalyst verifies its potential commercial value since it can produce hydrogen from various real water environments. This study provides a reliable way for the rational design and fabrication of intramolecular multi‐homojunction to obtain high‐efficient photocatalytic reactions.
Quantum encryption of healthcare images: Enhancing security and confidentiality in e‐health systems
Authors: Kadhim Ahmed J. , Atia Tayseer S.
Published: April 2024

Ensuring the security and privacy of patient data in e‐healthcare systems that rely on cloud computation is of utmost importance. Traditional encryption is no longer resistant to quantum attacks and safeguards sensitive medical images. To tackle this issue, robust security countermeasures are proposed by integrating quantum encryption with a cloud‐based healthcare system. The encryption scheme utilizes the Generalized Novel Enhancement Quantum Representation (GNEQR) and the Novel Enhancement Quantum Representation (NEQR) to provide a framework for representing color and grayscale healthcare images. The proposed quantum algorithm uses quantum logic for image scrambling, which is combined with the encryption key by the Xor quantum gate. The encryption key is generated by 9D chaotic and permutated before encryption. Finally, channel re‐ordering is applied for color images. The simulation results for 15 medical tests with an encryption key space >2600 on a developed e‐healthcare system demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed work where the average number of pixels change rates was 99.82, while the unified average change intensity rate was 33.51, entropy was 7.9, the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal correlation coefficients averaged 0.000533333, 0.000706667, and 0.00076, respectively. Finally, the mean squared error (MSE) between the original and encrypted images was 10203.72. These findings improve digital healthcare by revealing the solutions' performance, security, and efficacy.
Calibration‐Free Height Estimation for Person
Authors: Takeda Toshiaki , Bandoh Yukihiro , Kitahara Masaki , Mikami Dan
Published: April 2024

Demand for use of indoor and outdoor surveillance cameras to prevent crime, analyze customer behavior in commercial facilities and other purposes has been increasing. For these types of applications, it is important to be able to estimate information that cannot be observed directly from the images, using the image data. One such type of information is the height of people appearing in the video. People's heights can be used, for example, to help identify a suspect in a crime investigation or as an attribute to understand customers better for marketing. However, many conventional technologies for estimating height from images have required special calibration, or the acquisition of other information in addition to the video. This paper proposes a method for estimating a person's height using only an image, without the need for any special calibration. The key points of the proposed method involve the following two processes. In the first process, a reference object of known size and the person are recognized and the person's height is estimated based on the relative sizes of the person and reference object in the image. The second process involves selecting frames from the video that are appropriate for use in the estimation process. In practical experiments using real video, the method was able to estimate people's heights with an average estimation error of 1.9%. © 2024 The Authors. IEEJ Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Engineering published by Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Providing Proximal Rewards: Rethinking Reading Rewards and Motivation
Authors: Brandt Lorilynn , Gardner Douglas S. , Clark Sarah K.
Published: April 2024

Research shows a general declining trend in reading motivation as students progress through their schooling experience. This qualitative study examines how adjusting practices of rewarding reading can improve reading motivation among students. Teachers are trained in the principles of motivation and introduced to the proximal reward theory (Gambrell, 1996). They are then challenged to come up with ideas for proximal rewards and implement them appropriately for their classrooms, replacing prior incentives of food and prizes. Qualitative data are collected through classroom observations, interviews, and teacher journaling. Outcomes showed teachers' ability to plan and implement appropriate approximal rewards increased as did the teachers' confidence in their effectiveness, while students also increased in motivation for reading tasks.
Evaluation of peritoneal l‐lactate concentration in horses in the early post‐partum period
Authors: Rapezzano Giulia , Marcatili Marco , Stephenson Richard , Pereira Regina , Hallowell Gayle , Duz Marco
Published: April 2024

Background

Peritoneal fluid lactate concentration is an important diagnostic tool in horses with abdominal pain. Information on peritoneal lactate concentrations is lacking following parturition in the mare.

Objectives

To compare blood and peritoneal lactate concentrations in a population of mares within 36 h post‐partum, report a normal reference range and identify any impact of retained foetal membranes (RFMs).

Methods

This is a retrospective study evaluating healthy mares from which blood and peritoneal samples had been obtained within 36 h of parturition. Exclusion criteria included signs of abdominal pain within this period. Data was interrogated for normality using a Shapiro–Wilk test. Wilcoxon signed‐rank test and Bland–Altman analysis were used to compare blood and peritoneal lactate concentrations. Linear regression was used to compare age and breed data with peritoneal lactate concentrations. Significance was defined as p < 0.05.

