bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical investigation on indoor aerosol dispersion due to natural ventilation with single-sided opening
Authors: Muto Yuta , Lee Sihwan , Kurabuchi Takashi , Kim Jeongil , Hwang Jaeung
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the characteristics of ventilation runoff of particles. Using CFD analysis, the indoor space with the single-side opening model is filled with particles and passive scalar to provide differential temperature ventilation. The RANS and the LES analysis methods, as well as the size and the number of particles generated in a room, will be changed to compare the indoor concentration and ventilation rate trends. The particles are assumed to be water particles that do not evaporate. As the result with the turbulence models, the LES analysis tended to be closer to the passive scalar and theoretical behavior characteristics for small particles than the RANS analysis, because the diffusion of particles is also considered. As the result with the number of particles, the behavior characteristics of the LES analysis became closer to that of the passive scalar as the number of particles increased. As the result of the size of particles, in this model particles larger than 10 µm are deposited indoors by gravitational settling, increasing the percentage removed from the indoors. Therefore, it can be concluded that the risk of infection is reduced without ventilation for particles above 10 µm in this model.
Performance of decentralized mechanical ventilation in airtight homes
Authors: McGill Gráinne , Sharpe Tim , Lantschner Barbara , McQuillan Jonathan , Morgan Chris , Tuohy Paul
Published: June 2023

The main aim of this research was to establish if new-build dwellings fitted with dMEV systems in moisture producing rooms, coupled with a reduced area of trickle ventilation in habitable rooms of 2,500m2, can maintain satisfactory ventilation in a real-life context. The study undertook a survey of 231 homes to ask occupants about their knowledge and operation of their ventilation system, and a subset of these (41 homes) were monitored to examine the actual ventilation performance and determine the factors that affect this. A further study was undertaken in a selected dwelling to experiment with different ventilation strategies using dMEV to identify key factors. The monitoring found over 50% of homes were poorly ventilated overnight and that bedrooms were a particular cause for concern. There were several variables that affected this. These included the nature of the trickle vents, the window coverings, the path between the room and the dMEV and the installation and performance of the system. Essentially homes with shorter, more open paths for air movement performed better, but rooms which relied on more remote dMEV systems frequently had poor ventilation. The findings suggest that whilst there are some situations where a dMEV system can assist with the ventilation provision of modern airtight homes, the ability to act as a whole house system is limited, particularly in larger more complex layouts, and where ventilation loads are high.
Investigation of discharge coefficient of louvre openings in naturally ventilated buildings
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad , Ozaki Akihito , Choi Younhee , Arima Yusuke , Hamashima Tomoyuki
Published: June 2023

Louvre openings are widely used for ventilation in residences at tropical regions. Traditional households rely primarily on natural ventilation for cooling instead of using air conditioners throughout the year. Hence, a design strategy that maximizes the natural ventilation rate with an accurate discharge coefficient is necessary. The discharge coefficient for a traditional window without a louvre is 0.6. However, studies on discharge coefficients for louvre openings with sashes are lacking. Discharge coefficient will differ according to the installed sash owing to increased contraction and friction losses. Therefore, we determined the discharge coefficient value for various sash angles and the impact of the louvre geometric parameter on the discharge coefficient. To investigate the effects of geometry on the discharge coefficient, real-time natural ventilation rate was quantified using the tracer gas (constant concentration) method. Pressure difference, outdoor wind velocity, and temperature difference were also measured. The opening types were divided into three cases: louvres with a sash angle of 0°, 15°, and 30° with similar opening areas. The results show that discharge coefficients for louvres with sash angles of 0°, 15°, and 30° are 0.80, 0.62, and 0.41, respectively, indicating that the coefficient decreases with increasing sash opening angle.
Thermal Environment, Ventilation Effectiveness, and Infection Risk of Restaurant with Impinging Jet Ventilation
Authors: Koshida Moe , Kobayashi Tomohiro , Yamanaka Toshio , Choi Narae , Yamasawa Haruna
Published: June 2023

The basic strategy of the impinging jet ventilation system (IJV) is to keep high air quality within the occupied zone. In IJV, the air supplied from ducts impinges on the floor and spread through the lower level of the room. When the air reaches the heat sources, it rises upward and is exhausted around the ceiling. Most of the previous works about IJV focus on simple room set-ups, whereas the studies focus on realistic set-ups are limited. To investigate the applicability of IJV to a more practical situation, CFD analysis was conducted in a room that simulated a restaurant. In this numerical study, thirty-two seated occupants were distributed in the restaurant hall as the heat and contaminant sources (contaminant was released from their mouth), while a large amount of heat was generated by the equipment in the kitchen. The indoor environment of IJV was compared to that of the mixing ventilation system (MV) in terms of thermal environment, ventilation effectiveness, and infection risk. The results showed that IJV were superior to MV in terms of air conditioning efficiency, pollutant removal efficiency, and infection risk reduction. In conclusion, the results suggest that IJV can improve the indoor environment.
Numerical performance investigation of decentralized ventilation compared to centralized ventilation system at a residential building: A case study in Norway
Authors: Pomorski Piotr Pawel , Kim and Moon Keun
Published: June 2023

