bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Urologist burnout: Frequency, causes, and potential solutions to an unspoken entity
Authors: Franc-Guimond Julie , McNeil Brian , Schlossberg Steven M. , North Amanda C. , Sener Alp
Published: December 2017

Physician burnout has been linked to decreased job performance, increased medical errors, interpersonal conflicts, and depression. Recent multispecialty studies suggest that urologists have higher rates (up to 63.6%) of burnout compared to physicians in other specialties; however, these reports were limited by low sample sizes.1 We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of urologist burnout, verify risk factors, and recommend preventative measures and solutions for colleagues at risk or suffering from burnout. Urologist burnout is a true entity that transcends level of training and nationality. Its roots appear to be deep-seated in our tireless efforts to strive for excellence in care for our patients, our growing academic and research pursuits, and surmounting administrative responsibilities; these virtues, which are regarded as the foundations of our career successes, are often obtained at the expense of personal health and wellbeing, as well as family sacrifice. Various other medical societies have become increasingly vocal about the issue of physician burnout and have actively initiated successful strategies to minimize its impact on their members. As an organization with a strong national presence, the Canadian Urological Association (CUA) should promote tools to prevent and interventions to assist those at risk for and suffering from burnout. Increased awareness in the general medical community has led to strategies and tools that can help prevent, identify, or assist physicians in their recovery from burnout. The CUA should develop and facilitate access to information and offer comprehensive support for urologists struggling with burnout.
Study of Textile Waste Generation and Treatment in Lithuania
Authors: Dobilaitė Vaida , Ališauskienė Milda , Sacevičienė Virginija
Published: December 2017

The constantly encouraged worldwide production and consumption of textile products is leading to an increase in wastes, which causes environmental problems. This research is aimed at identifying the present state of textile waste generation and treatment in Lithuania and compare the trends obtained with other EU countries. The investigation is based on statistical data of textile waste generation and management from 2009 to 2014 in Lithuania. Municipal textile wastes and those from the leather, fur and textile industries as well as other fields of this kind of waste generation were taken for analysis. On average, 6500 tonnes per year of total textile waste was generated during the period analysed. According to these data, Lithuania is in a middle position in comparison with other EU countries. A significant growth in the collection of municipal wastes is observed. From 2012, pre-consumer textile waste amounts to on average 32 percent of the total textile waste collected. The dominant practice of treatment was disposal in landfills, but an increasing tendency to recycle textile waste was observed. Nevertheless a great deal more effort should be made to promote the prevention of waste production and to achieve the average EU waste management indicators.
Modeling the Bending and Recovery Behaviour of Woven Fabrics
Authors: Shi Fengjun , Zhao Yuqing , Wu Gao , Zheng Dejun
Published: December 2017

On the basis of viscoelastic theory of textile material, the viscoelastic solid model consisting of a spring element and viscous element either in series or parallel is one of the most useful research models to study the mechanical behaviour of fabrics. This paper presents a method to study the bending behaviour of wool/polyester fabrics using a model consisting of the three-element model in parallel with a sliding element on the assumption that the internal frictional moment is a constant during the bending processes. From the needs of practical study, a testing method has been presented to study the bending behaviour of wool/polyester fabrics using a KES-FB3 compression tester. A comparison and analysis of the experimental results and theoretical predictions indicate that the agreement between them is satisfactory.
Fabric Defect Detection Using a Hybrid and Complementary Fractal Feature Vector and FCM-based Novelty Detector
Authors: Zhou Jian , Zhou Jian , Wang Jun , Bu Honggang
Published: December 2017

Automated detect detection in woven fabrics for quality control is still a challenging novelty detection problem. This work presents five novel fractal features based on the box-counting dimension to address the novelty detection of fabric defect. Making use of the formation of woven fabric, the fractal features are extracted in a one-dimension series obtained by projecting a fabric image along the warp and weft directions, where their complementarity in discriminating defects is taken into account. Furthermore a new novelty detector based on fuzzy c-means (FCM) is devised to deal with one-class classification of the features extracted. Finally, by jointly applying the features proposed and the FCM based novelty detector, we evaluate the method proposed for eight datasets with different defects and textures, where satisfying results are achieved with a low overall missing detection rate.
Modifying the Shape of Blades of a Flexible Reed in a Vibration Beat-up Mechanism – Theoretical Investigation
Authors: Kuchar Maciej
Published: December 2017

The beat-up mechanism of a loom with exciters for vibrating motion of the reed is presented . With the placing of exciters at regular distances across the width of the reed, certain differences can be observed in the amplitudes of the vibratory motion of individual blades. Undercutting is proposed here as a method of reducing these differences. The permissible distance between the exciters was determined taking into account the undercut reed. The undulation of the reed in the process of thickening of the wefts is shown to be a consequence of undercutting. For a distance between the exciters of L = 200 mm and relative depth of the undercut h0/h = 0.8, differences in the amplitudes of individual blades do not exceed 10%.
Assemblage of Wool and Silk Textiles from Medieval Waste Layers in Prague, Czech Republic
Authors: Březinová Helena , Kohout David
Published: December 2017