Results

Forty mares met the inclusion criteria. Mean age was 12.6 ± 4.1 years, and most mares were multiparous (65%). Peritoneal lactate ((1.2 (IQR = 0.9–1.6) mmol/L) was increased compared to blood lactate concentration (0.7 (IQR = 0–1.1)mmol/L; p < 0.001). Plasma total protein (TP) concentrations were 68 (IQR = 64–74) g/L and peritoneal protein concentrations 8 (IQR = 4–9.7) g/L. Six mares developed RFM. The median fold‐increase in peritoneal lactate concentration compared to blood lactate concentration was 0.9 (IQR: 0.01–1.7; range: 0–2.5). The reference range for peritoneal fluid lactate concentration was 0–2.5 mmol/L.

Conclusion

Peritoneal lactate concentrations in healthy post‐partum mares remained within the normal reference range and were not influenced by RFM or parturition. Increased peritoneal lactate in this group warrants further investigation.
Optimising nutrition and consumption for better health: An analysis of noncommunicable disease strategies in the organisation for economic co‐operation and development nations
Authors: Sinimole K. R.
Published: April 2024

The role of nutrition in promoting health and reducing the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is vital, yet both inadequate and excessive food consumption can be detrimental. Moreover, excessive smoking and alcohol consumption contribute to higher mortality rates. Countries have implemented policies, strategies, and awareness campaigns to combat NCD‐related deaths. Within this context, the study aims to assess the relative efficiency of Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) countries in preventing chronic NCDs by considering nutritional supply and smoking and alcohol consumption as inputs. It also seeks to identify countries' best policies and strategies to reduce regular NCD‐related death rates, emphasizing the importance of selecting and implementing adaptive strategies locally. This study employs slack‐based measurement (SBM) data envelopment analysis (SBM‐DEA). The mean efficiency score across the countries is 0.95, with a standard deviation of 0.09, indicating a generally high‐efficiency level. Twenty‐nine countries with an efficiency score of 1 are deemed relatively efficient. Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Korea, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, and the United States did not achieve relative efficiency in NCD management. The findings highlight the importance of considering the unique context of each country when designing and implementing NCD prevention and management strategies. The study emphasizes the need for regular evaluation and appropriate measurement methods to assess the achievement of targets and address implementation challenges. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of adopting a comprehensive, coordinated approach to ensure the effectiveness of NCD policies and underscores the need for flexibility and adaptability in addressing NCDs.
Basics and Definitions
Authors: Münster Sander , Apollonio Fabrizio Ivan , Bluemel Ina , Fallavollita Federico , Foschi Riccardo , Grellert Marc , Ioannides Marinos , Jahn Peter Heinrich , Kurdiovsky Richard , Kuroczyński Piotr , Lutteroth Jan-Eric , Messemer Heike , Schelbert Georg
Published: April 2024

This chapter introduces key concepts of 3D modeling in the humanities. A 3D model can represent a great variety of objects. The objects of 3D modeling of historical architecture are lost or extant buildings, their modifications, and designs that were never executed. These buildings are as much part of the cultural heritage as their plans. The chapter begins with a survey of source-based historical knowledge as the basis of analysis, historic interpretation, and reconstruction of any historical situation. It then addresses modeling in general as a scientific practice, its use in architecture, and the advantages of its digitization.
Scholarly Community
Authors: Münster Sander , Apollonio Fabrizio Ivan , Bluemel Ina , Fallavollita Federico , Foschi Riccardo , Grellert Marc , Ioannides Marinos , Jahn Peter Heinrich , Kurdiovsky Richard , Kuroczyński Piotr , Lutteroth Jan-Eric , Messemer Heike , Schelbert Georg
Published: April 2024

This chapter provides an overview of the scholarly communities in which the digital 3D reconstruction is used as a method. (Visual) digital humanities—besides digital heritage and humanities disciplines such as digital art history or digital archaeology—marks the disciplinary space in which 3D reconstruction in the humanities is discussed and methodologically anchored. The chapter describes whether the method of digital 3D reconstruction can be considered an individual scholarly field and how it would be determined.
Paradoxes: A Natural Deduction Approach
Authors: Tranchini Luca
Published: April 2024

The chapter introduces the Prawitz-Tennant analysis of paradoxes, according to which paradoxes are derivations of a contradiction which cannot be brought into normal form, due to “loops” arising in the process of reduction. After presenting Prawitz’ original formulation of Russell’s paradox, we introduce a simplified presentation of it, and then discuss the relevance of the difference between intuitionistic and classical logic and of structural properties of derivability for the Prawitz-Tennant analysis.
Incorporation
Authors: Barrientos Armando
Published: April 2024

