bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Processing Methods on Mechanical Properties of Neat PLA and PLA Blends with PCL and PEO: Electrospinning vs Solvent Casting
Authors: Weng Qi-Hong , Hu Ming-Hsien , Hu Jin-Jia
Published: October 2024

The increasing environmental concerns related to no-biodegradable plastics have driven the development of biodegradable alternatives derived from renewable resources. Polylactic acid (PLA), a biodegradable polymer known for its favorable mechanical strength and biocompatibility, suffers from brittleness and poor ductility. This study aims to improve the flexibility of PLA by blending it with polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyethylene oxide (PEO). Specifically, thin films were fabricated from neat PLA, PCL, PLA/PCL, and PLA/PEO blends using both electrospinning and solvent casting to investigate the effects of processing methods on their mechanical behavior. The films were characterized using SEM, FTIR, XRD, DSC, uniaxial tensile testing, and water contact angle measurements. The surface morphology of single electrospun fibers was further examined using AFM. We found that electrospun PLA films exhibited higher elongation at break and ultimate strength with a slightly lower Young’s modulus in comparison to its solvent-cast films. FTIR, XRD, and DSC analyses consistently showed that the electrospun PLA films had significantly lower crystallinity compared to their solvent-cast counterparts. Notably, AFM phase imaging revealed that the electrospun PLA fibers exhibited an aligned crystalline structure. Blending PLA with PCL significantly improved elongation at break in electrospun films, which, unlike solvent-cast blends, retained a Young's modulus comparable to electrospun PLA. This improvement is likely due to reduced phase separation and enhanced crystalline alignment. Furthermore, electrospun films of neat PLA, PCL and PLA/PCL blends were more hydrophobic than their solvent-cast counterparts. Although PLA/PEO blends demonstrated enhanced surface hydrophilicity, they exhibited a marked reduction in mechanical properties. Overall, this study demonstrates that electrospinning effectively enhances the flexibility and mechanical performance of PLA-based films by mitigating the effects of poor miscibility in polymer blends and promoting molecular alignment. These findings suggest that electrospinning is a promising processing method for producing PLA-based films with enhanced flexibility and mechanical integrity, without the need for plasticizers or compatibilizers.
Racial Disparities in Fall-Related Injuries Among Breast Cancer Survivors Who Received Chemotherapy: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Namoos Asmaa M , Ramadan Dina , Meekins Rashema , Sheppard Vanessa B. , Thomson Nicholas
Published: October 2024

Purpose: The study aims to investigate racial disparities in fall-related injuries among Black and White breast cancer survivors who received chemotherapy, focusing on the risks associated with different chemotherapy regimens.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study involved 11,400 breast cancer survivors (Stage 1-3) treated with chemotherapy between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023. Chemotherapy types studied include Doxorubicin, Cyclophosphamide, Paclitaxel, Docetaxel, and Carboplatin. Logistic regression and descriptive analyses were used to assess fall risk associated with each chemotherapy type, stratified by race.
Results: The overall fall-related injury rate was higher among Black survivors (14.7%) compared to White survivors (10.0%), with a significant difference in fall risk between the two groups (p < 0.001). Fall risk was notably elevated for Black patients treated with Cyclophosphamide, Docetaxel, and Carboplatin.
Conclusions: The findings highlight significant racial disparities in fall-related injuries among breast cancer survivors receiving chemotherapy. These disparities may be influenced by socioeconomic factors and healthcare access.
Implications for Cancer Survivors: Interventions targeting fall prevention and equitable healthcare access are critical to reducing these disparities among Black breast cancer survivors.
Enhancing Autonomous Driving in Urban Scenarios: A Hybrid Approach with Reinforcement Learning and Classical Control
Authors: Gutierrez-Moreno Rodrigo , Barea Rafael , López-Guillén Elena , Arango Felipe , Sánchez-García Fabio , Bergasa Luis M.
Published: October 2024

The use of DL algorithms in the domain of DM for AVs has garnered significant attention in the literature in the last years, showcasing considerable potential. Nevertheless, most of the solutions proposed by the scientific community encounter difficulties in real-world applications. This paper aims to provide a realistic implementation of a hybrid DM module in an AD stack, integrating the learning capabilities from the experience of DRL algorithms and the reliability of classical methodologies. This work encompasses the implementation of concatenated scenarios in simulated environments, and the integration of AD modules. Specifically, the authors address the DM problem by employing a POMDP formulation and offer a solution through the use of DRL algorithms. Furthermore, an additional control module to execute the decisions in a safe and comfortable way through a hybrid architecture is presented. The proposed architecture is validated in the CARLA simulator by navigating through multiple concatenated scenarios, outperforming the CARLA Autopilot in terms of completion time, while ensuring both safety and comfort.
The Interspecific Competition Between Larvae of Aedes aegypti and Major African Malaria Vectors in a Semi-Field System in Tanzania
Authors: Lushasi Sperancia Coelestine , Mwalugelo Yohana Anosisye , Swai Johnson Kyeba , Mmbando Anold Sadikiel , Muyaga Letus Laurian , Nyolobi Nhandi Kija , Mutashobya Anitha , Mmbaga Augustino , Kunambi Hamisi Juma , Twaha Simon , Mwema Mwema Felix , Lwetoijera Dickson Wilson
Published: October 2024