The article summarises information on a large assemblage of medieval wool and silk textiles found during an archaeological excavation of waste layers from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries in the centre of Prague. The work primarily presents wool cloths (fulled fabrics) and fabrics (without fulling) in plain and twill weave, which make up the vast majority of the more than 1,500 fragments. The silk textiles presented are interesting evidence of the presence of expensive imported goods in the Bohemian environment. The results, based mainly on textile technology studies of the fabrics, are also supplemented with information acquired during analyses of their current and original colour, including an identification of dyeing sources.
Ordet fanger. Retslingvistik i en dansk kontekst
Authors: Christensen Tanya Karoli
Published: December 2017

Denne artikel introducerer til feltet retslingvistik, eller mere specifikt til det delfelt som beskæftiger sig med analyser af sprogligt bevismateriale i kriminalsager. Kriminalretslingvistikkens historie og anvendelsesområder opridses, og der gives eksempler på danske sager hvortil sprogforskere har bidraget med ekspertudtalelser. Med udgangspunkt i en autentisk dansk trusselssag illustreres en række mulige analysegreb der kan være relevante i efterforskning og bevisførelse, men med et klart fokus på nærsproglige analyser. Hovedvægten ligger på en introduktion til den helt centrale opgavetype, ophavsanalysen (eng.: authorship analysis), som sammenligner en eller flere inkriminerende tekster med tekster der er skrevet af mistænkte i sagen. Formålet er at undersøge om der er sproglige, ortografiske og formateringsmæssige træk som går igen i begge sæt tekster, og derved kan støtte en hypotese om at de har fælles ophav.
Urea Enzymolysis‐Induced Ions Replacing: A Promising Strategy for One‐Pot Loading of Core–Shell Heterojunction on 1D Catalyst Support
Authors: Wang Zheng‐Wu , Yu Yang , Tan Xin , Wu Zheng‐Hao , Huang Tian‐Yu , Zhu Yi‐Zhou , Pang Dai‐Wen , Wang He‐Fang
Published: October 2024

Even distribution of core–shell heterojunction on porous catalyst supports is promising to get the super‐catalysts, yet laborious preparation hinders the wide application. A novel strategy of urea enzymolysis‐induced ions replacement is proposed for one‐pot loading of Bi12O17Cl2@Bi48Al2O75 core–shell heterojunction onto porous Al2O3 nanorod (named as Al2O3‐Bi12O17Cl2@Bi48Al2O75). The clever combination of urea enzymolysis and precipitation reactions that consume the ions generated in urea enzymolysis can switch the “on‐off” of urease, and thus allow the precise controlling of the concentration and existence time of the ions, as well as ions replacement. It is the urea enzymolysis‐induced ions replacing strategy that can generate the unique structure of Al2O3‐Bi12O17Cl2@Bi48Al2O75, and it is the distinctive structure that can get the selectivity of 96% benzaldehyde with 90% benzyl alcohol (BA) conversion in the photocatalytic oxidation of BA. The ions replacement, the growth of Al2O3‐Bi12O17Cl2@Bi48Al2O75, and the photocatalytic mechanism are investigated in detail. This work highlights a novel and convenient strategy for one‐pot loading core–shell heterojunction onto porous nanorod support, unveils a fresh biosynthesis of nanomaterials with elaborate structure, and thus paves the way for wide application of elaborate nanomaterials.
Tunable Imaging Distance Focusing Module Directly Driven by a Thin‐plate Piezoelectric Actuator
Authors: Wang Yingzhi , Deng Jie , Ma Shuo , Chen Weishan , Zhang Shijing , Liu Yingxiang
Published: October 2024

With the advancement of imaging technology, the performance of optical focusing modules becomes crucial for determining imaging quality. Conventional focusing modules frequently face challenges of excessive bulk and weight, complicating the integrated design and limiting application fields. Herein, this study presents a piezo‐actuated optical focusing module (POFM) and the construction strategy to alleviate these issues. A novel radial‐bending resonant‐type piezoelectric actuator (RB‐RPA) is developed to directly drive the POFM. The RB‐RPA, which features a hollow structure (27 × 27 × 7 mm3), utilizes both radial and bending vibration modes of a thin metal plate. It achieves a speed of 122.93 mm s−1, a thrust force of 0.14 N, and a displacement resolution of 0.52 µm. Employing the proposed construction strategy, RB‐RPA is integrated with imaging components to fabricate a POFM prototype. Furthermore, the micrometer‐level displacement resolution of POFM facilitates optical focusing on imaging targets, allowing the acquisition of sharp images within 70 ms. It achieves an image resolution of 119.57 lp mm−1 within a 42 mm segment of the captured image. Finally, a QT‐based interface for the POFM, enables real‐time image capture and sharpness evaluation, thereby enhancing imaging efficiency and integration. This work provides a potential candidate for next‐generation imaging devices.
Manipulation of Cancer Cell Spheroids by Photovoltaic Tweezers: Determination of Their Charge State
Authors: Rincón Esther , Camarero Pablo , Quintanilla Marta , Méndez Angel , García-Cabañes Angel , Haro-González Patricia , Carrascosa Mercedes
Published: October 2024