This chapter offers an examination of the incorporation effects of social protection in Latin America. The analysis focuses on two intertwined elements: (i) the features of the ‘critical realignments’ shaping the incorporation effects of the emergent institutions; and (ii) the theories that can be brought to bear to explain change. The main findings from the chapter can be summarised as follows. First, developments in social protection in the region are primarily explained by processes of incorporation and disincorporation of wage earners. Second, in Latin America the incorporation and disincorporation effects of social protection institutions confirm that intra-class (wage earners) fragmentation and aggregation is more important than inter-class coalitions for the politics of welfare institutions. Third, identifying and studying critical realignments is essential to explaining changes in social protection institutions and the resulting processes of incorporation and disincorporation. Fourth, it makes sense to seek to develop theoretical frameworks from an understanding of the Latin American context. Fifth, the literature on the politics of social protection appears to have an in-built elite bias. Focusing on the incorporation effects of social protection institutions shifts attention to wage earners, the primary actors of social protection.
Composite resonances at a 10 TeV muon collider
Authors: Liu Da , Wang Lian-Tao , Xie Ke-Pan
Published: April 2024

Abstract

We investigate the reach for resonances of the composite Higgs models at a 10 TeV μ+μ− collider with up to 10 ab−1 luminosity. The strong dynamics sector is modeled by the minimal coset SO(5)/SO(4), where vector resonances are in (3, 1) of SO(4) and fermions are in (2, 2). Various production and decay channels are studied. For the spin-1 resonances, the projections are made based on the radiative return and vector boson fusion production channels. The muon collider can cover most of the kinematically allowed mass range and can measure the coupling gρ to percent level. For the fermionic resonances (i.e. the top partners), pair production easily covers the resonance mass below 5 TeV, while single production extends the reach to 6 TeV for a small ξ = 0.015.
An optimized basis for hadronic light-by-light scattering
Authors: Hoferichter Martin , Stoffer Peter , Zillinger Maximilian
Published: April 2024

Abstract

We present a new basis for the hadronic light-by-light (HLbL) tensor that is optimized for the evaluation of narrow-resonance contributions to HLbL scattering in the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. As main advantage, kinematic singularities are manifestly absent for pseudoscalar, scalar, and axial-vector states, while the remaining singularities for tensor resonances are minimized, even avoided for special cases, and simple crossing relations among the scalar functions maintained. We scrutinize the properties of this new basis for the scalar-QED pion box, demonstrating that the partial-wave convergence even slightly improves compared to our previous work, and discuss the physical sum rules that ensure basis independence of the HLbL contribution. Finally, we provide explicit expressions for narrow (pseudo-)scalar, axial-vector, and tensor intermediate states in terms of their respective transition form factors.
Sensitivity of octant of θ23, CP violation and mass hierarchy in NOνA with multinucleon and detector effects
Authors: Deka Paramita , Bora Kalpana
Published: April 2024

Abstract

In this work, we investigate how multinucleon enhancement and RPA (Random Phase Approximation) suppression can affect the measurement of three unknown neutrino oscillation parameters — the CP-violating phase δCP, the octant of the atmospheric mixing angle θ23, and the determination of the mass hierarchy, in the appearance channel of the NOνA experiment. We include the presence of the detector effect as well in the analysis, which is crucial for capturing realistic experimental scenarios. We also conducted a comparison between the nuclear model Effective Spectral Function (calculated within the RFG model) with and without Transverse Enhancement in terms of sensitivity analysis. It is found that the analysis using our comprehensive model QE(+RPA)+2p2h along with Effective Spectral Function+Transverse Enhancement exhibits significantly enhanced sensitivity compared to the pure QE interaction process, in all the cases. Also, the higher octant of θ23, the lower half plane of δCP, and the normal mass hierarchy (HO-LHP-NH) exhibit improved sensitivity, enabling a more precise determination of the corresponding parameters. Furthermore, it is also noted that improving the performance of the detector also improves the results. Thus, including multinucleon effects and improving detector efficiency have the potential to enhance the capabilities of the NOνA (and other long baseline) experiment in conducting precise parameter studies.
Broad sterile neutrinos & the reactor/gallium tension
Authors: Banks Hannah , Kelly Kevin J. , McCullough Matthew , Zhou Tao
Published: April 2024

Abstract

Significant evidence exists for the apparent disappearance of electron-type neutrinos in radioactive source experiments. Yet, interpreted within the standard ‘3+1 sterile neutrino scenario’, precision short-baseline measurements of electron antineutrinos from nuclear reactors strongly disagree with these results. Recently, it has been demonstrated that allowing for a finite wavepacket size for the reactor neutrinos can ameliorate such a tension, however the smallness of the required wavepackets is a subject of intense debate. In this work, we demonstrate that a ‘broad’ sterile neutrino may relax this tension in much the same way. Such a phenomenological possibility can arise in plausible hidden sector scenarios, such as a clockwork-style sector, for which we provide a concrete microscopic model.
Clear cell meningiomas—case presentation, review of radiographic identifiers, and treatment approaches
Authors: Keymakh Margaret , Benton Joshua A. , Fluss Rose , Alavi Seyed Ahmad Naseri , Martin Allison M. , Chin Steven , Kobets Andrew J.
Published: April 2024