A main goal of the study is to investigate whether decentralized ventilation (DV) systems can outperform typically centralized ventilation (CV) system in terms of energy while keeping indoor air quality at acceptable levels. And additional research questions regarded heat recovery function and placement of DV units within the apartment space. The question about modeling the DV units themselves within a Software, IDA-ICE was investigated. The placement of DV unit has been proposed. The advantages and drawbacks of using such systems were outlined and compared to centralized ventilation. The question of modeling DV units in building simulation software was raised and discussed. Results show that, given the chosen set of boundary conditions and model of DV, it offers the best performance energy-wise in the mild season. The differences are most visible during colder months when the heat demand is highest. A DV came out with slightly worse energy performance with low heat recovery unit (HRU) performance. The differences weren’t substantial and none of the analyzed systems met the TEK17 requirement for net delivered energy for residential buildings. No significant difference was shown regarding indoor climate indicators across systems. Seasonal energy analysis shows marginal differences between systems. HRU function showed significant energy-saving potential in cold seasons.
Exploration of HVAC system sizing based on building performance simulation and Monte Carlo method
Authors: Wang Yi-Han , Chang Hsin-Jou , Chen Wei-An , Hwang Ruey-Lung , Wu Yen-Hui
Published: June 2023

This study uses the Monte Carlo method and building performance simulations to develop an additive model for rapid peak load forecasting at design phase that considers the effects of design parameters. The Monte Carlo method generates numerous of simulation cases and EnergyPlus software is used for the calculations. Specifically, a total of 20 parameters were considered for analysing the peak load calculations, including design day conditions, envelope performance, infiltration, etc. An office building was selected as the reference building. With the screening experiments and the standard regression coefficient, it was identified that there are 15 important parameters for peak cooling load in the perimeter zones and 7 in the core zone. Main effects and interactions for selected parameters were determined by factorial experiments of 40,000 runs for the perimeter zone and 1,287 runs for the core zone. Main effects and interactions were used to develop an additive model between design parameters and peak cooling loads. Finally, model validation by additional 1,000 cases shows a coefficient of determination of 0.995, with a mean bias error of 3.2%, and a coefficient of variation of 3.7%, which indicated that the developed additive model had high accuracy.
Personalised Thermal Comfort Model for Automatic Control of a Newly Developed Personalised Environmental Control System (PECS)
Authors: Bogatu Dragos-Ioan , Shinoda Jun , Watanabe Futa , Kaneko Yosuke , Olesen Bjarne W. , Kazanci Ongun B.
Published: June 2023

Personalised Environmental Control Systems (PECS) are devices that cater to the individual needs by providing micro-climate heating, cooling, and ventilation. However, to ensure comfort, energy savings, and productivity, a comfort model based automatic control is required. For its development, thermal preference, physiological information, and data on the surrounding indoor climate were gathered from 24 subjects when using a newly developed PECS with heating, cooling, and ventilation functions. Since PECS should ensure a high level of comfort while providing energy savings through background temperature relaxation, multiple steady-state ambient temperature settings ranging from 18 to 28 °C were tested. The data were clustered according to the subject’s self-assessed general thermal preference, namely neutral, warmer, and colder. Machine learning was used to generate a cluster-based personalised comfort model using environmental, physiological, and behavioural indicators. The prediction performance of the models was 11 to 18 percent points higher than that of current group comfort models, predicted mean vote (PMV), which is independent of occupant similarities. The advantage of the personalised approach was the increased performance of the thermal comfort prediction at no expense of occupant sensitive information. Although reliant on estimates of physiological indicators, the models’ performance may be increased using real-time data acquisition.
Experimental investigation on the thermal performance of a domestic gas boiler for space heating with different heating load ratio
Authors: Zhang Xinwen , Kim Sang Yeop , Park Jong Ho , Choi Ji Su , Kim Chul , Rhee Kyu Nam , Jung Gun Joo
Published: June 2023

This study explores the effects of heating demand and hot water temperature on energy efficiency in a domestic gas boiler (DGB). Mock-up experiments were conducted using two types of boilers with different capacities (i.e., 11.6 kW and 23.3 kW of non-condensing boilers, 16.3 kW of condensing boiler) for comparative analysis. As results, for space heating, the efficiencies of non-condensing boilers (i.e., 11.6 kW and 23.3 kW) and condensing boiler (i.e., 16.3 kW) decreased by 12-44%, 15-46%, and 2-22% respectively as the heating load ratios were changed from 100%-25%. When the supply hot water temperature settings decreased from 55℃ to 45℃, the efficiencies were reduced by 13.6% (11.6 kW) and 53.3% (23.3 kW). For the condensing boiler, an efficiency reduction rate was 16.7% as the hot water temperatures dropped from 45℃ to 35℃. Also, since the boiler capacity depends on domestic hot water (DHW) load, the daily heating demands of space heating and DHW load were analyzed. In the results, reducing the lower limit of heating output could be more effective in improving the boiler efficiency for space heating. To provide sufficient DHW demand, it is required to maintain the upper limit of the heating output.
Evaluation of an intermittent mist spray cooling system for improving greenhouse eggplant cultivation
Authors: Farnham Craig , Oishi Mami , Terai Hiroyuki
Published: June 2023