Interspecific competition between mosquito larvae may affects adult vectorial capacity, potentially reducing disease transmission. It also influences population dynamics, cannibalistic and predatory behaviors. However, knowledge of interspecific competition between Ae. aegypti and Anopheles species is limited. The study examined interspecific competition between Ae. aegypti larvae and either An. arabiensis, An. gambiae, or An. funestus on individual fitness in semi-field settings. The experiments involved density combinations of 100:100, 200:0, and 0:200 (Ae. aegypti: Anopheles), reared with and without food, in small habitat (8.5 cm height × 15 cm diameter) with 0.5 litre and medium habitats (15 cm height × 35 cm diameter) with 1 litre of water. The first group received Tetramin® fish food (0.02 g), while the second group was unfed to assess cannibalism and predation. While, interspecific competition affected both genera, Anopheles species experienced greater effect, with reduced survival and delayed development, compared to Ae. aegypti. The mean wing lengths of all species were significantly small in small habitats in mixed population (p < 0.001). The presence of food reduced cannibalism and predation compared to its absence. These interactions have implications for diseases transmission dynamics and can serve as biological indicators to signal the impacts of vector control interventions.
Polyamine Seed Priming: the Way for Enhancing Stress Tolerance in Plants
Authors: Wojtyla Łukasz , Wleklik Karolina , Borek Sławomir , Garnczarska Małgorzata
Published: October 2024

Polyamines (PA), such as putrescine, spermine, and spermidine, are bioactive molecules that play a vital role in plant responses to stresses. Although they are frequently applied to achieve higher levels of stress tolerance in plants, their function in seed biology is still not fully under-stood. Only in a few papers PA were described as seed priming agents, but most of the data re-port only the physiological and biochemical PA effects, and only a few of them concern the molecular mechanisms. In this review, we summarized PA seed priming effects on germination, seedling establishment, and young plant response to abiotic stresses, and tried to draw a general scheme of PA action during early developmental plant stages.
Bone Fracture Detection from X-ray Images using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)
Authors: Mamun Sultan , Amin Md Al , Jamal Ali Ajlan , Li Jingwei
Published: October 2024

Bone fractures are common injuries that require quick and accurate diagnosis to provide the right medical care. The “convolutional neural network” technique relies mostly on manual inspection, by radiologists and can be laborious and prone to error. The objective of this work was to increase the efficiency and accuracy of fracture identification by automating the examination of X-ray images using convolutional neural networks. A “convolutional neural network” model created to detect bone fractures in X-ray images was used in the present study. The model was trained and validated using an extensive dataset of X-ray images, which included both fractured and nonfractured bones. Multiple convolutional layers were used in the “convolutional neural network” architecture for feature extraction, and pooling and fully connected layers were added for classification. The main measures used to assess the model's performance were sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. In regard to identifying bone fractures, the “convolutional neural network”-based model outperformed the conventional technique. With significant gains in sensitivity and specificity, this approach achieved a high accuracy rate and decreased the frequency of false positives and false negatives. We used “convolutional neural network” tool in PyTorch for bone fracture detection and we outlined the important considerations that must be considered when attempting to achieve this goal Additionally, we contrasted every study with our baseline. Here our maximum accuracies were 99.05%, 98.60%, 99.45% and 99.74% for epochs 8, 9, 10 and 11, respectively. These findings highlight the model's ability to improve the diagnostic efficiency and accuracy in clinical settings. Using “convolutional neural network” to identify bone fractures from X-ray images is a promising development in medical imaging. In the end, our method improves patient outcomes by ensuring faster and more reliable fracture diagnosis while also lessening the diagnostic burden on radiologists. Subsequent investigations will focus on incorporating this system into clinical procedures and investigating its utilization in real-time emergency situations. Since there was no medical intervention on human subjects in this investigation, trial registration regulations were not applied.
La frontera desde la frontera
Authors: León García Ricardo
Published: October 2024

editorial
El juicio a Genaro García Luna
Authors: Camarillo Hinojoza Jesús Antonio
Published: October 2024

Genaro García Luna, secretario de Seguridad Pública en el sexenio del expresidente Felipe Calderón, fue detenido el lunes 9 de diciembre de 2019 en Estados Unidos. Sometido a proceso por tres cargos por tráfico de cocaína, uno por delincuencia organizada y otro más por falsedad en declaraciones ante la Corte de Brooklyn. Su juicio se convirtió en un proceso jurisdiccional emblemático. Por primera vez se juzgaba en una corte norteamericana a un alto funcionario mexicano por su colusión con narcotraficantes.
Review of the data-driven approach applications for analyzing thermophysical properties of composites
Authors: Lavshchenko Ruslan , Lvov Gennadiy
Published: October 2024