Spinal clear cell meningiomas (CCMs) are a rare histological subtype of meningiomas that pose preoperative diagnostic challenges due to their radiographic similarities with other lesions. They are also more aggressive, exhibiting higher rates of recurrence, particularly in pediatric patients. Overcoming diagnostic challenges of these tumors can improve patient outcomes. In this report, we describe a case of a pediatric patient presenting with a lumbar CCM in whom we were able to obtain gross total resection. Our report reviews previously identified predictors of CCM recurrence, including the Ki-67 proliferation index, number of spinal segments involved, and hormonal influences related to age and sex. We describe the characteristic radiographic features that differentiate spinal CCMs from other tumors to improve pre-operative diagnosis. Furthermore, we provide our rationale for adjuvant therapy for pediatric patients to refine treatment protocols for these rare tumors.
Distinguishing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from methicillin-sensitive strains by combining Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticle-based affinity mass spectrometry with a machine learning strategy
Authors: Ma Wei-Hsiang , Chang Che-Chia , Lin Te-Sheng , Chen Yu-Chie
Published: April 2024

Pathogenic bacteria, including drug-resistant variants such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), can cause severe infections in the human body. Early detection of MRSA is essential for clinical diagnosis and proper treatment, considering the distinct therapeutic strategies for methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and MRSA infections. However, the similarities between MRSA and MSSA properties present a challenge in promptly and accurately distinguishing between them. This work introduces an approach to differentiate MRSA from MSSA utilizing matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) in conjunction with a neural network-based classification model. Four distinct strains of S. aureus were utilized, comprising three MSSA strains and one MRSA strain. The classification accuracy of our model ranges from ~ 92 to ~ 97% for each strain. We used deep SHapley Additive exPlanations to reveal the unique feature peaks for each bacterial strain. Furthermore, Fe3O4 MNPs were used as affinity probes for sample enrichment to eliminate the overnight culture and reduce the time in sample preparation. The limit of detection of the MNP-based affinity approach toward S. aureus combined with our machine learning strategy was as low as ~ 8 × 103 CFU mL−1. The feasibility of using the current approach for the identification of S. aureus in juice samples was also demonstrated.

Graphical Abstract
Clinical and ex-vivo effect of LASERs on prevention of early-enamel caries: systematic review & meta-analyses
Authors: Abd El-Aal Nermin H. , Hussein Ahmad Mostafa Hussein Mohamad Mosta , Banerjee Avijit , Hammama Hamdi Hosney
Published: April 2024

To investigate the in vivo and in situ effect of different types of lasers in prevention of enamel demineralization in high caries risk cases (around orthodontic brackets, around restoration and in caries susceptible pits and fissures). PubMed was searched using the following keyword sequence; (Laser therapy OR laser irradiation OR laser application) AND (enamel caries prevention OR enamel demineralization OR enamel remineralization OR early enamel caries OR early-enamel caries OR enamel resistance OR enamel decalcification OR white spot lesions WSLs OR incipient lesion OR enamel decay OR enamel Dissolution OR enamel microhardness) AND (clinical trial OR Randomized clinical trial OR In situ study). The latest literature search was ended by “30 January 2023”. PubMed was used as a primary data base for study selection. Scopus, EBSCO, and Google scholar are checked in our study after results of systematic search on PubMed. Only duplicates were found. Two meta-analyses were carried out. The first, clinical meta-analysis on incidence of white spot lesions (WSLs) following CO2 laser irradiation of enamel. The second meta-analysis on ex-vivo/in situ effect of CO2 laser on microhardness of enamel. In each meta-analysis three studies were included. Risk of bias was assessed. The search identified eight studies (four ex-vivo and four clinical trials). Regarding the clinical meta-analysis, the overall standardized mean difference was 0.21 [ 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.15–0.30, p < 0.00001]. This indicates that the incidence of new WSLs in patients who received low power CO2 laser treatment was highly significantly lower than placebo groups. The heterogeneity was considerable (I2 = 71%). In the second meta-analysis, the overall standardized mean difference was 49.55 [ 95% confidence interval (CI): 37.74, 61.37, p < 0.00001]. This indicates that microhardness of enamel receiving low power (0.4–5 W) CO2 laser irradiation is highly significantly lower than control untreated enamel. The heterogeneity was substantial (I2 = 48%). Within the limitations of this study, Low level laser therapy concept with CO2 laser seems to be effective in preventing enamel caries.