Cultivation of crops in greenhouses faces the issue of overheating, which can harm yields. A low-cost solution is evaporative cooling, which also reduces the vapor pressure deficit. Fine mist sprays can significantly reduce temperature and vapor deficit. However, the fast evaporation rate could cause air saturation and wetting of plants, causing damage. A simple method to control the effect is intermittent spraying. In this research, air temperature was continuously measured at 20 locations for a misted 98m2 greenhouse during eggplant cultivation, as well as a control greenhouse without mist, while also evaluating the resulting crops. An array of 28 high pressure hydraulic nozzles, spraying 2.6kg/h each, intermittently sprayed 20 seconds on, then 10 seconds off throughout the day. The temperature in the misted greenhouse averaged 2.2K to 4.8K cooler than the control greenhouse. In the misted greenhouse, the total yield (+26%) and marketable fruits (+143%) were higher than the control. The cooling effect of the misted greenhouse compared to the control case tended to correlate with outdoor wind speed. The comparison of the misted greenhouse to its own initial condition did not. Evaluations of evaporation cooling may yield better understanding if compared to a control greenhouse at the same site.
Preferences in living environment assessment and their association with energy consumption in Indonesia
Authors: Pratiwi Sri Novianthi , Sakita Yuki , Tanaka Haruna , Nishiiri Shuntaro , Kubota Tetsu , Takaguchi Hiroto , Surahman Usep
Published: June 2023

This study aims to determine the urban resident’s preferences and evaluation structure towards living environment in Indonesia using the Evaluation Grid Method (EGM) and analyse their associations with household energy consumption. The EGM clarifies a respondent’s evaluation structure using a hierarchical diagram. A nationwide survey (n=1355) was conducted in several Indonesian cities. Data on gas and electricity consumption were also investigated as energy consumption data. We analyzed the preferences and evaluation structure across several groups with various household energy consumptions at different scales, including behavior, interior, building and neighbourhood. The results revealed that there were several differences in preferences and sense of values among households with various levels of energy consumption. The households with high-energy consumption favoured “socialization with family, and “living in clean environment,” amongst others. For their preference in building scale, some of respondent tend to not live in an apartment. Meanwhile, those with low- and medium-energy consumption preferred similar types of buildings. Despite this, the households with medium-energy consumption ranked “building quality” and “eco-friendly environment” as their priorities.
Multi-objective optimization of building envelope in different climate zones in China based on BP-NSGA-Ⅱ under the future climate
Authors: Ran Jingyu , Cui Mengying , Liu Jingying
Published: June 2023

Global warming has an impact on building performance, and it is very important to explore the optimization of building performance under future climate change conditions. The study generates 2050s typical meteorological year (TMY) data of different cities (Harbin, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen) representing the future climate. Taking energy consumption, thermal comfort, and initial investment cost as the objective function, the Back Propagation (BP) neural network and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-Ⅱ) were used to optimize the key parameters of the building envelope of representative cities in different climate regions of China and to obtain the Pareto curve. The final solution is obtained by the weighted sum method (WSM). The results show that, except for the type of windows, the optimal configuration of the building envelope in each city is different. Compared with the results of reference buildings, the final results of each city reduces energy consumption by 14.5~24.0 % and improves thermal comfort by 23.8~34 % when the initial investment cost increases by 27.0~35.3 %. The method proposed in this paper has reference significance for the optimization of building envelope in different climatic regions of China under the future climate.
National methods fail to calculate standardized deep renovation concepts for dwellings: Benchmarking in three EU climates
Authors: Võsa Karl-Villem , Kurnitski Jarek , Felsmann Clemens , Meinsenbach Andrea , Carli Michele De , Tonon Massimo , Iivonen Mikko
Published: June 2023

Renovation of existing buildings has been highlighted as an essential action in the European Green Deal and in the latest revision of the EPBD to achieve energy efficiency targets. Renovation Wave strategy aims to double the deep energy renovation rate in EU by 2030, while specifically targeting the worst-performing segment of the existing building stock. The objective of this study was to assess the energy performance of deep renovation concepts on single and multi-family houses in three different geographical settings – Germany, Italy and Estonia. Typical German 1970s buildings were used as a baseline reference, and it was shown that very similar renovation concepts can be successfully applied across Europe that provides good bases to develop standardized solutions. Energy performance of two common renovation concepts was assessed both with national calculation methodologies and dynamic simulation with harmonized inputs and detailed heat pump plant models. The renovation concepts included improved envelope insulation and airtightness, switched to heat pump systems and heat recovery ventilation as well as incorporated on-site PV while complying with nearly zero-energy requirements for major renovations in all three countries. National energy calculation methodologies showed good accuracy for before the renovation situation but failed in many cases to calculate adequately NZEB renovation concepts with heat pumps and PV, indicating the development needs towards hourly calculation and more detailed treatment of heat pumps.
Development of the airflow type photovoltaic system with solar shading effect
Authors: Ito Risa , Lee Sihwan
Published: June 2023