The paper presents an analysis of the possibilities and prospects of a data-driven approach for studying the thermo-physical properties of composite materials. An overview of key concepts and machine learning methods in materials science is provided, revealing their potential for studying and optimizing composite properties. The use of neural networks for predicting thermal characteristics is discussed. A comparison between the data-driven approach and traditional methods of analysis is made, identifying their advantages and disadvantages. Thermo-physical parameters of composites and modern methods of their measurement and prediction are described. The application of computer technologies for modeling the thermo-physical properties of composites and their manufacturing processes is considered. The research results may be useful for further development of materials science and composite materials production.
IMPLEMENTATION OF OPTIMAL RECONFIGURATION OF UAV SWARM
Authors: Uspenskyi Valerii , Dohadailo Oleksandr
Published: October 2024

Now the use of copter-type UAVs in various sectors of the economy is economically justified and sometimes has no alternative. The next step toincrease the efficiency of such technology is the use of groups of UAVs united by a single task. If such groups contain a large number of deviceslocated quite densely, they are called swarms. A clear, well-known example of the use of swarms of quadcopters is the creation of visual images in thesky and their transformation according to a certain program. Obviously, the possibilities of such structures are much wider and they have very goodprospects in the future. But in order to realize such opportunities, it is necessary to solve a number of problems, starting with methods of obtaining andexchanging current information between group members, ending with strategic planning and operational management of individual devices. Thesetasks are burdened by additional conditions of safety and optimal functioning. This article considers the modeling of the optimal reconfiguration of alarge group of UAVs from the actual initial state to the desired final state. For each device, the final point to which it will move is determined. Such aproblem does not have a unique solution, therefore an optimality criterion was added – the duration of complete reconfiguration, which must beminimized. The task is considered under conditions of the same and constant flight speed of all copter-type UAVs. Analysis of all options isimpossible, because the computational complexity of such a method is proportional to the N factorial, where N is the number of UAVs in the group. Aquasi-optimal method has been developed, the complexity of which is proportional to N. Statistical modeling has proven its effectiveness, which canbe compared with the effectiveness of the optimal method. Indirect estimates of its effectiveness in the general case were also obtained. Specificexamples of swarm reconfiguration are considered. The algorithm for preventing collisions of UAVs while moving along designated trajectories isdescribed and studied. The obtained results are an integral part of the set of tasks for navigation and control of UAVs in the conditions of a large densegroup.
Search for optimal parameters of active structural suspension elements by determining their integral stiffness and damping characteristics
Authors: Martynenko Volodymyr
Published: October 2024

The paper presents an approach to the modelling of the “Rotor in active magnetic bearings” system and the subsequent search for optimal support parameters to ensure non-resonant operation of the machine in the entire range of operating rotational speeds. The object of the study is active magnetic bearings for the rotor of an industrial fan for local ventilation of the mine, which was previously installed in the rolling element bearings and due to the lack of the necessary load on them, have large frictional efficiency losses. To solve the problems with the loss of efficiency, it is proposed to use active magnetic bearings with a control system based on a proportional-integral-derivative controller with control principles of single input-single output, which is a cheaper and simpler system to implement compared to multiple input-multiple output systems, however, can be an effective tool for solving the described problems in the operation of the machine. The subject of the study is the dynamics of the rotor of an industrial fan in active magnetic bearings, which are modeled using spring-damper elements with stiffness and damping coefficients which are determined using the approach developed in the work. It is based on the representation of active magnetic bearings as an electromechanical system with components the dynamics of which are described by transfer functions in the frequency domain. The formation of the transfer function of the active magnetic bearing as a whole and its subsequent inclusion in the system of rotor dynamics equations allows obtaining relatively simple dependences of the stiffness and damping coefficients of the bearings on the rotor rotational speed. These dependencies contain the physical parameters of active magnetic bearing components and the parameters of their control systems which allows not only simulating the dynamics of the rotor in such bearings, but also searching for their optimal parameters, in particular, the value of the bias current in the electromagnets, which is necessary to ensure the absence of resonances of the rotor with synchronous excitation loads in the entire range of operating rotational speeds, which is confirmed by plotting the dependences of the rotor critical speeds on the bias current, as well as the Campbell diagram for the optimal value of the bias current.
Building control graphics criteria update : standards and criteria project 23T12
Authors: Clark Brian
Published: October 2024

This US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Standards and Criteria effort recommends updates to the building-graphics-related content in Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 3-470-01 and Unified Facilities Guide Specifications (UFGS) 25 10 10. Building graphics serve as the primary facility interface and are required for any HVAC controls integration project to a base-wide system; however, the current lack of criteria significantly limits their effectiveness and regularly yields inconsistent, low-quality tools for end users. This project developed “Guiding Principles” of good HVAC graphics along with the criteria language to assist the DoD in procuring and implement-ing good graphics. This report includes extensive illustrations to demonstrate good versus poor implementations of the proposed criteria. The intent is not to establish DoD-level graphics standards with these images but give a litmus test to designers and quality assurance staff for what right (and wrong) looks like. Primary recommendations are for graphics drawings designer responsibilities and contractor shop drawing requirements where installation standards are unavailable. Both designer criteria and spec-level functionality are defined using the Guiding Principles developed in this report. Future re-search topics are also described for enhanced trending capabilities, development of standard HVAC system-level performance indicators, and cloud-based connections to ongoing commissioning (OCx) systems.
Speech Recognition Untuk Membantu Pelafalan Hanyu Pinyin Sebagai Bagian Dari Edukasi Bahasa Mandarin
Authors: Henry Henry , Eryc Eryc
Published: October 2024