Photovoltaic optoelectronic tweezers (PVOT), based on the bulk photovoltaic effect presented by certain ferroelectric crystals, have emerged as a versatile tool to manipulate and/or trap micro‐ and nano‐objects. Very recently, an ingenious method has enabled to extend PVOT manipulation to aqueous solution droplets opening the door to applications in optofluidics and biotechnology. The photovoltaic crystal is placed on the bottom of a cuvette filled with paraffin oil while the droplet is hanging from the air–oil interphase where it is manipulated. Herein, this method is used to investigate the feasibility of manipulating hybrid droplets as carriers containing a cancer multicellular spheroid inside cell culture medium. Droplets of two cancer cell lines, MCF‐7 and U‐87 MG, have been successfully manipulated by light‐induced electrical fields generated in the photovoltaic platform. From the droplet dynamics, which includes attractive and repulsive behaviors from the illuminated crystal region, the charge state of the cell culture medium and the spheroid are investigated. The results show that they are positively and negatively charged, respectively. Moreover, analyzing the migration kinetics of water, cell culture medium, and hybrid droplets, to the light of a proposed theoretical model, the charge density of both cell line spheroids has been estimated.
Direct Synthesis of 3,4‐Disubstituted Quinolines and 2‐Acylquinolines from Amines and Epoxides
Authors: Lv Xueyan , Li Shichen , Fang Shuai , Wu Xiaotian , Yang Bingchuan , Ma Chen
Published: October 2024

Herein, we present a protocol starting from styrene oxide reacting with o‐acylaniline and o‐alkenylaniline derivatives to obtain 3,4‐disubstituted quinoline and 2‐acylquinoline derivatives, respectively, in 32–92% yields under specific conditions. Preliminary research outcomes underscore the versatility of our approach, as exemplified by its scalability for large‐scale synthesis, downstream derivatization, and the characteristic properties manifested by the modified molecules.
Dynamics‐Oriented Underwater Mechanoreception Interface for Simultaneous Flow and Contact Perception
Authors: Zhong Hua , Wang Yaxi , Xu Jiahao , Cheng Yu , Liu Sicong , Pan Jia , Wang Wenping , Wang Zheng
Published: October 2024

The lack of a sufficient and efficient way to simultaneously perceive general underwater mechanical stimuli, physical contact, and fluidic flow has been a bottleneck for many aquatic applications. To address this challenge, dynamics‐oriented underwater mechanoreceptor interface (DOUMI), a bioinspired mechanoreception system that realizes simultaneous contact and flow perception using a single receptor, is introduced. This receptor, response‐elevated‐and‐expanded hair‐like tactile mechanoreceptor (REEM), is inspired by the mechanoreceptive mechanism of aquatic arthropods. REEM combines structural features from different mechanoreceptive sensilla, enabling it to capture a wide range of stimulus dynamics. Under different stimuli, REEM encodes stimuli dynamics as its oscillations with distinct spectral attributes. Those oscillations are efficiently transferred through mechanical processes and imaging, enabling vision‐based extraction and further analysis. Therefore, by evaluating the oscillation dynamics with tailored wavelet‐based indices, DOUMI can distinguish between contact‐ and flow‐induced oscillations at each receptor unit with 90.5% accuracy. Furthermore, DOUMI provides comprehensive 2D mechanoreception with a scalable array of REEMs, delivering capabilities like stimuli spatiotemporal visualization, flow trend detection, and scenario classification with an accuracy of 99.5%. With its robustness and operational efficiency in underwater environments, DOUMI can be easily adapted to existing applications using common materials and hardware, establishing a new, streamlined paradigm for underwater general mechanoreception.
Harnessing Deep Learning of Point Clouds for Morphology Mimicking of Universal 3D Shape‐Morphing Devices
Authors: Wang Jue , Sarkar Dhirodaatto , Suo Jiaqi , Chortos Alex
Published: October 2024

Shape‐morphing devices, a crucial branch in soft robotics, hold significant application value in areas like human–machine interfaces, biomimetic robotics, and tools for biological systems. To achieve 3D programmable shape morphing (PSM), the deployment of array‐based actuators is essential. However, a critical knowledge gap in 3D PSM is controlling the complex systems formed by these soft actuator arrays to mimic the morphology of the target shapes. This study, for the first time, represents the configuration of shape‐morphing devices using point cloud data and employing deep learning to map these configurations to control inputs. Shape Morphing Net (SMNet), a method that realizes the regression from point cloud to high‐dimensional control input vectors, is proposed. It has been applied to 3D PSM devices with three different actuator mechanisms, demonstrating its universal applicability to inversely reproduce the target shapes. Further, applied to previous 2D PSM devices, SMNet significantly enhances control precision from 82.23% to 97.68%. In the demonstrations of morphology mimicking, 3D PSM devices successfully replicate arbitrary target shapes obtained either through 3D scanning of physical objects or via 3D modeling software. The results show that within the deformable range of 3D PSM devices, accurate reproduction of the desired shapes is achievable.
Assessing clinical progression measures in Alzheimer's disease trials: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: McLaughlin Jonathan , Scotton William J. , Ryan Natalie S. , Hardy John A. , Shoai Maryam
Published: October 2024

INTRODUCTION

Assessing treatments for Alzheimer's disease (AD) relies on reliable tools for measuring AD progression. In this analysis, we evaluate the sensitivity of clinical progression measures in AD within randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with confirmed positive amyloid (Aβ+) status prior to trial enrollment.