The number of zero energy buildings (ZEBs) with photovoltaic panels is on the increase. However, in high-rise building which has low ratio of roof area to total floor area, power consumption of the building exceeds electric-generating capacity of photovoltaic panels. For that reason, it is necessary to increase the solar panel area by installing photovoltaic panels on the wall or window. The purpose of this study is to develop the airflow type photovoltaic system with solar shading effect. First, we develop the external louver integrated with the photovoltaic panel which can generate power, recover heat from the panel, and block sunlight into the room. The external louver has holes at the top and bottom to cause natural convection inside the louver which cools the photovoltaic panel and improves the power generation efficiency of the panel. In addition, by taking warm air through the louvers into the room, the heating load of the building will be also reduced. Then, to verify the system, outdoor actual measurement was performed and compared with the non-airflow type photovoltaic system. As the result, ventilation rate through the louver was approximately 4.53 m3/h, and power generation efficiency of the airflow type photovoltaic system was increased 1.70 times than the non-airflow type one.
Quality and accuracy of digital twin models for the neighbourhood level building energy performance calculations
Authors: Parts Egert-Ronald , Pikas Ergo , Parts Tuule Mall , Arumägi Endrik , Liiv Innar , Kalamees Targo
Published: June 2023

For scaling renovation, there is a need for assessing the energy performance of buildings at the neighborhood level. Traditional methods for assessing individual buildings are manual and time-consuming – not sufficient to enable the neighborhood level assessment of the energy performance of buildings. Instead, new methods based on existing data in national registries and building typologies are required. The aim in this article is to develop for obtaining necessary initial building geometry information for energy performance calculations from the Estonian national Building Registry (EBR), including also Digital Twin (LOD) geometric models of buildings, and the quality and accuracy of this data is assessed. Altogether 417 representative buildings were used for qualitative and quantitative analysis. A sub-sample of 41 buildings were selected for more detailed analysis and development of methods. Two methods were developed to extract and enrich initial building geometry information for energy performance calculations: (a) the method combining the EBR and building reference data; and (b) the method combining the EBR and building typology data and LOD models of apartment buildings. The estimated accuracy of the first method (a) is around 98% and the second method (b) around 94%. Both methods underestimate the actual envelope area and thermal bridge lengths.
Development of future typical meteorological year (TMY) for major cities in Indonesia: Identification of suitable GCM
Authors: Bhanage Vinayak , Lee Han Soo , Pradana Radyan Putra , Kubota Tetsu , Nimiya Hideyo , Putra I. Dewa Gede Arya , Sopaheluwakan Ardhasena , Alfata Muhammad Nur Fajri
Published: June 2023

Today, with the rapid process of urbanization, the proportion of building energy consumption will continue to increase and speed up the emission of greenhouse gases which can intensify the process of global warming. Thus, building energy conservation has become one of the essential aspects of a sustainable development strategy. A typical meteorological year (TMY) is frequently used in building energy simulation to assess the expected heating and cooling costs in the design of the building. Therefore, by considering the future alternations in climate, it is important to develop future TMY data. To generate the TMY for future climate, the projected weather dataset obtained from GCMs from the IPCC coupled inter comparison project phase 6 (CMIP6) can be helpful. However, a key issue with the use of GCM data is the low resolution and bias of the data. Thus, it is important to identify best suitable GCM for a particular region. Therefore, present study aims to evaluate the performance of 6 global GCMs from the CMIP6 for simulating the surface air temperature over the 29 major cities in Indonesia during 1980-2014. Here, dataset (MERRA-2) was utilized to compare the simulations of GCMs. Further three statistical metrics viz. correlation coefficient, standard deviation and centered root mean square error were computed to check the performance of each GCM against the reanalysis data. For most cities, the correlation coefficient values between the results of GCMs, and the reanalysis dataset ranges from 0.3 to 0.7 whereas the value of standard deviation varies from 0.3 to 1. The result revelled that among all the GCMs MPI-HR is one of the most appropriate choices to simulate the surface air temperature over 8 different cities. However, Nor-MM shows the worse performance over the cities located in Indonesia. For the future period, the input dataset from the best identified GCMs will be downscaled for the generation of TMY for future climate.
An Update on Impacts of Epigallocatechin Gallate Co-administration in Modulating Pharmacokinetics of Statins, Calcium Channel Blockers, and Beta-blockers
Authors: Siew-Keah Lee , Jie Tan Hong , Ang-Lim Chua , Bin Liew Kai , Yik-Ling Chew
Published: June 2023