Pada era globalisasi, kemampuan berbahasa internasional semakin penting dalam bidang studi ataupun bidang bisnis. Salah satu bahasa internasional yang sering dipakai adalah bahasa Mandarin. Beberapa negara sudah mulai memasukkan bidang studi bahasa Mandarin dalam kurikulumnya, salah satunya adalah Indonesia. Perbedaan karakteristik bahasa Indonesia dan Mandarin membuat pelajar bahasa Mandarin di Indonesia cenderung melakukan kesalahan pelafalan pada bahasa Mandarin. Speech Recognition adalah cabang dari artificial intelligence yang memungkinkan komputer untuk menerima input berupa suara. Speech recognition dapat digunakan untuk merancang aplikasi yang mampu melatih kemampuan pelafalan bahasa Mandarin. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meneliti proses perancangan dan evaluasi aplikasi berbasis mobile yang menggunakan speech recognition untuk membantu pelajar bahasa Mandarin dengan pelatihan pelafalan hanyu pinyin. Aplikasi ini dirancang menggunakan metode SDLC tipe waterfall dan menggunakan bahasa pemograman dart dengan framework flutter dan mengguakan package speech_to_text dan flutter_tts. Pengujian aplikasi menggunakan pendekatan black-box testing. Pengumpulan data secara kuantitatif dilakukan dengan penyebaran kuesioner kepada 33 pengguna aplikasi yang dirancang dan hasil kuesioner menunjukkan hasil “Sangat Efektif” dari segi pengoperasian, tampilan, dan isi materi aplikasi menggunakan penilaian skala interval likert.
Pengembangan dan Evaluasi VR Haji untuk Pembelajaran Manasik Haji dan Umrah dengan Pendekatan Immersion Interface
Authors: Setiawan Arif , Saputra Wisnu , Murtadha Naji Ammaruddin , Pinaldin Ahmed Fisqiya
Published: October 2024

Penggunaan Virtual Reality (VR) semakin banyak diimplementasikan dalam berbagai bidang pembelajaran. Penelitian ini mengembangkan aplikasi VR yang dinamakan VR Haji untuk pembelajaran interaktif manasik haji dan umrah, menggunakan metode Rapid Application Design (RAD). Aplikasi ini dirancang dengan Blender dan Unity 3D, dan diimplementasikan pada perangkat Oculus Quest 2. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk meningkatkan pemahaman dan kesiapan calon jamaah haji melalui proses belajar yang lebih realistis dan immersif. Pengujian fungsionalitas (blackbox) menunjukkan tingkat keberhasilan 100%, sementara evaluasi oleh ahli media dan materi masing-masing memberikan skor rata-rata 93% dan 90%, yang tergolong dalam kategori sangat layak. Pengujian akhir menggunakan System Usability Scale (SUS) melibatkan 20 mahasiswa menghasilkan nilai rata-rata 64, menunjukkan bahwa aplikasi sudah cukup berguna namun masih ada ruang untuk perbaikan. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa teknologi VR dapat meningkatkan efektivitas pembelajaran manasik haji dibandingkan metode konvensional, dengan memberikan pengalaman yang lebih interaktif dan mendalam. Penelitian ini juga berkontribusi pada literatur terkait penggunaan teknologi VR dalam pendidikan agama, khususnya dalam menciptakan pengalaman belajar melalui VR Immersion Interface.
Implementasi Pembelajaran Berbasis Visual, Auditory dan Kinesthetic (VAK) di Pendidikan Kejuruan: Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Anggraini Fitria , Oktageri Deris , Akbar Muhammad , Waskito Waskito , Yustisia Henny
Published: October 2024

Gaya belajar merupakan hal yang sangat penting bagi semua siswa, karena dapat mendorong mereka untuk mengembangkan motivasi belajar mereka. Gaya belajar yang berbeda dapat mendorong mereka untuk mengembangkan gaya belajar yang mereka sukai. Model Gaya Belajar VAK (Visual, Auditory dan Kinesthetic) dalam proses pembelajarannya memadukan tiga gaya belajar (Kinestetik, Visual, Auditory) menjadi satu model pembelajaran. Perpaduan ketiga gaya belajar tersebut mendorong pemahaman siswa terhadap materi. Penelitian ini membahas tentang implementasi Model Gaya Belajar Visual, Auditory Dan Kinesthetic (VAK) Di Pendidikan Kejuruan terhadap hasil belajar siswa. Dengan mengikuti metode PRISMA, diambil 15 artikel ilmiah dari tahun 2019-2024 yang berisi hasil penelitian tentang penerapan model gaya belajar visual, auditory dan kinesthetic (VAK) untuk dianalisis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran Visual, Auditory dan Kineastetic dapat meningkatkan minat belajar, kemampuan berpikir kritis, kemampuan pemecahan masalah siswa sehingga siswa dapat belajar secara mandiri dan mewujudkan lingkungan belajar yang kondusif.
Efektivitas Modul Pembelajaran Komunikasi Data dan Jaringan Komputer Berbasis PBL untuk Meningkatkan Pemahaman Jaringan Komputer Mahasiswa PTI
Authors: Hidayat Wahyu Nur , Sari Rahajeng Kartika , Patmanthara Syaad , Soraya Dila Umnia , Arsyillah Nazhiroh Tahta , Kurniawan Rivan Adi , Ilmam Thirafi
Published: October 2024