Prospero registration number: CRD42023437379
Transient interruption of contrast on CT pulmonary angiography: effect of mid-inspiratory vs. end-inspiratory respiration command
Authors: Yasaka Koichiro , Takahashi Masumi Mizuki , Kurokawa Mariko , Kubo Takatoshi , Watanabe Yusuke , Saigusa Hiroyuki , Abe Osamu
Published: April 2024

Purpose

To investigate the effects of mid-inspiratory respiration commands and other factors on transient interruption of contrast (TIC) incidence on CT pulmonary angiography.

Methods

In this retrospective study, 824 patients (mean age, 66.1 ± 15.3 years; 342 males) who had undergone CT pulmonary angiography between January 2021 and February 2023 were included. Among them, 545 and 279 patients were scanned at end- and mid-inspiratory levels, respectively. By placing a circular region of interest, CT attenuation of the main pulmonary artery (CTMPA) was recorded. Associations between several factors, including patient age, body weight, sex, respiratory command vs. TIC and severe TIC incidence (defined as CTMPA < 200 and 150 HU, respectively), were assessed using logistic regression analyses with stepwise regression selection based on Akaike’s information criterion.

Results

Mid-inspiratory respiration command, in addition to patient age and lighter body weight, had negative association with the incidence of TIC. Only patient age, lighter body weight, female sex, and larger cardiothoracic ratio were negatively associated with severe TIC incidence. Mid-inspiratory respiration commands helped reduce TIC incidence among patients aged < 65 years (p = 0.039) and those with body weight ≥ 75 kg (p = 0.005) who were at high TIC risk.

Conclusion

Changing the respiratory command from end- to mid-inspiratory levels, as well as patient age and body weight, was significantly associated with TIC incidence.
Current trends in digital twin development, maintenance, and operation: an interview study
Authors: Muctadir Hossain Muhammad , Manrique Negrin David A. , Gunasekaran Raghavendran , Cleophas Loek , van den Brand Mark , Haverkort Boudewijn R.
Published: April 2024

Digital twins (DTs) are often defined as a pairing of a physical entity and a corresponding virtual entity (VE), mimicking certain aspects of the former depending on the use-case. In recent years, this concept has facilitated numerous use-cases ranging from design to validation and predictive maintenance of large and small high-tech systems. Various heterogeneous cross-domain models are essential for such systems, and model-driven engineering plays a pivotal role in the design, development, and maintenance of these models. We believe models and model-driven engineering play a similarly crucial role in the context of a VE of a DT. Due to the rapidly growing popularity of DTs and their use in diverse domains and use-cases, the methodologies, tools, and practices for designing, developing, and maintaining the corresponding VEs differ vastly. To better understand these differences and similarities, we performed a semi-structured interview research with 19 professionals from industry and academia who are closely associated with different lifecycle stages of digital twins. In this paper, we present our analysis and findings from this study, which is based on seven research questions. In general, we identified an overall lack of uniformity in terms of the understanding of digital twins and used tools, techniques, and methodologies for the development and maintenance of the corresponding VEs. Furthermore, considering that digital twins are software intensive systems, we recognize a significant growth potential for adopting more software engineering practices, processes, and expertise in various stages of a digital twin’s lifecycle.
Gamification of business process modeling education: an experimental analysis
Authors: Garaccione Giacomo , Coppola Riccardo , Ardito Luca , Torchiano Marco
Published: April 2024

Gamification, the practice of using game elements in non-recreational contexts to increase user participation and interest, has been applied more and more throughout the years in software engineering. Business process modeling is a skill considered fundamental for software engineers, with Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) being one of the most commonly used notations for this discipline. BPMN modeling is present in different curricula in specific Master’s Degree courses related to software engineering but is usually seen by students as an unappealing or uninteresting activity. Gamification could potentially solve this issue, though there have been no relevant attempts in research yet. This paper aims at collecting preliminary insights on how gamification affects students’ motivation in performing BPMN modeling tasks and—as a consequence—their productivity and learning outcomes. A web application for modeling BPMN diagrams augmented with gamification mechanics such as feedback, rewards, progression, and penalization has been compared with a non-gamified version that provides more limited feedback in an experiment involving 200 students. The diagrams modeled by the students are collected and analyzed after the experiment. Students’ opinions are gathered using a post-experiment questionnaire. Statistical analysis showed that gamification leads students to check more often for their solutions’ correctness, increasing the semantic correctness of their diagrams, thus showing that it can improve students’ modeling skills. The results, however, are mixed and require additional experiments in the future to fine-tune the tool for actual classroom use.
Swallowed denture stuck in the proximal esophagus
Authors: Habenbacher Michael , Andrianakis Alexandros
Published: April 2024