METHODS

Excluding trials targeting non‐cognitive symptoms, we conducted meta‐analyses on progression measures from 25 selected RCTs using R version 4.2.0, along with the metafor and emmeans libraries.

RESULTS

The Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ) demonstrated the greatest sensitivity over 12 weeks. Other cognitive measures demonstrated lower sensitivity. The integrated Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale (iADRS) and Clinical Dementia Rating‐Sum of Boxes (CDR‐SB) seemed more effective than their individual cognitive components. Neuropsychiatric measures were the least sensitive in measuring progression.

DISCUSSION

Functional measures generally outperformed other measure categories. Purely cognitive domain‐based measures were suboptimal for tracking early AD progression. Ideally, future measures should incorporate both cognitive and functional components to enhance sensitivity.

Highlights

Concerns remain regarding the limitations of current outcome measures used in AD clinical trials, particularly their sensitivity in the early and preclinical stages of the disease, which hampers their reliability as indicators of AD progression.

The Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ) demonstrated the most substantial weighted mean change over 12 weeks, followed by the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Functional measures outperformed other measure categories.

Composite scores of integrated Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale and Clinical Dementia Rating‐Sum of Boxes are more sensitive to change than their individual cognitive components, possibly driven by the functional components of the score.

Neuropsychiatric measures analyzed in this study appeared to be the least sensitive in measuring progression.
Deep Learning‐Based Variational Autoencoder for Classification of Quantum and Classical States of Light
Authors: Bhupati Mahesh , Mall Abhishek , Kumar Anshuman , Jha Pankaj K.
Published: October 2024

Advancements in optical quantum technologies have been enabled by the generation, manipulation, and characterization of light, with identification based on its photon statistics. However, characterizing light and its sources through single photon measurements requires efficient detectors and longer measurement times to obtain high‐quality photon statistics. Here, a deep learning‐based variational autoencoder (VAE) method is introduced for classifying single photon added coherent state (SPACS), single photon added thermal state (SPATS), and mixed states between coherent and SPACS as well as between thermal and SPATS of light. The semi‐supervised learning‐based VAE efficiently maps the photon statistics features of light to a lower dimension, enabling quasi‐instantaneous classification with low average photon counts. The proposed VAE method is robust and maintains classification accuracy in the presence of losses inherent in an experiment, such as finite collection efficiency, non‐unity quantum efficiency, finite number of detectors, etc. Additionally, leveraging the transfer learning capabilities of VAE enables successful classification of data of any quality using a single trained model. It is envisioned that such a deep learning methodology will enable better classification of quantum light and light sources even in poor detection.
Research progress and applications of optoelectronic synaptic devices based on 2D materials
Authors: Zhao Yukun , Cheng Linrui , Xu Rui , Yu Zexin , Zhang Jianya
Published: October 2024

In the natural world, the human brain is the most powerful information processor, using a highly parallel, efficient, fault‐tolerant, and reconfigurable neural network. Taking inspiration from this impressive architecture, optoelectronic synaptic devices have gained considerable attention for their ability to process and retain data simultaneously, making them essential components in the upcoming era of neuromorphic computing systems. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the development of optoelectronic neuromorphic synaptic devices using two‐dimensional (2D) material heterostructures. This review focuses on the use of 2D materials in creating optoelectronic synaptic devices. It discusses the recent progress made in utilizing 2D material heterostructures in these devices and examines their potential in different areas such as image recognition, neuromorphic wearable electronics, logical operations, and neuromorphic computing systems. Heterostructures made with 2D materials provide a wide range of possibilities as their electronic band structures can be easily tailored to achieve effective optical and electrical modulation. Optoelectronic synaptic devices based on 2D materials simultaneously exhibit two functionalities: detection and memory. Furthermore, these materials have strong interatomic bonding within layers and possess a thickness of only one atomic layer, giving them exceptional flexibility, optical transparency, and mechanical strength. By utilizing 2D materials for solution processing and their ultra‐thin profile, the manufacturing of three‐terminal synapses becomes cost‐effective, simplifying integration processes.
Shaping ESG commitment through organizational psychological capital: The role of CEO power
Authors: Mahran Karim , Elamer Ahmed A.
Published: October 2024

This study investigates the influence of organizational psychological capital (OPC) on corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, highlighting a relatively overlooked aspect in existing studies, and examines the moderating effect of chief executive officer (CEO) power on this relationship. Using a dataset of 1659 firm‐year observations from FTSE 350 firms across the years 2012–2021 and applying natural language processing (NLP) techniques, our findings reveal that higher levels of OPC are linked to a stronger commitment to ESG initiatives. However, this positive association is tempered by CEO power, which negatively moderates the relationship. Furthermore, our analysis shows that OPC not only enhances ESG performance but also positively influences financial performance and the core ESG pillars. These results, validated through rigorous robustness checks, offer significant insights for stakeholders and policymakers in the realm of corporate governance.
Addressing Technology‐Assisted Child Sexual Abuse During an Initial Clinical Assessment: A modified Delphi Study
Authors: Schmidt Felipa , Bucci Sandra , Quayle Ethel , Varese Filippo
Published: October 2024

Objective

Technology‐assisted child sexual abuse (TA‐CSA) is defined as any type of sexual abuse with an online element occurring under the age of 18. The literature suggests that victims often experience difficulty in finding support that adequately addresses the online elements of TA‐CSA. Research also suggests that practitioners are unsure about how to best approach TA‐CSA during initial assessments.