Kompetensi dalam bidang Komunikasi Data dan Jaringan Komputer menjadi semakin krusial, mengingat pertumbuhan pesat teknologi informasi dan komunikasi. Materi tentang jaringan komputer sendiri merupakan dasar yang diajarkan mata pelajaran informatika tingkat menengah, begitu pula di perguruan tinggi pada program studi informatika. Oleh karena itu, penting untuk merancang modul pembelajaran yang tidak hanya mengajarkan teori, tetapi juga mendorong mahasiswa untuk menerapkan pengetahuan mereka dalam konteks praktis. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi efektivitas modul Problem Based Learning (PBL) yang dirancang khusus untuk pembelajaran Komunikasi Data dan Jaringan Komputer. Dengan menerapkan metode Research Development dan desain 4-D (Four D Models), penelitian ini melibatkan empat tahap: pendefinisian, perancangan, pengembangan, dan penyebaran. Hasil dari penelitian menunjukkan bahwa modul PBL yang dikembangkan, yang mengintegrasikan video pembelajaran animasi, video tutorial, infografis, dan dukungan mentor, memiliki validitas sangat tinggi dengan skor 90,5% dan meningkatkan pemahaman serta keterampilan praktis mahasiswa secara signifikan. Nilai rata-rata mahasiswa meningkat dari 70,2 sebelum penggunaan modul menjadi 85,7 setelah penggunaan modul. Kesimpulannya, modul PBL interaktif ini efektif dalam mengatasi kesenjangan antara teori dan praktik dalam pembelajaran jaringan komputer, sehingga layak diimplementasikan dalam kurikulum Pendidikan Teknik Informatika.
Quantitative Assessment of Sand Particulates in Gas-Water Slug Flow Using Deep Learning
Authors: Wang Kai , Tian Jiaqi , Chang Ziang , Lu Jiaqi , Qin Min , Wang Zibiao , Wang Zhiyuan
Published: October 2024

The weak collision response excited by micrometer-scale sand particulates is prone to overmixing with strong slug noise, significantly reducing the characterization and monitoring accuracy of sand particulate information in slug flows. Therefore, we developed a quantitative assessment method for sand particulates in slug flow that combines triaxial vibration monitoring and deep learning. First, a migration behavior characterization method of sand particulates is proposed combining nonlinear statistics, multifrequency coherence, and multiscale time frequency. The multifrequency response characteristics corresponding to the multiscale flow behavior of the sand-carrying slug flow were successfully characterized on the 2D time-frequency plane, namely, the mixed sand migration behavior [Intrinsic Mode Function 1 (IMF1)], liquid slug sand carrying (IMF2), forward liquid film and Taylor bubble sand carrying (IMF3), and reflux liquid film sand carrying (IMF4). Furthermore, the influence mechanism of gas superficial velocity (1.5–3.5 m/s), liquid superficial velocity (0.95–2.14 m/s), and sand content (0–20 g) on the triaxial vibration response of slug particulate flow with different migration behaviors is elucidated. Finally, a convolutional neural network (CNN)-gated recurrent unit (GRU)-self-attention mechanism (SATT) model for sand content assessment is developed based on the characterized multiscale migration behavior information and achieves an average recognition accuracy of 95.55% for data sets representing different sand migration behaviors in slug flow. This provides a new method for precisely identifying and monitoring sand production information of multiphase pipe flow.
Effect of Pore Structure on Tertiary Low-Salinity Waterflooding in Carbonates: An In-Situ Experimental Investigation
Authors: Tong Chunyu , Yang Yongfei , Zhang Qi , Li Haoyun , Zhang Lei , Sun Hai , Zhong Junjie , Zhang Kai , Yao Jun
Published: October 2024

Low-salinity waterflooding (LSW) is an environmentally friendly and economically feasible technology that enhances oil recovery by controlling ionic composition or brine salinity. The recovery efficiency of this technique is strongly affected by the rock pore structure that governs the flow behavior of the injected brine. However, existing experimental studies elaborating on the relationship between pore structure and LSW performance in carbonates remain scarce. To address this gap, three carbonate plugs with different pore structures were displaced sequentially with synthetic high- and low-salinity brine under the capillary-dominated flow regime. High-resolution micro-computed tomography (CT) was used to obtain 3D images of different displacement stages, visualizing the fluid distribution. After image processing and contact angle calculation, it was found that the primary mechanism for enhanced recovery was wettability alteration, transitioning from oil-wet to weakly oil-wet. Significant differences were observed among the three samples. Sample 1 showed the highest additional recovery (22.2%), followed by Sample 2 (11.2%), and the lowest was Sample 3 (4.5%). Despite Sample 1 and Sample 3 having similar and narrow pore size distributions, they exhibited different fluid behaviors during LSW: In Sample 1, oil was mainly displaced from medium-sized pores, whereas in Sample 3, small pores were the main target for brine. The large coordination number likely enhanced the relative permeability of the high-salinity brine. The low-salinity brine followed the pathway formed by the high-salinity brine, affecting the LSW performance. This work provides novel insights into how pore structure affects oil recovery by comparing the response of multiple carbonate samples to LSW.
Thermodynamic and Condensation Rate Modeling in Abandoned Wells: Assessing Potential Corrosion Risks in CCS Applications
Authors: Gupta S. S. , Rai S. , Ratnakar R. R.
Published: October 2024