A 72-year-old male with dementia and Parkinson’s disease presented at the otorhinolaryngology outpatient clinic with acute dysphagia. A chest x‑ray showed a dental prosthesis in the upper esophagus, which was subsequently extracted via rigid esophagoscopy. Due to suspected esophageal perforation on postoperative CT, a cervical approach to the esophagus and flexible esophagoscopy were used, but no evidence of perforation could be identified. This case highlights challenges in managing high-risk esophageal foreign bodies in the upper esophagus, emphasizing the need for careful assessment and a multidisciplinary approach.
Kunststoffprodukte und Nachhaltigkeit: EWKFondsG, EU-KunststoffRL und UN-Plastikabkommen
Authors: Frenz Walter
Published: April 2024

Das seit 1.1.2024 geltende Einwegkunststofffondsgesetz (EWKFondsG) verpflichtet Herstellende von Einwegkunststoffprodukten
sowie To-Go-Getränkebehältern zur Zahlung einer Abgabe in den Einwegkunststofffonds und hat als
Hintergrund die Nachhaltigkeit entsprechend den UN-Sustainable Development Goals. Dabei entscheidet sich
2024 das weitere Schicksal eines UN-Abkommens gegen die Plastikvermüllung.
Role of Sugarcane Cultivation for Panela Production in the Livelihood Strategies of Peasant Families in the Colombian Amazon
Authors: Jiménez-Carvajal Diego Armando , Sánchez-Avilés Ana María , Hernández-Núñez Héctor Eduardo , Gutiérrez-García Gustavo Adolfo , Rojas-Vargas Soraida , Hembuz-Falla German Darío , Salamanca-Falla Carlos Harvey , Ortiz-Morea Fausto Andrés
Published: April 2024

One of the most important livelihoods for rural households in Colombia is the cultivation of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) to produce panela. We analyzed livelihood strategies associated with sugarcane cultivation for panela production and their impacts on rural households' wellbeing in Caquetá, southern Colombia. We selected 81 rural households to gather data to calculate correlations between capitals and identify community capital indicators. Our results identified three types of producers: Avant-garde, Traditionalists, and Diversifiers, each with specific characteristics that need to be taken into consideration when designing sustainable development policies for rural communities. We recommend increased input from panela producers into such policy making strategies to address their specific needs and strengthen their wellbeing.
Rescue intrauterine insemination in women failing to retrieve oocytes at ovum pick-up: report of a case series
Authors: Muzii Ludovico , Galati Giulia , La Barbiera Ilenia , Linari Antonella , Capri Oriana , Pietrangeli Daniela , Somigliana Edgardo
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Failure to collect oocytes at the time of oocyte pick-up is an unfavorable outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. In these cases, prompt intrauterine insemination (IUI) could be an option (rescue IUI), but this possibility has been poorly studied.

Methods

Rescue IUI is routinely offered in our unit in women failing to retrieve oocytes, provided that they have at least one patent tube, normal male semen analysis, and the total number of developed follicles is ≤ 3. We therefore reviewed all oocyte retrievals performed from 2006 to 2022 in our unit to identify these cases. As a comparator, we referred to preplanned IUI performed during the same study period. The 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of proportions was calculated using a binomial distribution model.

Results

Rescue IUI was performed in 96 out of 3531 oocyte retrievals (2.7%; 95% CI 2.2–3.3%). Six live births were obtained, corresponding to 6.2% (95% CI 2.3–13.1). All pregnancies were singletons.

Conclusions

Rescue IUI in women failing to retrieve oocytes is a possible option that may be considered in selected cases. The efficacy is low, but the procedure is simple, and without significant risks. Generalizability to a conventional IVF protocol setting is however limited.
Influence of the use of remediated soil and agricultural drainage water on the safety of tomato fruits
Authors: Salem Salah H. , Saber Mohamed , Gadow Samir , Kabary Hoda , Zaghloul Alaa
Published: April 2024

The objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of different techniques employed in remediating contaminated soil and wastewater ecosystems to ensure the safety of tomato fruits (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme) cultivated in these environments. Three biochemical techniques T1–T3, besides two controls CCU and CCT, were used to remediate contaminated soil ecosystems using rock phosphate, elemental sulfur, bentonite, phosphate-dissolving bacteria, and Thiobacillus sp. The contaminated agricultural drainage water was remediated by a down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) system. Two experiments were conducted: a pot experiment took place in the greenhouse at the National Research Center of Cairo (Egypt) and a field experiment was carried out at the basin site in the village of El-Rahawy, applying the optimal treatment(s) identified from the greenhouse experiment. The health risk assessment for potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the harvested tomato fruits was conducted by calculating estimated daily intake (EDI) and target risk quotient (THQ) values. Results from the greenhouse experiment indicated the high effectiveness of the DHS technique in remediating El-Rahawy agricultural drainage water. The content of PTEs after remediation was significantly reduced by 100%, 93.3%, 97.8, and 77.8% for cadmium, copper, manganese, and zinc, respectively. The application of treated drainage water in employed reclaimed soil ecosystems led to a remarkable decrease in PTE levels, especially under T3 treatment; the reduction reached 89.4%, 89.5%, and 78.4% for nickel, copper, and zinc, respectively. The bioremediation technique also reduced the content of PTEs in tomato fruits harvested from both greenhouse and field experiments; the cadmium content, for example, was below detection limits in all treatments. The T3 treatment applied in the greenhouse experiment caused the highest percentage decrease among the employed PTEs in tomato fruits grown in the greenhouse. The same trend was also reached in the field experiment. Microbiological analyses of tomato fruits revealed that E. coli, Salmonella, or S. aureus bacteria were identified on tomato fruits harvested from either greenhouses or field experiments, showing that the counted total bacteria were higher under the field experiment compared to the greenhouse experiment. The health risk assessment parameter THQ was below 1.0 for all tested metals under all treatments. This means that no potential health risk is expected from consuming tomato products produced under the different employed remediation treatments. In conclusion, the employed bioremediation techniques successfully reduced the PTE content and microbial load in both soil and drainage water ecosystems and in harvested tomato fruits. Henceforth, no health risks are expected from the consumption of this product.
Intelligent and sustainable waste classification model based on multi-objective beluga whale optimization and deep learning
Authors: Sayed Gehad Ismail , Abd Elfattah Mohamed , Darwish Ashraf , Hassanien Aboul Ella
Published: April 2024

Resource recycling is considered necessary for sustainable development, especially in smart cities where increased urbanization and the variety of waste generated require the development of automated waste management models. The development of smart technology offers a possible alternative to traditional waste management techniques that are proving insufficient to reduce the harmful effects of trash on the environment. This paper proposes an intelligent waste classification model to enhance the classification of waste materials, focusing on the critical aspect of waste classification. The proposed model leverages the InceptionV3 deep learning architecture, augmented by multi-objective beluga whale optimization (MBWO) for hyperparameter optimization. In MBWO, sensitivity and specificity evaluation criteria are integrated linearly as the objective function to find the optimal values of the dropout period, learning rate, and batch size. A benchmark dataset, namely TrashNet is adopted to verify the proposed model’s performance. By strategically integrating MBWO, the model achieves a considerable increase in accuracy and efficiency in identifying waste materials, contributing to more effective waste management strategies while encouraging sustainable waste management practices. The proposed intelligent waste classification model outperformed the state-of-the-art models with an accuracy of 97.75%, specificity of 99.55%, F1-score of 97.58%, and sensitivity of 98.88%.
AVD-YOLOv5: a new lightweight network architecture for high-speed aortic valve detection from a new and large echocardiography dataset
Authors: Çakır Mervenur , Ekinci Murat , Kablan Elif Baykal , Şahin Mürsel
Published: April 2024

Heart disease detection is currently gaining widespread attention as a means to enhance the accuracy of cardiologists’ diagnoses from cardiac images and reduce diagnosis time. Although high-resolution computed tomography (CT) images are typically favored for heart disease detection, the drawbacks of cost and radiation exposure to patients necessitate alternative approaches. In this context, utilizing ultrasound images becomes pivotal to mitigate radiation risks and maintain cost-effectiveness. In this paper, we propose a novel lightweight model, AVD-YOLOv5, designed for automated aortic valve detection on echocardiography images. This model incorporates several enhancements to the YOLOv5 architecture. Notably, the depth-wise separable convolution significantly contributes to the model’s lightweight design by reducing the number of parameters while maintaining precision. We have also created a new and larger dataset comprising 260 echocardiography images specifically for aortic valve detection. Experimental results indicate that the precision value of the modified ADV-YOLOv5 model stands at 94.3%, with a recall value of 86.8%. The model also demonstrates a notable 67% reduction in inference time compared to the original YOLOv5 model. Although there is a marginal reduction in precision by 0.94%, the model’s efficiency is significantly increased. The proposed system can be used by cardiologists for more efficient and reliable diagnosis.