Design

This modified Delphi study with healthcare professionals and researchers as experts was conducted to understand best practice principles on how to approach the topic of TA‐CSA when a young person presents to clinical services.

Methods

An online, two round modified Delphi study was completed. Round 1 consisited of statements generated from existing published TA‐CSA literature. One hundred and twelve participants were invited to complete Round 1. Twenty‐four participants responded to Round 1, and of those responders, 15 completed Round 2. All healthcare professionals (10) and eight researchers were located in the United Kingdom. The remaining researchers were based in North and South America, Australia and Europe.

Results

Participants agreed that there is a need to provide practitioners with guidance on how to approach TA‐CSA and that asking general questions about online life can help ease into the topic of TA‐CSA. Additionally, a clear multi‐agency approach and adequate training can provide practitioners confidence in their ability in managing risk and disclosure of TA‐CSA.

Conclusions

This study provides important initial findings in approaching TA‐CSA within an initial assessment. However, future research is necessary in understanding the transferability of these findings to clinical settings.
An IoT Healthcare System With Deep Learning Functionality for Patient Monitoring
Authors: Najim Ali Hamza , Al‐sharhanee Kareem Ali Malalah , Al‐Joboury Istabraq M. , Kanellopoulos Dimitris , Sharma Varun Kumar , Hassan Mustafa Yahya , Issa Walid , Abbas Fatima Hashim , Abbas Ali Hashim
Published: October 2024

Currently, healthcare systems operate under conventional management practices and entail storing and processing substantial medical data. Integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) and wireless sensor networks (WSNs) technologies has facilitated the development of IoT‐enabled healthcare, which possesses advanced data processing capabilities and extensive data storage. This paper proposes a WSN and IoT framework for patient monitoring in high‐speed 5G communications. Based on an artificial neural network (ANN), an intelligent health monitoring system was developed using IoT technology to monitor a person's blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen level, and temperature. Furthermore, the system helps the elderly being in critical cases in their homes to communicate and update their medical condition with the hospital, especially in critical cases, to be treated as soon as possible, especially in remote areas. The experimental results showed the superiority and effectiveness of the proposed system. Moreover, relying on ANNs to extract the basic features, the accuracy reached 96%. The proposed system was implemented practically, and the results were displayed in real time and compared with commercial medical devices. Maximum relative errors are heart rate (2.19), body temperature (2.94), systolic blood pressure (3.4), diastolic blood pressure (2.89), and SpO2 (1.05). On the other hand, the proposed system is much faster than other wireless communication methods, regardless of the detection quality.
An Ultra‐Thin Dual‐Polarized Bandpass Frequency Selective Surface for 2.45‐/5.8‐GHz ISM Bands
Authors: Chellaiah Elango , M Kannan
Published: October 2024

This paper presents the design of a single‐layer, double‐sided frequency selective surface (FSS) with bandpass characteristics at the S‐band (2.45 GHz) and C band (5.8 GHz) for sub‐6‐GHz Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) bands. The proposed FSS is based on the concept of complementary FSS that produces additional resonant modes. The FSS is constructed using an ultra‐thin microwave laminate with a thickness of 0.00076λeff calculated at the C‐band. The solid patch on the front side of the FSS unit cell is composed of an octagonal ring connected to four spiral arms while the slotted region on the rear side is complementary to the geometry on the front side. The unit cell size of the proposed FSS element is 0.087λeff × 0.087λeff. The FSS has an ultra‐low profile with at least 40% size reduction compared to the state‐of‐the‐art. The FSS element offers 11.12% (288 MHz) and 11.45% (650 MHz) at 2.45 GHz and 5.8 GHz, respectively, at x‐polarization while 5.8% (142 MHz) and 5.9% (342 MHz) bandwidth in the y‐polarization. The FSS element has a rotational symmetric structure offering enhanced polarization stability and angular independent operation for oblique incidences up to 80°. Furthermore, FSS operation is stable, which is evaluated and presented. The prototype bandpass FSS is fabricated, and the simulation results are validated in real‐time using experiments.
Combined genetic algorithm and response surface methodology‐based bi‐optimization of a vertical‐axis wind turbine numerically simulated using CFD
Authors: Roshani Mahdi , Pourfayaz Fathollah , Gholami Ali
Published: October 2024

In this study, computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation of a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) geometry based on the Unsteady Reynolds–Averaged Navier–Stokes equations was investigated. In addition, the relationship between the geometric parameters of the VAWT and the two response variables, that is, moment and lift force, was determined using response surface methodology (RSM). Then, the Non‐Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA‐II) was used to solve the multi‐objective optimization problem. The results obtained from the RSM showed that the lift force of the turbine is more sensitive to the change in the blade chord length, and the output moment of the turbine is more sensitive to the change in the rotor radius. Using the NSGA‐II multi‐objective optimization algorithm and the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method, it was determined that among the optimal values of the independent variable, the most optimal response occurs in blade chord length = 0.18 m, rotor radius = 0.4 m, blade pitch angle = −3.27° and number of blades = 4. In these optimal values of the independent variables, the values of the dependent variables, which included the turbine's moment and the blades’ lift force, were obtained as 9.58 N m and 57.89 N, respectively.
Adsorption‐Based Thermal Energy Storage Using Zeolites for Mobile Heat Transfer
Authors: Narwal Kapil , Farsad Saeed , Kempers Roger , O'Brien Paul G.
Published: October 2024