Brewed green tea, green tea extract, and its primary active compound, epigallocatechin gallate, may interact with drugs and alter the drugʼs therapeutic effectiveness, ultimately leading to
therapeutic failure or drug overdose. Several isolated reports have claimed that epigallocatechin gallate is the main active ingredient that causes these effects. While a few studies aimed
to uncover evidence of epigallocatechin gallate-drug interactions, no study has thoroughly and collectively reviewed them. Epigallocatechin gallate is a potential cardioprotective agent used
by many patients with cardiovascular diseases as a complementary medicine alongside conventional modern medications, either with or without the knowledge of their physicians. Therefore, this
review focuses on the impact of concurrent epigallocatechin gallate supplementation on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of several commonly used cardiovascular drugs (statins,
beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers). The PubMed index was searched for key words related to this review, without year limit, and the results were analyzed for interactions of
cardiovascular drugs with epigallocatechin gallate. This review concludes that epigallocatechin gallate increases systemic circulation of several statins (simvastatin, fluvastatin,
rosuvastatin) and calcium channel blockers (verapamil), but decreases the bioavailability of beta-blockers (nadolol, atenolol, bisoprolol). Further studies on its clinical significance in
affecting drug efficacy are required.
Techniques Providing Endpoints for Revascularization in Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia
Authors: Kutsenko Oleksandra , Sommerset Jill , Chandra Venita , Bryce Yolanda
Published: June 2023

It is frequently difficult to estimate the revascularization endpoint in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia where there may be extensive multifocal multiarterial disease. There have been attempts to identify an endpoint for revascularization procedures, but none has become the standard of care. An ideal indicator of an endpoint can objectively quantify tissue perfusion, predict wound healing, and is easily and efficiently used intraprocedurally to assist real-time decision making on whether adequate perfusion has been reached. Candidate techniques to evaluate endpoints post-revascularization are discussed here.
Post-sterilization Dimensional Accuracy of Methacrylate Monomer Biocompatible Three-Dimensionally Printed Mock Surgical Guides
Authors: Marturello Danielle M. , Déjardin Loïc M.
Published: June 2023

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the post-sterilization dimensional accuracy of a standardized drilling guide, three-dimensionally printed using biocompatible methacrylate monomers.

Study Design A mock surgical guide was designed and printed in five resins (n = 5/material) using a commercially available desktop stereolithography printer. Pre- and post-sterilization dimensions were measured for each sterilization method (steam, ethylene oxide, hydrogen peroxide gas), then statistically compared; p-value less than or equal 0.05 was considered significant.

Results While all resins produced highly accurate replicas of the designed guide, the amber and black resins were unaffected by any sterilization method (p ≥ 0.9). For other materials, ethylene oxide produced the largest dimensional changes. However, mean post-sterilization dimensional changes for all materials and sterilization methods remained less than or equal to 0.05mm

Conclusion This study demonstrated that post-sterilization dimensional change of evaluated biomaterials was minimal, and less than previously reported. Additionally, amber and black resins may be preferred to reduce post-sterilization dimensional change, as they were unaffected by any sterilization method. Given the results of this study, surgeons should feel confident using the Form 3B printer to create patient surgical guides. Furthermore, bioresins may provide safer alternatives for patients compared with other three-dimensional printed materials.
Right Aortic Arch with Bicarotid Trunk and Isolated Left Subclavian Artery: Hitherto Unreported Pattern
Authors: Sharma Arun , Garg Dollphy , Naganur Sanjeev Hanumantacharya , Singhal Manphool
Published: June 2023

Variant arch anatomy may be seen associated with many congenital heart diseases. Its accurate preoperative identification is of paramount importance in optimal surgical planning of such cases. This case describes one such variant arch anatomy with two vessel right aortic arch, comprising of bicarotid trunk (giving rise to bilateral common carotid arteries) and right subclavian artery with isolation of the left subclavian artery, in a patient with tetralogy of Fallot. Right aortic arch with isolated left subclavian artery has already been described in association with tetralogy of Fallot. However, to the best of our knowledge, present arch pattern consisting of right aortic arch with bicarotid trunk and isolated left subclavian artery has not been reported in literature so far. Moreover, this case highlights the utility of multidetector computed tomography in accurate identification of variant arch anatomy in addition to delineation of cardiac and extracardiac details.
National Early Warning Score-2 for Identification of Patients with Intermediate-High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Rodríguez Carmen , Muriel Alfonso , Carrasco Luis , González Sara , Briceño Winnifer , Durán Diego , Retegui Ana , Yusen Roger D. , Bikdeli Behnood , Jiménez David
Published: June 2023

Consensus statements have proposed the use of the National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) to identify stable patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and an intermediate-high risk of adverse outcomes. We aimed to externally validate NEWS2 and compare it to another predictive score (Bova). Using NEWS2 (cutoff ≥5 and ≥7) and the Bova score (cutoff >4), we classified patients as intermediate-high risk (vs. non-intermediate-high risk), and we compared the test characteristics of these risk classification tools for a complicated course within 30 days after PE diagnosis. We also assessed the validity of NEWS2 for predicting a complicated course by adding the results of echocardiography and troponin testing to the model. Of the 848 enrolled patients, the NEWS2 score ≥5 classified 471 (55.5%) and the Bova score classified 37 (4.4%) as intermediate-high risk. NEWS2 had a significantly lower specificity for a 30-day complicated course than Bova (45.4 vs. 96.3%, respectively; p < 0.001). Using the higher score threshold (≥7), the NEWS2 classified 99 (11.7%) as intermediate-high risk, and the specificity was 88.9% (difference with Bova, 7.4%; p < 0.001). The proportion of patients with intermediate-high risk PE was 2.4% for the combination of a positive troponin testing and echocardiographic right ventricle dysfunction and a positive NEWS2 (score ≥7), while the specificity was 97.8% (difference with Bova, 1.5%; p = 0.07). Bova outperforms NEWS2 for predicting a complicated course among stable patients with PE. Addition of troponin testing and echocardiography improved the specificity of NEWS2, although it was not superior to Bova.

ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT02238639.
Medical Management of Peripheral Artery Disease
Authors: Sullivan Alexander E. , Beckman Joshua A.
Published: June 2023

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common type of atherosclerotic disease of the lower extremities associated with reduced quality of life and ambulatory capacity. Major adverse cardiovascular events and limb amputations are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. Optimal medical therapy is therefore critical in these patients to prevent adverse events. Risk factor modifications, including blood pressure control and smoking cessation, in addition to antithrombotic agents, peripheral vasodilators, and supervised exercise therapy are key pillars of medical therapy. Revascularization procedures represent key touch points between patients and health care providers and serve as opportunities to optimize medical therapy and improve long-term patency rates and outcomes. This review summarizes the aspects of medical therapy that all providers should be familiar with when caring for patients with PAD in the peri-revascularization period.
Basics of Guidewire Technology and Peripheral Artery Disease
Authors: Tummala Srini , Patel Mike
Published: June 2023

Guidewire technology has advanced significantly over the last several decades. As more components are incorporated providing valuable features, deciding which guidewire to use during peripheral artery disease (PAD) interventions has become more complex. The challenge for both the beginner and expert is not only understanding which components offer the best characteristics in a guidewire but choosing the optimal wire for an intervention. Manufacturers have attempted to optimize components to provide physicians with routinely available guidewires needed in everyday practice. Yet selecting the best guidewire for a particular situation during an intervention is still challenging. This article provides a basic overview of guidewire components and what benefits they offer during PAD interventions.
Lensfree time-gated photoluminescent imaging
Authors: Baker Maryam , McLeod Euan
Published: June 2023

Fluorescence and, more generally, photoluminescence enable high contrast imaging of targeted regions of interest through the use of photoluminescent probes with high specificity for different targets. Fluorescence can be used for rare cell imaging; however, this often requires a high space-bandwidth product: simultaneous high resolution and large field of view. With bulky traditional microscopes, high space-bandwidth product images require time-consuming mechanical scanning and stitching. Lensfree imaging can compactly and cost-effectively achieve a high space-bandwidth product in a single image through computational reconstruction of images from diffraction patterns recorded over the full field of view of standard image sensors. Many methods of lensfree photoluminescent imaging exist, where the excitation light is filtered before the image sensor, often by placing spectral filters between the sample and sensor. However, the sample-to-sensor distance is one of the limiting factors on resolution in lensfree systems and so more competitive performance can be obtained if this distance is reduced. Here, we show a time-gated lensfree photoluminescent imaging system that can achieve a resolution of 8.77 µm. We use europium chelate fluorophores because of their long lifetime (642 µs) and trigger camera exposure ∼50 µs after excitation. Because the excitation light is filtered temporally, there is no need for physical filters, enabling reduced sample-to-sensor distances and higher resolutions.
Recent progress of stretchable MXene based micro-supercapacitors
Authors: Dai Peng , Zhang Wen , Jiang Tongtong , Xiong Ying , Mingzai Wu
Published: June 2023

The rapid development of wearable electronics has stimulated the urgent demand for compatible, miniaturized energy storage devices. As one of the most promising candidates, micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) have attracted significant attention, owing to their high power densities, long operation life, and fast charge/discharge rate. In comparison to conventional, rigid MSCs, deformable MSCs are attracting more and more attention for their superior tolerance to various deformations, including stretching, bending, and twisting, guaranteeing smooth operation of the wearable electronics. MXenes, a class of emerging two-dimensional transition metal carbonitrides/nitrides, have metallic conductivity, high specific surface area, good hydrophilicity, and surface chemical tunability, showing great potential as electrode material for MSCs. In this paper, the recent progress, focused on the MXene-based, stretchable MSCs with fiber-shaped, planar configuration, is systematically summarized. Moreover, the key challenges and prospects of MXene-based, stretchable MSCs for practical application are discussed, which are critical for further development of them.
At the edge of the sea: the supralittoral nemertean, Acteonemertes orientalis sp. nov. (Nemertea: Eumonostilifera: Plectonemertidae) from Japan
Authors: Hookabe Natsumi , Fujino Yuma , Jimi Naoto , Ueshima Rei
Published: June 2023