Graphical abstract
Two-dimensional perfusion angiography permits direct visualization of redistribution of flow in hepatocellular carcinoma during b-TACE
Authors: Lucatelli Pierleone , Ciaglia Simone , Rocco Bianca , De Rubeis Gianluca , Bolognesi Guido , Damato Elio , Corona Mario , Nardis Pier Giorgio , Cannavale Alessandro , Ricci Paolo , Catalano Carlo
Published: April 2024

Objectives

To demonstrate in vivo redistribution of the blood flow towards HCC’s lesions by utilizing two-dimensional perfusion angiography in b-TACE procedures.

Material and methods

In total, 30 patients with 35 HCC nodules treated in the period between January 2019 and November 2021. For each patient, a post-processing software leading to a two-dimensional perfusion angiography was applied on each angiography performed via balloon microcatheter, before and after inflation. On the colour map obtained, reflecting the evolution of contrast intensity change over time, five regions of interests (ROIs) were assessed: one on the tumour (ROI-t), two in the immediate peritumoural healthy liver parenchyma (ROI-ihl) and two in the peripheral healthy liver parenchyma (ROI-phl). The results have been interpreted with a novel in silico model that simulates the hemodynamics of the hepatic arterial system.

Results

Among the ROIs drawn inside the same segment of target lesion, the time-to-peak of the ROI-t and of the ROI-ihl have a significantly higher mean value when the balloon was inflated compared with the ROIs obtained with deflated balloon (10.33 ± 3.66 s vs 8.87 ± 2.60 s (p = 0.015) for ROI-t; 10.50 ± 3.65 s vs 9.23 ± 2.70 s (p = 0.047) for ROI-ihl). The in silico model prediction time-to-peak delays when balloon was inflated, match with those observed in vivo. The numerical flow analysis shows how time-to-peak delays are caused by the obstruction of the balloon-occluded artery and the opening of intra-hepatic collateral.

Conclusion

The measurements identify predictively the flow redistribution in the hepatic arteries during b-TACE, supporting a proper positioning of the balloon microcatheter.
„It’s xenophobia, stupid!“ Soziodemografische Merkmale und Einstellungen der FPÖ-Wähler*innen
Authors: Krings Torben
Published: April 2024

Dieser Beitrag untersucht auf Basis von Individualdaten des European Social Survey, welches die zentralen Determinanten sind, die die Wahl der FPÖ beeinflussen. Es werden drei theoretische Ansätze gegenübergestellt, die in der Literatur zum Rechtspopulismus dominieren: Die Modernisierungsverliererthese, die kulturelle Backlash-These und die Post-Demokratie-These. Die Ergebnisse legen nahe, dass die Backlash-These die größte Erklärungskraft hat, warum Menschen die FPÖ wählen. Allerdings muss dieser Ansatz insoweit relativiert werden, als dass es weniger um eine allgemeine Ablehnung des gesellschaftlichen Wertewandels geht, sondern vielmehr um eine konkrete Anti-Zuwanderungshaltung. Zudem kann die kulturelle Dimension nicht losgelöst von politischen und ökonomischen Faktoren betrachtet werden. Vor allem die negativen Einstellungen der FPÖ-Wähler*innen zur europäischen Integration deuten auf eine Überlappung kultureller, politischer und ökonomischer Motive hin, die sich in einer Ablehnung von Migration und der multikulturellen Gesellschaft manifestiert.
Microstructural Evolution During Welding of High Si Solution-Strengthened Ferritic Ductile Cast Iron Using Different Filler Metals
Authors: Alizadeh-Sh M. , Fæster S. , Farahani E. B. , Sarhadi A. , Tiedje N. S. , Eder M. A. , Danielsen H. K.
Published: April 2024

The paper deals in depth with characterizing bead-on-plate welds on EN-GJS-500-14 base metal, utilizing two filler metals: a pure Ni wire and a NiFe wire containing 45 wt pct Ni. The welds were conducted using the same heat input to ensure comparability in microstructure analysis. The microstructural observations were carried out using optical and scanning electron microscopies, X-ray tomography, X-ray diffraction analysis, and microhardness testing. Thermodynamic simulations using the non-equilibrium Scheil solidification model provide insights into the solidification process and the underlying metallurgical factors associated with the observed microstructural evolution. The observations revealed that the pure Ni wire deposited a softer fusion zone with graphite precipitation, while cementite precipitated in the fusion zone of NiFe alloy. The formation of martensite structures with different morphologies was the predominant microstructural evolution in the heat-affected zone of both welds. The partially melted zone of the pure Ni weld is narrower than the NiFe weld because more diffusion of Ni avoids widening the brittle structures in the partially melted zone. An unmixed zone in the form of a peninsula was exclusively observed in the fusion zone of the NiFe weld because of inadequate diffusion of Ni into the liquified materials along the fusion boundary.