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is considered one of the most suitable solution strategies for decarbonization in energy-intensive industries. While the examples of commercial-scale CCS projects are steadily growing worldwide, monitoring and success of such projects require mitigating several risks at the field scale. One of the challenges lies in assessing wellbore integrity issues in nearby abandoned wells, where wellbore corrosion caused by the condensation of acidic gases could be a potential integrity hazard. In this work, we develop a modeling framework to assess this issue by analyzing the underlying physical process of acid gas condensation through thermodynamics and heat transfer models to predict the acid gas condensation rates. We assess the effects of reservoir conditions of salinity, temperatures, and pressures on the resulting condensation rates, pH of the condensed liquid, and semi-empirically derived corrosion rates (CRs) across the well height. The study highlights the need to develop an assessment framework to identify and assess such integrity risks at an early stage for CCS projects.
WITHDRAWN: A Cross-sectional Study on Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Prevalence and Dietary Phosphorus using NHANES Data from 2015-2018
Authors: Mai Hui-Min , Zheng Ya-Fang , Chen Ze-Ru , Zha Yong-Ping , Jia Pan , Yan Chen , Luo Hong-Bin , Lao Jian-Wei , Guo Xu-Guang , Lin Li-Hong
Published: October 2024

The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors while they make corrections to the work. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference. Questions should be directed to the corresponding author.
The Effects of Self-efficacy in Managing the Disease and Disease Adaptation Levels of Familial Mediterranean Fever (Fmf) Patients on Satisfaction With Life: a Web-based Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Demir Rahime Nur Nur , KIRAÇ Ramazan , KIRAÇ Fatma Çiftçi
Published: October 2024

Background: Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an auto inflammatory disease often accompanied by fever and serositis attacks in which peritoneum, pleura, synovium, and rarely pericardium are spared. In the study, the effects of self-efficacy in managing the disease and disease adaptation levels of FMF patients on satisfaction with life were examined.
Methods: This observational cross-sectional study was conducted using a web-based questionnaire sent via Facebook and Instagram FMF groups between February 1, 2024 and April 25, 2024. The population of this study consisted of patients diagnosed with FMF at least 1 year ago in Türkiye.
Findings: The mean self-efficacy score of FMF patients in managing chronic diseases was found to be 4.67. According to the results of the study, physical adaptation was determined to be the highest adaptation in FMF patients. This is followed by psychological adaptation and social adaptation. In general, the scores the patients obtained regarding disease adaptation and its sub-dimensions were found to be close to the average value. The satisfaction with life scores of the patients were found to be below the average.
Conclusion: This study revealed that the self-efficacy and disease adaptation levels of FMF patients in Türkiye affect their satisfaction with life.
Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells improves age-related ovarian dysfunction via regulating the local renin-angiotensin system
Authors: Mao Caiping , Wei Lun , Guo Huiping , Luo Chao , Yin Na , Jiang Wangtao , Qian Fei , Zhou Anwen , Lu Xuanping , Bo Le
Published: October 2024

Background: the context and purpose of the study
Methods: how the study was performed and statistical tests used
Results: the main findings
Conclusions:
Age-related reproductive aging is a natural and irreversible physiological process, and delaying childbearing is increasingly common all over the world. Transplantation of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is considered a new and effective therapy to restore ovarian function, but the relevant mechanisms remain unclear. In recent years, it has been found that there is a local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in human ovary and it plays a key role.In our research, local RAS of ovary, which is independent of circulating RAS, is affected by age and related to ovarian function. Furthermore, the in vivo(mice) and in vitro (KGN cells) experiments were designed to confirm that transplantation of MSCs improves age-related ovarian dysfunction by the local RAS. Together, our findings indicate that a novel possible mechanism to explain how stem cells restore age-related ovarian dysfunction.
Expansion of the Mutation and Phenotype Spectrum of the GABRA2-related developmental and epileptic encephalopathy78
Authors: Guo Tingyi , Wang Pengchao , Yang Bin , Gu Weiyue , Wang Hua , Zhu Hongmin , Zhong Jianmin , Zhao Zhongli
Published: October 2024