The utilization of the water–zeolite pair as an adsorbate–adsorbent system has garnered significant attention in the realm of thermochemical energy storage, offering great potential for various applications. Despite promising results in laboratory settings, widespread implementation of this technology has yet to be realized. Recent advancements in mobile thermal energy storage (m‐TES) employing thermochemical materials have opened new avenues for enhancing the practicality and cost‐effectiveness of solar thermal energy harnessing and waste heat recovery. This experimental study investigates the feasibility of storing thermal energy in zeolites, charged externally to the heat recovery reactor, and discusses the potential applications of externally charged zeolites for m‐TES over short distances, shedding light on their practicality and significance in advancing the field of mobile thermal energy storage. Our findings reveal that zeolites charged at 200°C and subsequently stored outside the discharging unit exhibit an impressive energy storage density (ESD) exceeding 110 kWhth/m3 under conditions of 0.45 m/s air velocity and 60% relative humidity during zeolite discharging. These ESD values are comparable to previously reported figures in the literature. Moreover, ESD values of 30.6 kWhth/m3 were achieved by charging zeolite beads contained within packed transportable tubes constructed from stainless‐steel mesh.
Design and Performance Analysis of a Hybrid Solar Photovoltaic System With Battery Energy Storage in a Government School of Indian Village
Authors: Shukla Aradhana , Yadav Satish Kumar , Srivastava Ashrya , Singh Jyotsna , Singh Rajendra Bahadur
Published: October 2024

In India, energy security and electrification of rural area remains significant challenges. In addressing energy changes, solar photovoltaic (SPV) systems will play a major role, particularly in remote and rural areas. This research presents the design and performance assessment of a hybrid SPV plant integrated with battery energy storage system (BESS) at a government school within an Indian village. This hybrid SPV system is designed to utilize grid electricity when available, switch to solar power during the day when it is available, and use stored battery power at night time. The designed SPV system is of 1785 Wp, capacity coupled with a 560 Ah battery pack. The performance metrics, energy production, and storage efficiency, are analyzed using simulation data from PVsyst software. The results shows that system produces an annual energy of 2149.28 kWh/year and shows a performance ratio (PR) of 72.75% and a solar fraction (SF) of 98.31%. This proposed hybrid SPV system ensures continuous power supply, reduces dependency on the grid, and significantly lowers CO₂ emissions.
The Therapeutic Effects of Lycopene Against Experimental Giardiasis in Mice
Authors: Parvaneh Jahan , Namazi Fatemeh , Razavi Seyed Mostafa , Nazifi Saeed , Nayebzadeh Hassan
Published: October 2024

Giardia duodenalis is a protozoan parasite that infects approximately one billion people worldwide. In this study, the effects of lycopene on experimental giardiasis in mice were investigated by evaluating cyst shedding rate, weight changes, duodenal antioxidant status, and histopathological alteration. Ninety‐five male mice aged four to six weeks were divided into six groups of 15 and one group of 5 as the negative control. All mice were infected with 2 × 105 Giardia duodenalis (B genotype) cysts except for the negative control. The treatment groups were treated with metronidazole, mixed lycopene‐metronidazole, and 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg lycopene for 7 days. The mice treated with lycopene 20 and mixed lycopene‐metronidazole had no cyst shedding from the 7th day of treatment. The mildest lesions were observed in the mixed lycopene‐metronidazole group. Results showed that treatment with mixed lycopene‐metronidazole significantly increased TAC and decreased MDA levels as compared with the positive control. It seems that the antigiardial effect of lycopene is related to its antioxidant properties. Nevertheless, direct effect of lycopene on Giardia and its probable mechanism remain to be investigated.
Gastroprotective Efficacy of North African Medicinal Plants: A Review on Their Therapeutic Potential for Peptic Ulcers
Authors: Cherrada Nezar , Chemsa Ahmed Elkhalifa , Gheraissa Noura , Laib Ibtissam , Gueboudji Zakia , EL‐Shazly Mohamed , Zaater Abdelmalek , Abid Asma , Sweilam Sherouk Hussein , Emran Talha Bin , Nani Sadok , Benamor Bilal , Ghemam Amara Djilani , Atoki Ayomide Victor , Messaoudi Mohammed
Published: October 2024