Ribbon worms (phylum Nemertea) are found in oceans worldwide; however, only a few inhabit terrestrial, semiterrestrial and freshwater environments. In our study, we describe Acteonemertes orientalis sp. nov., a new species of Plectonemertidae Gibson, 1990 and the first plectonemertid discovered in Japan. The species was found in the supralittoral zone, from which nemerteans have rarely been reported and inhabits areas under rocks, wave-dissipating concrete blocks, and fallen leaves and stocks, along the coast of the Sea of Japan. Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses based on two mitochondrial (16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) and two nuclear gene markers (18S rRNA and 28S rRNA) revealed that A. orientalis sp. nov. formed a clade with Leptonemertes cf. chalicophora collected from Florida. Although the external and internal morphology of A. orientalis sp. nov. is largely consistent with the generic diagnosis, this species differs in having a large proboscis. Based on the molecular and morphological data, we propose to amend the diagnosis of Acteonemertes by excluding proboscis size. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BBBE9549-5DCE-424F-9A39-930F8243C28B
Home care worker-supported exercise program to address falls: a feasibility study
Authors: Walsh Willeke , Meyer Claudia , Cyarto Elizabeth V.
Published: June 2023

Background Falls are a major concern for community-dwelling older adults. The Otago Exercise Program (OEP) is an evidence-based home program that reduces risk of falls. Exercise participation and program adherence can be challenging. Home care workers (HCWs) are well positioned to provide support for older adults. Methods This feasibility study included: HCW training; HCW in-home support of a physiotherapist-tailored OEP; online physiotherapy consultations; older participant questionnaires and functional outcome measures; and HCW and older participant interviews. Results Twelve older adults, eight HCWs and one physiotherapist participated. A small falls risk reduction, and improvement in falls efficacy, quality of life and functional improvement were noted. Thematic analysis showed formal and informal support was valued by older adults and HCWs. A role-ordered matrix synthesis highlighted variable ongoing independent program participation. Conclusions By Your Side, a physiotherapist-led and home care worker-supported modified OEP provides a feasible and acceptable option for falls prevention in home care services. Collaborative teamwork, and both formal and informal support, are key aspects to optimising engagement and benefits.
From fear to reason
Authors: Tantucci Vittorio , Wang Aiqing
Published: June 2023

In this study we support the view that
grammaticalization can unfold both in the form of increased
dependency and increased expansion (cf. Traugott & Trousdale 2013), even when originating from
the same original lexeme. We provide the case study of the Mandarin
apprehensive verb 怕

pà
‘to be afraid’ which developed
a new epistemic meaning ‘to believe, to conclude that’. The shift
from fear to reason in so-called epistemic-apprehensives (Jing-Schmidt & Kapatsinski
2012) has been observed in a number of languages,
including the English construction I am afraid
(Leech 1983; Palmer 2001).
What this study shows is that this transition in Chinese involves
grammaticalization as increased dependency for constructions such as
不怕

bùpà
‘no fear’ > ‘although’ and
只怕

zhǐpà
‘only fear’ > ‘probably’.
However, it also leads to grammaticalization as expansion, such is
the case of 恐怕

kǒngpà
‘to be afraid’ > ‘to
conclude that’. This supports and reinforces Traugott & Trousdale’s (2013) view that
grammaticalization is not necessarily bound to increased reduction
and dependency and can be at work also as a mechanism of functional
expansion, even along the same cline of change, such is the present
one involving the same source (fear) and target domains (reason) of
reanalysis.
Could be, might be, maybe
Authors: Lorenz David
Published: June 2023

In grammaticalization, functional reanalysis and
formal reduction are often regarded as elements of a unified
diachronic process, though rooted in general communicative and
cognitive preferences. The present study tests these claims in
synchronic language use by investigating potential cases of
grammaticalization. Epistemic phrases of the type (it)
could/might be (that) in English are potential
candidates for grammaticalizing into sentence adverb(ial)s. The
question is whether shorter forms (here,
it-omission) are preferred in potentially
grammaticalizing contexts, e.g. modifying a main clause
((it) could be this is correct). I first
summarize a corpus study, where overall higher rates of
it-omission are found in critical context
across items (could be, might be) and register
(spoken, informal writing). A ‘continuous shadowing’ experiment
partly confirms this finding but also shows that speakers/hearers
are both more flexible and more conservative with
could/might be than with maybe / it may
be that. The findings suggest that grammaticalizing
contexts have an immediate effect on formal reduction even in the
absence of change, and that language users have an active intuition
for emerging variational patterns.
Design and construction of new small gradient coils for mouse MRI
Authors: Ahmadi H R , Mohammadzadeh M , Abbasi A
Published: June 2023

We represent small Z- and Y-gradient coils with higher gradient strength and slew rate for mouse MRI. The coil geometries are optimized based on predetermined conditions for the gradient strength and slew rate in terms of minimum power consumption and acceptable linearity for the variation of the magnetic fields using the particle swarm optimization algorithm in computer simulation technology. The simulation results verify that the magnitudes of the field strength and slew rate have reached up to

144

m
T
⋅
m

−
1

and

1297

m
T

⋅
(

m
⋅
m
s

)