Background
Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 78 is a severe neurological disease characterized by intractable seizures and severe intellectual disability (ID). It was discovered in 2019 as a autosomal dominant genetic disease caused by heterozygous mutation in the GABRA2 gene(* 137140) which located on chromosome 4p12. So far,only 8 patients with 7 deleterious missense variants in the GABRA2 gene have been reported.
Materials and methods
In this study, Using Trio-Whole Exome Sequence, we discovered five novel GABRA2 variants in five unrelated patients belong to five different families. Furthermore, we systematically described all 13 patients’ clinical features and molecular genetics.
Result
Identified five novel deleterious variants in GABRA2 gene within five patients,one frameshift variant(c.988_c.989insTTATG, p.Glu330Valfs*22), four missense variants(c.644T > C, p.Leu215Ser; c.862A > G, p.Thr288Ala; c.166C > T, p.Arg56Trp; c.460C > G, p.Leu154Val). These patient cohort presents a complex array of neurological and developmental challenges, with a spectrum ranging from severe motor and cognitive impairment to varying degrees of seizure frequency and type, as well as resistance to pharmacological treatments. The variability in clinical presentation highlights the need for individualized approaches to treatment and care
Conclusion
In summary, Seizures were a phenotype observed in all patients, while there were other additional variable phenotypes. We identified five novel variants of the GABRA2 gene using Trio-whole exome sequence for the fist time in China, This study broadened the genetic and phenotypic spectrum of the GABRA2 gene
Biomarkers of systemic inflammatory status as predictors of delayed cerebral ischemia after subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Gaviria Leidy , Gempeler Andrés , Valencia Andrea , Porras Alexandra , Rico María Andrea , Escalante Manuela , Mejía-Mantilla Jorge
Published: October 2024

Background: Inflammatory biomarkers and derived indexes have been reported as useful prognostic tools in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) to predict risk of vasospasm, delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) or death. This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of platelet characteristics, the systemic inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and mean platelet volume-to-platelet ratio (MPV:PLT) in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study that included 309 adult patients with SAH admitted to the ICU of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Cali, Colombia between 2011 and 2022. Plasma inflammatory biomarkers were measured in patients up to 14 days after SAH. Platelet characteristics trajectory plots by occurrence of DCI were produced to look for trend changes in the first days after SAH that could suggest and underlying pathophysiologic mechanism useful for prediction of this outcome. Odds ratios with 95% confidence interval were calculated for all indexes and ratios in the first three days after SAH using the originally reported cut-off points for its association with DCI, vasospasm, favorable modified Rankin scale score (0-3) and death. The prognostic value of the indexes was assessed through area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AU-ROC).
Results: 309 patients were included in this study (mean age 58.3 years, 68% women). DCI was detected in 137 patients; 44.3%. Vasospasm was detected in 111; 35.9%. During the hospitalization rebleeding occurred in 54 patients (17.5%), hydrocephalus in 107 patients (34.6%) and cerebral ischemia in 77 patients (24.9%). For the cut-off points of SII >1.92, SIRI>3.2, NLR>4, LMR<2, and PLR>145 during the first three days after admission we did not find association with DCI, vasospasm, neurologic outcome or death. The AU-ROC estimates of these indexes did not surpass a pre-stablished usefulness threshold of 75% and thus no new cut-off points were proposed.
Conclusions
Previously reported results of the prognostic value of inflammatory indexes and biomarkers in patients with SAH or other cerebrovascular diseases were not reproducible in this cohort of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Our findings call into question the reproducibility and applicability of proposed prognostic biomarkers and indexes and should prompt efforts to verify their value in clinical settings, as well as prompt efforts to identify the best prognostic tools available in these patients.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage Combined with Blood Biomarkers Predicts Poor Wound Healing After Posterior Lumbar Spinal Fusion: A Machine Learning Analysis
Authors: Pang Zixiang , Ou Yangqin , Liang Jiawei , Huang Shengbin , Chen Jiayi , Huang Shengsheng , Wei Qian , Liu Yuzhen , Qin Hongyuan , Chen Yuanming
Published: October 2024

Objective
The objective of this study aimed to investigate the risk factors for poor wound healing (PWH) after posterior lumbar spinal fusion. Thus, our primary aim is to using machine learning identify these risk factors and construct a clinical risk prediction model.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed 2516 patients who underwent posterior lumbar spinal fusion at Guangxi Medical University's Second Affiliated Hospital between August 2021 and August 2023. The data was divided into test and validation groups in a 7:3 ratio. In the test group, logistic regression analysis, support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), decision tree (DT), XGboost, Naïve Bayes (NB), k-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) were used to identify specific variables. The top six models from the eight machine learning models with the highest AUC values were selected and used to construct a dynamic nomograms model. Model performance was evaluated using ROC and calibration curves. The model's internal performance was then verified in the validation group using ROC and calibration curves.
Results
Data from 2516 patients were collected, with 411 eligible cases selected. By combining logistic regression analysis with six machine learning algorithms, this study identified six predictors associated with PWH: SLSI, albumin, postoperative glucose, CSFL, NEU, and CRP. These predictors were used to develop a prediction model, visually represented through a nomogram. The AUC value in the test group was 0.981, and the C-index of the model was 0.986 (95% CI 0.966–0.995), indicating excellent predictive capability. Calibration curve analysis showed good consistency between nomogram-predicted values and actual measurements.
Conclusion
SLSI, albumin, postoperative glucose, CSFL, NEU and CRP were identified as significant risk factors for PWH after posterior lumbar spinal fusion. The developed prediction model exhibited excellent predictive accuracy and usefulness.
Collecting patient-reported outcome data at different time points via telephone interviews: an exploratory study
Authors: Su Juan , Chen Hexin , Huang Yongjin , He Long , Meng Qingxiang , Wang Lei , Chen Jing , Chen Jeffrey SWL , Yang Zhihao
Published: October 2024