Peptic ulcer disease remains a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder worldwide. Current treatments often have limitations, sparking interest in alternative therapies from medicinal plants. This review examines the gastroprotective potential of 54 North African medicinal plants against peptic ulcers. An extensive literature search was conducted, focusing on plants with preclinical and clinical evidence of anti‐ulcer efficacy and documented use in North African traditional medicine. The review identified several promising plant species, such as licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), olive (Olea europaea), pomegranate (Punica granatum), Aloe vera, and black seed (Nigella sativa), along with their bioactive constituents, including flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids. These compounds exhibit gastroprotective properties through multiple mechanisms, such as enhancing the gastric mucosal barrier, inhibiting acid secretion, displaying antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects, promoting ulcer healing, and combating Helicobacter pylori infection. The evidence presented includes in vitro assays, animal models, and some clinical studies. While many of the 53 plants reviewed demonstrated significant anti‐ulcer effects compared to standard drugs, further clinical research is needed to establish efficacy and safety in humans. The synergistic actions of phytochemical mixtures in medicinal plant extracts likely contribute to their therapeutic potential. This review highlights the role these North African medicinal plants may play in the prevention and treatment of peptic ulcers and identifies promising candidates for further research and development of evidence‐based botanical therapies.
Late Ordovician Bentonites From the Southern Ordos Basin: Response to the Subduction of the Proto‐Tethys Ocean
Authors: Li Zuochen , Pei Xianzhi , Pei Lei , Chen Youxin , Wang Hao , Lin Hao , Qin Li , Yang Yajie , Ji Shang , Chen Liang'e , Hou Weiyi , Hussain Irshad , Zhang Gang
Published: October 2024

The connection between the Ordovician bentonites on the southern margin of the Ordos Basin and the Early Palaeozoic volcanic rocks of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt is crucial for understanding the subduction and collisional closure of the Shangdan Ocean during the Early Palaeozoic. This paper investigates zircon U–Pb ages, geochemistry and Lu–Hf isotopic compositions of zircons in the Upper Ordovician Zhaolaoyu Formation bentonites located on the southern margin of the Ordos Basin. U–Pb dating of zircon indicates a coeval age of 453.3 ± 1.4 Ma (MSWD = 0.99), which represents the crystallisation age during the Late Ordovician Katian stage. The bentonites exhibit higher SiO2 (57.94–77.95 wt.%) and Al2O3 (9.21–14.33 wt.%), classifying them within the low‐potassium alkali basalt to medium‐potassium calc‐alkaline series. The parent rock of the bentonites is likely intermediate to felsic volcanic rocks. The rare earth element partitioning curves of the bentonites are right‐dipping, with a more pronounced negative Eu anomaly (δEu = 0.48–0.67). The zircons in the bentonites yield two‐stage model ages ranging from 546 to 956 Ma, along with ε
Hf(t) values between 5.56 and 13.55. These results indicate that the bentonites are products of volcanic arc magma formed in a subduction–collision environment. The interbedded bentonites in the Upper Ordovician limestones of the southern margin of the Ordos Basin may be associated with the northward subduction of the Shangdan Oceanic crust, reflecting the subduction and consumption of the Proto‐Tethys Ocean along the southern margin of the North China Block.
Multimodal Connectivity‐Guided Glioma Segmentation From Magnetic Resonance Images via Cascaded 3D Residual U‐Net
Authors: Sun Xiaoyan , Hu Chuhan , He Wenhan , Yuan Zhenming , Zhang Jian
Published: October 2024

Glioma is a type of brain tumor with a high mortality rate. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is commonly used for examination, and the accurate segmentation of tumor regions from MR images is essential to computer‐aided diagnosis. However, due to the intrinsic heterogeneity of brain glioma, precise segmentation is very challenging, especially for tumor subregions. This article proposed a two‐stage cascaded method for brain tumor segmentation that considers the hierarchical structure of the target tumor subregions. The first stage aims to identify the whole tumor (WT) from the background area; and the second stage aims to achieve fine‐grained segmentation of the subregions, including enhanced tumor (ET) region and tumor core (TC) region. Both stages apply a deep neural network structure combining modified 3D U‐Net with a residual connection scheme to tumor region and subregion segmentation. Moreover, in the training phase, the 3D masks generation of subregions with potential incomplete connectivity are guided by the completely connected regions. Experiments were performed to evaluate the performance of the methods on both area and boundary accuracy. The average dice score of the WT, TC, and ET regions on BraTS 2020 dataset is 0.9168, 0.0.8992, 0.8489, and the Hausdorff distance is 6.021, 9.203, 12.171, respectively. The proposed method outperforms current works, especially in segmenting fine‐grained tumor subregions.
Oral acute graft‐versus‐host disease
Authors: Teymouri Farzad , Sebastian Gale , Gem Hakan , Minot Samuel S. , Rashidi Armin
Published: October 2024

Oral acute graft‐versus‐host disease (aGVHD) is rare and with no diagnostic criteria. We report a case of oral aGVHD with three clinical phases. A self‐limited prodrome of largely subjective oral symptoms was followed by concurrent oral and upper gastrointestinal aGVHD. Six months after transplantation, the patient was diagnosed with severe oral and upper gastrointestinal chronic GVHD. We compared the salivary microbiota of our patient at the time of diagnosis of aGVHD with 50 contemporaneous transplant recipients and found no evidence for oral microbiota involvement in pathogenesis. This in‐depth N‐of‐1 analysis reveals novel aspects of oral aGVHD pathogenesis.
Restoring historical moose densities results in fewer wolves killed for woodland caribou conservation
Authors: McLellan Michelle L. , Ford Adam T. , Hervieux Dave , Lamb Clayton T. , Hessami Mateen , Bridger Michael C. , Serrouya Robert
Published: October 2024