−
1

for the Z-gradient coil and increased to

109

m
T
⋅
m

−
1

and

1264

m
T

⋅
(

m
⋅
m
s

)

−
1

for the Y-gradient coil, respectively. Furthermore, the optimal geometry of the Z-gradient coil derived from a simulation study was then fabricated, and its parameters were measured using a Hall sensor. The gradient strength and slew rate of the fabricated Z-gradient coil were measured at

131

m
T

⋅

m

−
1

and

1180

m
T

⋅
(

m
⋅
m
s

)

−
1

, respectively, which have only a 9% difference from the corresponding simulated parameters.
High school physics teachers’ perceptions and attitudes towards thought experiments in Indonesia
Authors: Bancong Hartono , Nurazmi  , Sirajuddin
Published: June 2023

Thought experiments have a crucial role in the discovery of physics theories. Yet, in order to properly use thought experiments in the classroom, teachers must have enough pedagogical knowledge and abilities. This study aims to explore the perceptions and attitudes of high school physics teachers toward thought experiments. In this study, we involved 30 physics teachers from different schools in both urban and rural schools. The data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The quantitative and qualitative analysis results demonstrate that physics teachers have a high awareness of the importance of thought experiments in physics learning, especially atomic theory and relativity, and perceive themselves to lack skills regarding the pedagogical aspects of thought experiments. Teachers also show positive attitudes and beliefs about teaching thought experiments. However, teachers still recognized the challenges of implementing thought experiments in the classroom. The teacher suggests that thought experiments be carried out collaboratively so that students can share ideas with each other. Furthermore, technology media such as virtual reality may be the ideal answer for assisting students in visualizing an imaginary environment when doing thought experiments in the classroom.
Motion-compensated scheme for sequential scanned statistical iterative dual-energy CT reconstruction
Authors: Ge Tao , Liao Rui , Medrano Maria , Politte David G , Whiting Bruce R , Williamson Jeffrey F , O’Sullivan Joseph A
Published: June 2023

Objective. Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has been widely used to reconstruct numerous types of images due its ability to better discriminate tissue properties. Sequential scanning is a popular dual-energy data acquisition method as it requires no specialized hardware. However, patient motion between two sequential scans may lead to severe motion artifacts in DECT statistical iterative reconstructions (SIR) images. The objective is to reduce the motion artifacts in such reconstructions. Approach. We propose a motion-compensation scheme that incorporates a deformation vector field into any DECT SIR. The deformation vector field is estimated via the multi-modality symmetric deformable registration method. The precalculated registration mapping and its inverse or adjoint are then embedded into each iteration of the iterative DECT algorithm. Main results. Results from a simulated and clinical case show that the proposed framework is capable of reducing motion artifacts in DECT SIRs. Percentage mean square errors in regions of interest in the simulated and clinical cases were reduced from 4.6% to 0.5% and 6.8% to 0.8%, respectively. A perturbation analysis was then performed to determine errors in approximating the continuous deformation by using the deformation field and interpolation. Our findings show that errors in our method are mostly propagated through the target image and amplified by the inverse matrix of the combination of the Fisher information and Hessian of the penalty term. Significance. We have proposed a novel motion-compensation scheme to incorporate a 3D registration method into the joint statistical iterative DECT algorithm in order to reduce motion artifacts caused by inter-scan motion, and successfully demonstrate that interscan motion corrections can be integrated into the DECT SIR process, enabling accurate imaging of radiological quantities on conventional SECT scanners, without significant loss of either computational efficiency or accuracy.
Minihalos as probes of the inflationary spectrum: accurate boost factor calculation and new CMB constraints
Authors: Abellán Guillermo Franco , Facchinetti Gaétan
Published: June 2023

Although the spectrum of primordial fluctuations has been accurately measured on scales above ∼ 0.1 Mpc, only upper limits exist on smaller scales. In this study, we investigate generic monochromatic enhancements to the ΛCDM spectrum that trigger the collapse of ultracompact minihalos (UCMHs) well before standard structure formation. We refine previous treatments by considering a mixed population of halos with different density profiles, that should realistically arise as a consequence of late-time accretion and mergers. Assuming that dark matter (DM) can self-annihilate, we find, as expected, that UCMHs can greatly enhance the annihilation rate around recombination, significantly imprinting the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies. However, we provide additional insight on the theoretical uncertainties that currently impact that boost and which may affect late-time probes such as the 21 cm line or  γ-ray signals. We derive constraints on the primordial power spectrum on small scales using theExoCLASS/HYRECcodes and thePlanck legacy data. We account for the velocity dependence of the DM annihilation cross-section (s- orp-wave), annihilation channel, the DM particle mass and the inclusion of late-time halo mergers. Our s-wave constraints are competitive with previous literature, excluding primordial amplitudes 𝒜*≳  10-6.5at wavenumbersk∼ 104- 107Mpc-1. For the first time, we highlight that evenp-wave processes have constraining power on the primordial spectrum for cross-sections still allowed by currently the strongest astrophysical constraints. Finally, we provide an up-to-date compilation of the most stringent limits on the primordial power spectrum across a wide range of scales.