Background
Patient Reported Outcome measurement (PROM) is a key tool for measuring patients’ perception and preference on health status and interventions. As the recent shift towards patient-centered care has put more focus on PROM, more so on cancer treatments. Collecting PROM can be quite challenging and numerous ways is employed to collect PROM more effectively and efficient. Here we try to explore the feasibility of telephone interview on PROM data on different timepoints.
Method
Thirty-five ACC patients were recruited from Sun Yat-Sen University Affiliated Hospital and interviewed using the EQ-5D and EQ-HWB questionnaires, assessing their health status at three time points: pre-surgery (TA), post-surgery (TB), and follow-up (TC). We observe the difference in dimension severity between these different timepoint to check whether we capture relevant health changes from events such as surgery.
Results
Results indicate that telephone interview could be a feasible method to collect PROM data from cancer patient. We were able to contact 35 out of 54 patients, no missing data was present on the collected data. We found statistically significant difference on relevant dimensions between different timepoints.
Conclusion
In conclusion, measuring the quality-of-life outcome of individuals through telephone interviews seems feasible, and some of the results align with our hypothesis. Measuring health status through telephone medium for follow-up could be a potential way to collect patient health data more efficiently and effectively, but further research is expected.
Dapagliflozin for peritoneal dialysis patients with chronic heart failure in Japan: study protocol for a multicenter, open-label randomized controlled trial (the jDAPA-PD study)
Authors: Tanaka Mototsugu , Ishizawa Masahiro , Terashima Ryohei , Hashimoto Atsushi , Tanaka Takahiro , Miyazawa Haruna , Tomita Yoshihiko , Watanabe Kazuki , Iguchi Akira , Yamazaki Hajime , Ogawa Asa , Iino Noriaki , Yamamoto Suguru
Published: October 2024

Background
The effects of dapagliflozin on patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and chronic heart failure (CHF) who are on peritoneal dialysis (PD) are not well understood. The jDAPA-PD is a proof-of-concept study designed to assess the efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin in such patients in Japan.
Methods/design
: This is a multicenter, open-label randomized controlled trial conducted on 40 patients with ESKD and CHF on maintenance PD, particularly those who have substantial residual kidney function. Patients who were recently on sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, hemodialysis, or treatment for peritonitis or those who have a daily urine volume of < 500 mL will be excluded from the study. Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 allocation to either the 10 mg dapagliflozin orally once daily or the standard treatment groups. The primary endpoint is the change in extracellular water from baseline to week 24, which will be measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. The secondary endpoints are all-cause mortality, cardiovascular events, hospitalization, PD discontinuation, and changes in body composition, blood pressure, renal and cardiac function, brain natriuretic peptide, peritoneal function, PD regimen, and weekly fluid removal from baseline to week 24. The safety endpoints are adverse events and adverse drug reactions that occur during the study period.
Discussion
This study will determine whether the oral administration of 10 mg of dapagliflozin for 24 weeks is effective in fluid control for patients with CHF on PD. The study will also provide evidence of the safety data and multifaceted effects of dapagliflozin in patients on PD.
Trial registration
: jRCT1031230624 (registered on February 5, 2024)
Anatomical approach in magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography fusion biopsy for prostate cancer detection: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Chikazawa Ippei , Kunii Kenshiro , Kondou Tamaki , Miyazawa Katsuhito
Published: October 2024

Background
Comparisons between the transperineal (TP) and the transrectal (TR) approach for prostate biopsies in detecting cancer have been reported; however, there are no reports comparing the cancer detection rates using an anatomical approach. In this study, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography (MRI/US) fusion prostate biopsies were compared between the TP and the TR approaches for detecting cancer at the target sites.
Methods
The MRI/US fusion prostate biopsies were performed between November 2016 and October 2021. There were 251 and 200 patients in the TP and TR groups, respectively. Age, serum prostate specific antigen level, prostate volume, number of biopsies, target site (anterior, posterior, apex, base, middle), cancer detection rate, and the Gleason Grading Group classification were examined.
Results
Significantly higher cancer detection rates were noted for Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System category 4–5 lesions than for category 3 lesions in both the TP and TR groups (p < 0.001). The cancer detection rates for category 4–5 lesions in the TP and TR groups were 94.4% and 73.3% (p = 0.036), 92.3% and 64.7% (p = 0.017), 69.4% and 93.3% (p = 0.055), and 66.7% and 89.3% (p = 0.010) at the anterior, apex, lateral, and posterior sites, respectively.
Conclusions
The cancer detection rate was significantly different between the TP and TR groups at the anterior, apex, and posterior sites. These differences may be due to the sampling deflection of the needle on the posterior site in the TP group and on the apex and anterior sites in the TR group. These results suggest that urologists should be mindful of the benefits for each patient by considering the advantages with each approach.