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are declining across much of their distribution in Canada in response to habitat alteration, leading to unsustainable predation, particularly by wolves (Canis lupus). Habitat alteration can benefit the primary prey species of wolves (moose [Alces alces] and deer [Odocoileus spp.]) by creating early seral conditions that contain more of their preferred food types. This increase in primary prey populations results in elevated wolf abundance and heightened predation pressure on caribou. In response to the elevated wolf populations and the risks to caribou, managers have reduced wolf abundance in key areas. Ecological theory suggests that reducing wolf abundance would release moose from the top‐down effects of wolf predation, potentially allowing moose populations to grow. Elevated moose abundance thus has the potential to cause wolf populations to rebound quickly each year following reductions, suggesting a possible link between moose abundance and the number of wolves killed for caribou conservation. To test this idea we used a unique management situation in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, where lethal wolf removals were annually conducted across specific southern mountain caribou population ranges and, in some places, moose populations were concurrently reduced via liberalized hunting. We used indices of moose abundance and wolf removal data to test the hypothesis that reducing moose populations to a historical abundance target by hunting leads to fewer wolves killed for caribou conservation. After controlling for habitat quality, wolves removed per km2 was 3.2 times lower in areas with reduced moose density ( = 1.55 wolves/1,000 km2 ± 0.33 [SE]) than in those without reduced moose density ( = 5.02 wolves/1,000 km2 ± 0.52). However, the average number of wolves removed per year decreased under both conditions. After 9 years, there was a 35% reduction in the predicted difference in the annual removal between areas with and without moose reduction. Our results suggest that policies that do not reduce or stabilize moose abundance will result in the removal of more wolves to increase caribou abundance. Like wolf reductions, moose reductions can also be controversial and affect local harvesters. Thus, understanding the consequences of actions that support caribou recovery is essential to supporting evidence‐based policy discussions.
Tunable Blended Collagen I/II and Collagen I/III Hydrogels as Tissue Mimics
Authors: Babiak Paulina M. , Battistoni Carly M. , Cahya Leonard , Athreya Rithika , Minnich Jason , Panitch Alyssa , Liu Julie C.
Published: October 2024

Collagen (Col) is commonly used as a natural biomaterial for biomedical applications. Although Col I is the most prevalent col type employed, many collagen types work together in vivo to confer function and biological activity. Thus, blending collagen types can better recapitulate many native environments. This work investigates how hydrogel properties can be tuned through blending collagen types (col I/II and col I/III) and by varying polymerization temperatures. Col I/II results in poorly developed fibril networks, which softened the gels, especially at lower polymerization temperatures. Conversely, col I/III hydrogels exhibit well‐connected fibril networks with localized areas of fine fibrils and result in stiffer hydrogels. A decreased molecular mass recovery rate is observed in blended hydrogels. The altered fibril morphologies, mechanical properties, and biological signals of the blended gels can be leveraged to alter cell responses and can be used as models for different tissue types (e.g., healthy vs fibrotic tissue). Furthermore, the biomimetic hydrogel properties are a tool that can be used to modulate the transport of drugs, nutrients, and wastes in tissue engineering applications.
Riboflavin‐Catalyzed Photoinduced Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization
Authors: Coskun Halil Ibrahim , Votruba‐Drzal Thomas , Wu Hanshu , Jockusch Steffen , Yilmaz Gorkem , Matyjaszewski Krzysztof
Published: October 2024

The photoATRP of methyl acrylate (MA) is investigated using riboflavin (RF) and CuBr2/Me6TREN as a dual catalyst system under green LED irradiation (λ ≈ 525 nm). Both RF and CuBr2/Me6TREN enhanced oxygen tolerance, enabling effective ATRP in the presence of residual oxygen. High molar mass polymers (up to Mn ≈ 129 000 g·mol−1) with low dispersity (Đ ≤ 1.16) are prepared, and chain‐end fidelity is confirmed through successful chain extension. The molecular masses of the obtained polymer increased linearly with conversion and showed high initiation efficiency. Mechanistic studies by laser flash photolysis reveal that the predominant activator generation mechanism is reductive quenching of RF by Me6TREN (83%, under [CuBr2]/[Me6TREN] = 1/3 condition), supported by polymerization kinetics and thermodynamic calculations.
Metal‐organic frameworks‐based nanomedicines to promote cancer immunotherapy: Recent advances and future directions
Authors: Feng Chenqian , Liang Xiaoyan , Fan Rangrang , Mu Min , Zhou Liangxue , Guo Gang
Published: October 2024

Cancer immunotherapy uses the body's immune system to fight tumors by restoring natural antitumor responses. Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs), characterized by their unique crystalline porous structures formed from metal ions linked by organic ligands, offer a promising solution. Recent studies have unveiled the potential of MOFs in cancer immunotherapy. The exceptional porosity and surface area, coupled with their extraordinary thermal and chemical stability, bring significant advantages for efficient drug loading and delivery of immunotherapeutic agents. The adaptability of MOFs further enhances the controlled release of immunotherapeutic drugs within target cells and increases tumor sensitivity to other therapies such as photodynamic, photothermal, and radiotherapy. This multifunctional carrier contributes to modulating the tumor microenvironment and reactivating antitumor immunity, providing a comprehensive strategy for cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize the applications of MOFs in immune checkpoint blockade, immunomodulator delivery, and cancer vaccine delivery, and discuss existing challenges in their use for immunotherapy. This discussion aims to offer insights for developing better treatments and enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapy.