bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasma-Induced Abatement of Tar from Syngas Produced in Municipal Waste Gasification: Thermodynamic Modeling with Experimental Validation
Authors: Shaji Mobish A. , Eboh Francis , Rabinovich Alexander , Dor Liran , Fridman Alexander
Published: February 2025

Municipal waste gasification presents a promising avenue to extract useful energy from waste through syngas. This technology’s application is limited by tar formation (long-chain hydrocarbons), which can decrease energy conversion efficiency and applications of raw syngas. Non-thermal plasma-based tar degradation is a simple and cost-effective alternative to existing thermal and catalytic tar mitigation methods. While plasma stimulates tar reformation reactions like steam reformation, there are thermodynamic energy requirements associated with these endothermic processes. Determining thermodynamic energy requirements and the equilibrium composition of products during tar reformation can aid with the proper optimization of the treatment process. In the present study, thermodynamic modeling and experimental validation are conducted to study energy requirements and product formation during the plasma-assisted steam reformation of tar present in raw syngas with an inlet temperature of 300 °C and 30% moisture content. The thermodynamic study evaluated the effect of adding air into the system (to increase the temperature by oxidizing a portion of raw syngas). Results show that up to 75% of energy requirement can be brought down by adding up to 30% air; experimental validation using gliding arc discharge with 30% air addition agrees with the thermodynamic model finding. The thermodynamic model predicted an increase in H2 and CO concentration with the degradation of tar, but experimental validation reported a reduction in H2 and CO concentration with the degradation of tar, as syngas was consumed to increase the temperature to support oxidation, owing to the low temperature (300 °C) and significant moisture presence (~30%) of raw syngas analyzed in this study.
Poured Out on Your Sons and Daughters: Pneumatologically Shaped Pedagogical Practices for Engaging Children in Congregational Worship
Authors: Perigo Angela , Perigo Jeremy
Published: February 2025

From young children to elders in the community, the Holy Spirit’s empowering presence is indiscriminate of age, ability, gender, culture, or status. Many communities continue to wrestle with the pastoral and practical implications of welcoming children into worship as full, distinct participants, yet within the biblical narrative, children are included as full participants in experiencing the Spirit’s gifts and empowerment and encountering God’s dynamic presence. Emerging from the discipline of practical theology and a review of New Testament pneumatology from Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 12, this paper argues for the full inclusion of children within the church’s worship life as welcomed, distinct participants. Contributing to the emerging field of children’s spirituality, we offer faith-forming pedagogical practices to engage children in congregational songs as participants and as those filled with the Spirit as leaders. This article contributes to the fields of worship studies and children’s spirituality by exploring hospitable approaches in corporate worship and congregational songs that affirm children’s capacity to lead in distinct ways where their own spirituality is formed alongside that of the congregation.
ATMformer: An Adaptive Token Merging Vision Transformer for Remote Sensing Image Scene Classification
Authors: Niu Yi , Song Zhuochen , Luo Qingyu , Chen Guochao , Ma Mingming , Li Fu
Published: February 2025

In remote sensing image scene classification (RSISC) tasks, downsampling is crucial for reducing computational complexity and cache demands, enhancing the model’s generalization capability of deep neural networks. Traditional methods, such as regular fixed lattice approaches (pooling in CNN and token merging in transformers), often flatten distinguishing texture features, impacting classification performance. To address this, we propose an adaptive token merging transformer (ATMformer) that preserves essential local features by estimating the importance score of each token. This allows significant tokens to be isolated during merging, mitigating the risk of feature blurring. Our experiments on three widely used RSISC datasets (NWPU-RESISC45, Aerial Image Dataset, and EuroSAT) demonstrate that ATMformer achieves state-of-the-art performance across all datasets. These findings underscore the importance of effective downsampling techniques in maintaining classification accuracy while efficiently processing large-scale data.
The Application of Remote Sensing Technology in Inland Water Quality Monitoring and Water Environment Science: Recent Progress and Perspectives
Authors: Chen Lei , Liu Leizhen , Liu Shasha , Shi Zhenyu , Shi Chunhong
Published: February 2025

Due to its long-term and high-frequency observation capabilities, remote sensing is widely recognized as an indispensable and preferred technology for large-scale and cross-regional water quality monitoring. This paper comprehensively reviews the recent progress of remote sensing for water environment monitoring, predominantly focusing on remote sensing data sources, inversion indices, and inversion models. Specifically, we summarize the inversion methods for commonly monitored water quality parameters, including optically active constituents (such as chlorophyll-a, colored dissolved organic matter, total suspended solids, and water clarity) and non-optically active constituents (including total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and chemical oxygen demand). Furthermore, the applications of remote sensing in the field of environmental sciences such as spatiotemporal evolution and driver factor analysis of water quality, carbon budget research, and pollution source identification are also systematically reviewed. Finally, we propose that atmospheric correction algorithm improvement, multi-source data fusion, and high-precision large-scale inversion algorithms should be further developed to reduce the current dependence on empirical observation algorithms in remote sensing and overcome the limitations imposed by temporal and spatial scales and that more inversion models for non-optically active parameters should be explored to realize accurate remote sensing monitoring of these components in the future. This review not only enhances our understanding of the critical role of remote sensing in inland water quality monitoring but also provides a scientific basis for water environment management.
Deep Learning Extraction of Tidal Creeks in the Yellow River Delta Using GF-2 Imagery
Authors: Chen Bojie , Zhang Qianran , Yang Na , Wang Xiukun , Zhang Xiaobo , Chen Yilan , Wang Shengli
Published: February 2025

Tidal creeks are vital geomorphological features of tidal flats, and their spatial and temporal variations contribute significantly to the preservation of ecological diversity and the spatial evolution of coastal wetlands. Traditional methods, such as manual annotation and machine learning, remain common for tidal creek extraction, but they are slow and inefficient. With increasing data volumes, accurately analyzing tidal creeks over large spatial and temporal scales has become a significant challenge. This study proposes a residual U-Net model that utilizes full-dimensional dynamic convolution to segment tidal creeks in the Yellow River Delta, employing Gaofen-2 satellite images with a resolution of 4 m. The model replaces the traditional convolutions in the residual blocks of the encoder with Omni-dimensional Dynamic Convolution (ODConv), mitigating the loss of fine details and improving segmentation for small targets. Adding coordinate attention (CA) to the Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling (ASPP) module improves target classification and localization in remote sensing images. Including dice coefficients in the focal loss function improves the model’s gradient and tackles class imbalance within the dataset. Furthermore, the inclusion of dice coefficients in the focal loss function improves the gradient of the model and tackles the dataset’s class inequality. The study results indicate that the model attains an F1 score and kappa coefficient exceeding 80% for both mud and salt marsh regions. Comparisons with several semantic segmentation models on the mud marsh tidal creek dataset show that ODU-Net significantly enhances tidal creek segmentation, resolves class imbalance issues, and delivers superior extraction accuracy and stability.
How Accurate Can 2D LiDAR Be? A Comparison of the Characteristics of Calibrated 2D LiDAR Systems
Authors: Ziębiński Adam , Biernacki Piotr
Published: February 2025

The utilization of 2D Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) measurements does not always provide the precision needed to accurately determine the motion range or recalibrate the position of Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGVs). Consequently, it is essential to employ filtering and calibration methods to enhance the precision and accuracy of measurements derived from 2D LiDAR. The article proposes a multi-sectional calibration (MSC) method incorporating a median filtration (MF) phase to enhance the measurement accuracy of 2D LiDAR. The investigation focused on identifying the optimal window width for the MF module among a selection of 2D LiDAR systems. The division of the complete measurement range into sections resulted in a significant enhancement in sensitivity to deviations in measurements. The efficacy of the proposed method is evidenced by its ability to enhance accuracy in distance measurements by up to 89% for the optimal window width. The experiments indicated that the proposed method has a significant impact on the precision and accuracy of distance measurements for 2D LiDAR systems.
Automated ECG Arrhythmia Classification Using Feature Images with Common Matrix Approach-Based Classifier
Authors: Kirkbas Ali , Kizilkaya Aydin
Published: February 2025

This paper seeks to solve the classification problem of cardiac arrhythmias by using a small number of electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings. To offer a reasonable solution to this problem, a technique that combines a common matrix approach (CMA)-based classifier model with the Fourier decomposition method (FDM) is proposed. The FDM is responsible for generating time–frequency (T-F) representations of ECG recordings. The classification process is performed with feature images applied as input to the classifier model. The feature images are obtained after two-dimensional principal component analysis (2DPCA) of data matrices related to ECG recordings. Each data matrix is created by concatenating the ECG record itself, the Fourier transform, and the T-F representation on a single matrix. To verify the efficacy of the proposed method, various experiments are conducted with the MIT-BIH, Chapman, and PTB-XL databases. In the assessments using the MIT-BIH database under the inter-patient paradigm, we achieved a mean overall accuracy rate of 99.81%. The proposed method outperforms the majority of recent efforts, yielding rates exceeding 99% on nearly five performance metrics for the recognition of V- and S-class arrhythmias. It is found that, in the classification of four types of arrhythmias using ECG recordings from the Chapman database, our model surpasses recent works by reaching mean overall accuracy rates of 99.76% and 99.45% for the raw and de-noised ECG recordings, respectively. Similarly, five different forms of arrhythmias from the PTB-XL database were recognized with a mean overall accuracy of 98.71%.
Bridging Neuroscience and Machine Learning: A Gender-Based Electroencephalogram Framework for Guilt Emotion Identification
Authors: Zaidi Saima Raza , Khan Najeed Ahmed , Hasan Muhammad Abul
Published: February 2025

This study explores the link between the emotion “guilt” and human EEG data, and investigates the influence of gender differences on the expression of guilt and neutral emotions in response to visual stimuli. Additionally, the stimuli used in the study were developed to ignite guilt and neutral emotions. Two emotions, “guilt” and “neutral”, were recorded from 16 participants after these emotions were induced using storyboards as pictorial stimuli. These storyboards were developed based on various guilt-provoking events shared by another group of participants. In the pre-processing step, collected data were de-noised using bandpass filters and ICA, then segmented into smaller sections for further analysis. Two approaches were used to feed these data to the SVM classifier. First, the novel approach employed involved feeding the data to SVM classifier without computing any features. This method provided an average accuracy of 83%. In the second approach, data were divided into Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Theta and Delta frequency bands using Discrete Wavelet Decomposition. Afterward, the computed features, including entropy, Hjorth parameters and Band Power, were fed to SVM classifiers. This approach achieved an average accuracy of 63%. The findings of both classification methodologies indicate that females are more expressive in response to depicted stimuli and that their brain cells exhibit higher feature values. Moreover, females displayed higher accuracy than males in all bands except the Delta band.
Evaluating the Leader’s Profile from the Team Members’ Perspective: A Case Study Applying Johari’s Window
Authors: Silva Daniel Barbosa dos Santos , Becerra Claudia Editt Tornero , Feitosa Amanda Duarte , Albuquerque André Philippi Gonzaga de , Melo Fagner José Coutinho de , Medeiros Denise Dumke de
Published: February 2025

Leadership in an organizational environment is responsible for enabling team members to achieve their daily objectives. Leadership has evolved continuously over time, demonstrating flexibility as a core aspect of its essence. In an organizational setting, the feedback between leaders and led has great significance, particularly for teams with shared goals. This study aims to analyze the leader’s behavior using the Johari Window tool from the subordinates’ perspective in a food company, providing feedback on the leader’s behavior to foster a more harmonious relationship. This study adopts an applied methodology with a descriptive objective and qualitative approach, utilizing the Johari Window framework to conduct a case study. Data collection involved administering questionnaires to gather insights into the behavior of both the sector leader and those being led. The results indicate that 60% of employees have different perceptions from the sector manager, concentrated in the “Blind” area, suggesting infrequent feedback exchanges. This could occur in situations in which behaviors are visible to others, but unnoticed by the leader. Therefore, communication is a critical element in the management of an organization. When practiced clearly and objectively, managers can follow paths that lead to effective and efficient decision-making.
A Multivariate and Geographic-Information-System Approach to Assess Environmental and Health Hazards of Fe, Cr, Zn, Cu, and Pb in Agricultural Soils of Western Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alzahrani Hassan , El-Sorogy Abdelbaset S. , Alghamdi Abdulaziz G. , Alasmary Zafer , Albugami Thawab M. R.
Published: February 2025

This study evaluates the environmental and health hazards associated with the presence of Fe, Cr, Zn, Cu, and Pb in agricultural soils from the Makkah region in western Saudi Arabia. Soil samples were collected from 32 farms predominantly cultivating dates and vegetables and analyzed for heavy metals (HMs) using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Multivariate statistical analysis, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and various contamination indices were employed. The average HM concentrations were arranged in descending order as follows: Fe (35.138 mg/kg), Zn (69.59 mg/kg), Cu (55.13 mg/kg), Cr (47.88 mg/kg), and Pb (6.09 mg/kg). Contamination indices indicated considerable enrichment of Cu and deficient to minimal enrichment for the other HMs, though a few individual samples showed higher enrichment factor (EF) values. Risk assessments revealed a low-level risk associated with HMs in Makkah soils. Multivariate analyses suggested that the HMs primarily originated from natural geological processes, with anthropogenic contributions particularly evident for Cu. Hazard index (HI) values ranged from 0.0003 to 0.0691 for adults and 0.003 to 0.6438 for children, remaining below the threshold of 1.0, which indicates no significant non-carcinogenic risk. Lifetime cancer risk estimates for Pb were below 1 × 10−6, while those for Cr ranged from 1 × 10−6 to 1 × 10−4, indicating tolerable carcinogenic risk levels with a few exceptions for Cr in children. This study is significant as it provides critical baseline data on HM contamination in agricultural soils in the Makkah region, offering insights into natural and anthropogenic contributions to soil pollution. The findings contribute to the broader understanding of environmental risk assessments and serve as a foundation for developing sustainable agricultural practices and targeted mitigation strategies to minimize health risks in regions with similar environmental conditions.
Recovery and Recycling of Selected Waste Fractions with a Grain Size Below 10 mm
Authors: Gronba-Chyła Anna , Generowicz Agnieszka , Kwaśnicki Paweł , Kochanek Anna
Published: February 2025

There are still no appropriate technologies for the disposal of waste below 10 mm in order to prevent it from being deposited in a landfill, while it constitutes a significant mass stream, with little studied composition, often varying in quantity and seasonally. There is also a lack of concise and clear literature outlining the issues surrounding this waste. These are wastes of both municipal and industrial origin, from various sources and varying in composition. The aim of this paper is to present the results of a literature analysis of the quantity, composition, and sources of waste in the fraction below 10 mm, with a view to defining the possibilities of its recovery, recycling, and disposal. The sources of generation included municipal waste recovered at the screens of the sorting plant for mixed and sorted municipal waste, waste from the recovery and reclamation of raw fractions, and brownfield, tailings, and ash from coal combustion and construction. Defining the sources of their generation and determining their quality will allow the targeting and development of recovery and recycling methods for these wastes. An analysis of the literature has shown that the most valid option for dealing with waste below 10 mm is to incorporate it into new products, for example, building materials.
Exploring Trade-Offs/Synergies and Drivers of Ecosystem Services in the Dongting Lake Area, China
Authors: Huang Ying , Chen Xinsheng , Zhu Lianlian
Published: February 2025

Identifying ecosystem service trade-offs/synergies and their influencing factors are prerequisites for formulating scientific ecosystem management strategies. We selected Dongting Lake Area as the study area, quantified four key ESs dynamics, including food production (FP), soil conservation (SC), habitat quality (HQ) and ecological leisure (EL), identified relationships between paired ecosystem services using Spearman correlation coefficients, and analyzed how various drivers impact trade-offs and synergies by leveraging spatial panel data models; we also implemented ecosystem management zoning by superposition analysis on ecosystem services, the relationships between these services, and key drivers. The results showed that FC and SC displayed synergy before a trade-off over the period 2000–2022. The FP–HQ and HQ–EL initially displayed synergy, then trade-off, and then synergy again. Spatially, the spatial trade-off ratios of FP–HQ, SC–HQ, and HQ–EL exceeded the synergy ratios, and trade-off areas of FP–HQ, SC–HQ, and HQ–EL existed around Dongting Lake. The direct or indirect effects of DEM, slope, precipitation, and population density have the greatest effect on ecosystem service pairs. Furthermore, the DTLA was divided into ecological unbalance, soil conservation, habitat quality synergy, and ecological leisure areas. These finding may provide critical scientific insights into how to balance ecological conservation and socio-economic progress in the Dongting Lake Area.
Social Progress in the European Union: A Comparative Analysis at the National and Regional Levels
Authors: Lacmanović Sabina , Tijanić Lela
Published: February 2025

Measuring multidimensional social progress in the European Union (EU) is a challenging task but important for addressing strengths and weaknesses in the non-economic dimensions of social development that complement other progress indicators. The aim of this study is to present a review on measuring social progress (including a holistic approach and different levels of observation) and to investigate the differences in social progress within the EU, with an emphasis on the disparities between the regions of old and new EU member states. Descriptive statistics and the Mann–Whitney test were used to summarize and compare the main results, as well as to identify significant differences between the mentioned groups. The best results in social progress are driven by strong performances across various dimensions and components of the European regional Social Progress Index. Regions of the old EU member states perform better, but significant variability is determined in different components and dimensions of social progress across regions in both old and new EU member states. The importance of the opportunity dimension is confirmed in explaining the differences in social progress. Given that new EU member states try to converge with old EU member states, and considering that inclusive growth and social cohesion are among the goals of EU cohesion policy, investigating the factors behind the differences in social progress can provide valuable insights for policymaking and investment decisions.
The Impact of Multidimensional Relational Network Embedding on the Carbon Emission Reductions of Manufacturing Enterprises: From the Mediating and Regulating Roles of Technological Innovation
Authors: Zhao Bo , Lv Li , Luo Xiaojuan , Huang Xinzao
Published: February 2025

Promoting low-carbon, green development in the industrial sector is crucial for the sustainable development of the economy and society in China. As the micro-entity of industrial carbon reduction, the question of how to enhance the carbon reduction capacity of industrial enterprises has attracted widespread attention. Research suggests that a multidimensional relationship network, consisting of government, market, industry, and public networks and network reputation, significantly influences enterprises’ carbon emission performance. Based on the survey data of 1226 manufacturing enterprises, this study empirically examines the impact of multidimensional relationship network on the carbon emissions of enterprises and its mechanism from a micro-perspective. The findings reveal that relational network embedding significantly reduces the carbon emission intensity, and the reduction effect becomes stronger as the embedding degree increases. Compared to the government and industry networks, the market network, public network, and network reputation have a more significant impact on carbon emission reduction. The heterogeneity analysis shows that the reduction effect is more significant in enterprises with a higher carbon emission intensity and digital level. The mechanism analysis also highlights the role of technological innovation as a mediator and regulator in strengthening the carbon emission reduction effect of relationship network embedding.
The Role of Botulinum Toxin for Masseter Muscle Hypertrophy: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Ferrillo Martina , Sommadossi Eleonora , Raciti Loredana , Calafiore Dario , Mezian Kamal , Tarantino Valeria , Vecchio Michele , Longo Umile Giuseppe , Losco Luigi , de Sire Alessandro
Published: February 2025

Masticatory muscle hypertrophy (MMH) is a rare clinical phenomenon of uncertain etiology, characterized by a soft swelling near the angle of the jaw. This abnormal enlargement of the masseter muscle can alter the facial profile, leading to aesthetic concerns. Moreover, MMH may also have significant functional repercussions, including pain in the masseter region, often associated with temporomandibular disorders, fatigue, and discomfort during mastication. Non-conservative approaches offer an effective and minimally invasive solution by inducing localized muscle relaxation and reducing hypertrophy. Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A) represents a therapeutic option for managing MMH, considering that injections can effectively reduce the masseter muscle volume, improving both facial aesthetics and related symptoms. Currently, the standard non-surgical management of MMH is BoNT/A injections, although consensus on the average dosage has not been definitely reached; on the other hand, there are data available in the literature about the injection technique of BoNT/A for lower face contouring. Therefore, the present comprehensive review aimed at exploring in detail the role of BoNT/A in the treatment of masseter muscle hypertrophy, describing its mechanism of action, the administration protocols, the clinical effects, and any side effects.
ConoGPT: Fine-Tuning a Protein Language Model by Incorporating Disulfide Bond Information for Conotoxin Sequence Generation
Authors: Zhao Guohui , Ge Cheng , Han Wenzheng , Yu Rilei , Liu Hao
Published: February 2025

Conotoxins are a class of peptide toxins secreted by marine mollusks of the Conus genus, characterized by their unique mechanism of action and significant biological activity, making them highly valuable for drug development. However, traditional methods of acquiring conotoxins, such as in vivo extraction or chemical synthesis, face challenges of high costs, long cycles, and limited exploration of sequence diversity. To address these issues, we propose the ConoGPT model, a conotoxin sequence generation model that fine-tunes the ProtGPT2 model by incorporating disulfide bond information. Experimental results demonstrate that sequences generated by ConoGPT exhibit high consistency with authentic conotoxins in physicochemical properties and show considerable potential for generating novel conotoxins. Furthermore, compared to models without disulfide bond information, ConoGPT outperforms in terms of generating sequences with ordered structures. The majority of the filtered sequences were shown to possess significant binding affinities to nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) targets based on molecular docking. Molecular dynamics simulations of the selected sequences further confirmed the dynamic stability of the generated sequences in complex with their respective targets. This study not only provides a new technological approach for conotoxin design but also offers a novel strategy for generating functional peptides.
Modern Bayesian Sampling Methods for Cosmological Inference: A Comparative Study
Authors: Staicova Denitsa
Published: February 2025

We present a comprehensive comparison of different Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling methods, evaluating their performance on both standard test problems and cosmological parameter estimation. Our analysis includes traditional Metropolis–Hastings MCMC, Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC), slice sampling, nested sampling as implemented in dynesty, and PolyChord. We examine samplers through multiple metrics including runtime, memory usage, effective sample size, and parameter accuracy, testing their scaling with dimension and response to different probability distributions. While all samplers perform well with simple Gaussian distributions, we find that HMC and nested sampling show advantages for more complex distributions typical of cosmological problems. Traditional MCMC and slice sampling become less efficient in higher dimensions, while nested methods maintain accuracy but at higher computational cost. In cosmological applications using BAO data, we observe similar patterns, with particular challenges arising from parameter degeneracies and poorly constrained parameters.
Effect of Secondary Infections on the Outcomes of Patients with Hematological Malignancies and SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Results from the HM-COV 3.0 Study
Authors: Petrucci Flavia , Pellicano Chiara , Cogliati Dezza Francesco , Valeri Serena , Covino Sara , Iannazzo Francesco , Infante Francesca , Gigante Antonietta , Sacco Federica , Viscido Agnese , Iacovelli Alessandra , Rosato Edoardo , Palange Paolo , Mastroianni Claudio Maria , Oliva Alessandra
Published: February 2025

Patients with hematological malignancies (HMs) are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 and secondary infections, which further complicate their outcomes. This study evaluated the impact of secondary infections (SIs) on mortality in hospitalized HM patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and identified risk factors associated with SIs. We included 217 patients with HMs and COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary hospital in Rome, from April 2020 to September 2022. SIs occurred in 44.2% of patients, with bloodstream infections (42.7%) and respiratory infections (30.5%) being most frequent; among the latter, COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) was observed in 41.4% of cases. Viral reactivations, predominantly CMV, occurred in 9.2% of patients. The overall mortality rate was 29%, with higher mortality observed in patients with SIs (47.4% vs. 14.7%, p < 0.01). Risk factors for SIs included severe COVID-19 (OR = 2.957, p < 0.05) and prolonged hospitalization (OR = 1.095, p < 0.001). Severe COVID-19 (OR = 8.229, p < 0.001), intensive care unit (ICU) admission (OR = 15.232, p < 0.001), chronic steroid therapy (OR = 2.803, p < 0.05), SIs (OR = 2.892, p < 0.05), and viral reactivation (OR = 6.269, p < 0.01) were independent predictors of mortality. SIs and viral reactivations are common in patients with HMs and SARS-CoV-2 infection and significantly increase mortality, highlighting the need for timely management and preventive strategies in this vulnerable population.
Mitigation of Electrical Discharge Damage in Electric Vehicle Bearings: Comparative Study of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Alumina Nanoparticles in Lubricating Grease
Authors: Jonjo Emmanuel R. , Ali Islam , Megahed Tamer F. , Nassef Mohamed G. A.
Published: February 2025

The electrified environments encountered in electric vehicles (EVs) in terms of parasitic currents present significant challenges for the performance of EV bearings and their lubricants. This study investigates the effectiveness of various concentrations (0.1 wt.%, 0.2 wt.%, 0.3 wt.%, and 0.4 wt.%) of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and alumina (Al2O3) as two different nanoparticles incorporated into lithium grease, specifically focusing on their ability to mitigate the bearing surface damage caused by varying magnitudes of bearing DC discharges. A specialized test rig was developed to evaluate the electrical discharge characteristics, vibration response, and extent of surface wear on bearings lubricated with both lithium grease without additives and when infused with each nano-additive. Microscopic examination was employed to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the surface degradation of each test bearing. The results of this study demonstrate that the addition of nano-additives into the lubricating grease of bearings subjected to electrical loads resulted in a reduction in electric discharge voltage thresholds and levels. This reflected on the mitigation of surface damage in terms of surface roughness and vibration amplitudes by up to 70.67% and 65.19% in the case of MWCNTs. In contrast, alumina nanoparticles yielded a reduction in vibration amplitude and surface wear by 44.89% and 37.5%, respectively.
Effects of Cryoprotectant Combinations on Post-Thawed Sperm Quality, Biomolecular Changes, DNA Methylation, and Pregnancy Rates in Boer Goat Semen
Authors: Suwor Fareeda , Kubota Satoshi , Nawong Siriwan , Thuangsanthia Anone , Toyra Montequl , Paengkoum Pramote , Ponchunchoovong Samorn
Published: February 2025

This study investigated the effects of various cryoprotectant combinations on post-thaw sperm quality, biomolecular changes, DNA methylation, and pregnancy rates using Boer goat semen. Synchrotron-based Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (SR-FTIR) was used to assess biomolecular changes. A Tris-based extender supplemented with 5% glycerol was used in combination with different concentrations of cryoprotectants, including 1% and 3% soybean lecithin and 10% and 18% egg yolk, with Andromed® serving as the control. SR-FTIR analysis revealed that the combination of 5% glycerol and 18% egg yolk (T4) resulted in significantly higher levels of lipids, ester lipids, and secondary protein structures (α-helix) compared with those under the other treatments (p < 0.05). Analysis of the principal component analysis (PCA) score plot and correlation loadings revealed a positive association between the cryoprotectant combination of T4 and increased levels of lipids and ester lipids, as well as enhanced sperm motility, progressive motility, and viability. Furthermore, this combination achieved a pregnancy and parturition rate of 66.67%, which was notably higher than the rate achieved with Andromed® (37.50%). Moreover, T4 did not show a significant difference in DNA methylation levels compared to Andromed® and fresh sperm (p > 0.05). Overall, the results indicated that specific cryoprotectant combinations play a key role in enhancing the biomolecular and functional integrity of freeze-thawed Boer goat semen.
Analysis of Detailed Series Based on the Estimation of Hydrogeological Parameters by Indirect Methods Based on Fluvial and Piezometric Fluctuations
Authors: Herrero-Pacheco José Luis , Carrasco Javier , Carrasco Pedro
Published: February 2025

Piezometers located near watercourses experiencing periodic fluctuations provide a means to analyse soil properties and derive key hydrogeological parameters through pressure wave transmission analysis, which is affected in amplitude and time (lag). These techniques are invaluable for hydrogeological characterizations, such as assessing pollutant diffusion, conducting construction projects below the water table, and evaluating flood zones. While traditionally applied to study tidal influences in coastal areas, this research introduces their application to channels indirectly affected by tidal oscillations due to downstream confluences with tidal waterways. This innovative approach combines the analysis of tidal barriers with the effects of storms and droughts. This study synthesises findings from an experimental monitoring field equipped with advanced recording technologies, allowing for high-resolution, long-term analysis. The dataset, spanning dry periods, major storms, and channel overflows, offers unprecedented precision and insight into aquifer responses. This study analyses the application of wave transmission calculations using continuous level recording in a river and in observation piezometers. Two methods of analysis are applied to the series generated, one based on the variation in the amplitude and the other based on the phase shift produced by the transmission of the wave through the aquifer, both related to the hydrogeological characteristics of the medium. This study concludes that the determination of the fluctuation period is key in the calculation, being particularly more precise in the analysis of the amplitude than in the analysis of the phase difference, which has led to disparate results in previous studies. The results obtained make it possible to reconstruct and extrapolate real or calculated series of rivers and piezometers as a function of distance from the diffusivity obtained. Using the fluctuation period and diffusivity, it is possible to construct the wave associated with any event based on data from just one river or piezometer.
Current Challenges of Good Corporate Governance in NGOs: Case of Slovenia
Authors: Jelovac Dejan
Published: February 2025

Organizations in the Third Sector operating in still non-Western contexts need to have enhanced governance models that match the need to ensure ethical and efficient commercial operations within their mission. The key research question of the present article is how the implementation of good corporate governance (GCG) in Slovenian NGOs will contribute to strengthening their legitimacy, stakeholder trust, and effectiveness in achieving social goals. This article develops a conceptual model that should include all key variables, mediators, moderators, and latent constructs in itself, serving as a theoretical basis for future empirical studies and best practices. The main finding is that GCG should be organized as a single-track administrative body of public institutes in the future. Better single-track GCG regulations, which would presuppose the amendment of legislation, can be created and executed in practice only by working together with the public, regulatory agencies, academic community, NGOs, and prominent intellectuals.
Empowerment as Prevention: How Youth-Driven Initiatives Transform Frameworks for Change
Authors: McKoy Deborah , Kosewicz-Strickland Ruby , Popplewell Pixie
Published: February 2025

Youth-led action research has significantly influenced local and statewide policies aimed at supporting students experiencing homelessness in California. This study employs a Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) methodology, summarizing five years of research conducted by high school student cohorts and UC Berkeley graduate students to examine effective strategies for preventing and addressing student homelessness. The research engaged over 240 high school students, nine graduate research fellows, 120 university student mentors, and eight civic and community organizations through data collection, policy analysis, and stakeholder collaboration. Findings indicate that youth-led research strengthens alignment mechanisms, enhances cross-sector collaboration, and improves policy coordination, leading to more effective services and positive educational experiences for students experiencing homelessness. These results underscore the transformative role of youth-driven inquiry in shaping inclusive, evidence-based policies, and demonstrate the need for sustained youth engagement in policymaking to create long-term, systemic change.
Pilea symmeria: A natural ally in antioxidant defence and wound repair in mice
Authors: Rokhum Lalremtluangi , Chinzah Lalthansangi , Esther Lalhmingliani , Vabeiryureilai Mathipi
Published: February 2025

Introduction: Pilea symmeria, traditionally used for wound healing in Mizoram, was evaluated for its antioxidant activity and wound healing ability using a mouse model. Methods: Mice were inflicted with excision and incision wounds. They were divided into four groups of six: Group I (negative control) animals were treated with simple ointment base (SO); group II (positive control) with povidone-iodine (PVI) 5%; groups III and IV with 5% and 10% extract ointment (PSEE) prepared using polyethylene glycol (PEG), respectively. The ointment was applied topically on the wound for 16 days. The rate of wound contraction and breaking strength of the incision wound was recorded. The antioxidant status of the excision wound tissue was assessed by measuring the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione-s-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA). A histological examination was also conducted to support the results. Results: When compared with the SO-treated group, PVI 5%, PSEE 5%, and PSEE 10% treated groups showed a significant (P<0.001) increase in antioxidant markers (GSH, GST, SOD) and a decrease in MDA levels. The result also showed a significant (P<0.001) increase in the rate of wound contraction and a shortened period of epithelialization, which was confirmed by histopathology results. Moreover, the wound-breaking strength of incision wounds was significantly increased in the PVI 5%, PSEE 5%, and PSEE 10% treated groups (P<0.001) compared with the SO-treated group. Conclusion: These findings validate the traditional use of P. symmeria as a wound-healing enhancer, supporting its potential as a therapeutic agent for wound management.
Detection and Evaluation of Multidrug Resistance and the Presence of Virulence Genes Related to the Formation of ompA, epsA, and Bap Biofilms in Clinical Isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii in Tehran, Iran
Authors: Niakan Mohammad , Hataminejad Maryam , Shadpirouz Marzieh , Pouladi Iman
Published: February 2025

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii is a prevalent pathogenic bacterium that causes nosocomial infections globally. A multitude of A. baumannii strains have acquired a broad spectrum of antibiotic resistance in recent years, primarily due to the influence of genes associated with the production of biofilms. Methods: Two hundred clinical isolates were acquired and described from Shahid Mostafa Khomeini, Tohid, and Shahid Motahari hospitals in Tehran, Iran, in 2018. The disk diffusion method was then used to determine whether genes related to the formation of outer membrane protein A (ompA), exopolysaccharide (epsA), and biofilm-associated protein (Bap) by polymerase chain reaction were present or not, as per the 2020 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: We found 60 different types of A. baumannii, all confirmed by blaOXA-51-like gene area sequencing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) 16S rRNA. It was found that A. baumannii isolates were completely unaffected by piperacillin, meropenem, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, and ciprofloxacin. We also found that 96.6% of the A. baumannii isolates had genes related to making ompA biofilms, 85% had genes related to making epsA biofilms, and 75% had genes related to making Bap biofilms. Conclusion: After examining the elevated level of antibiotic resistance among A. baumannii isolates and the existence of biofilmassociated genes in clinical isolate, this study showed that virulence genes linked to the formation of epsA, Bap, and ompA biofilms are a major cause of antibiotic resistance.
Platelet Indices in Pediatric Patients with Congenital Heart Disease with and without Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Akbari Mehran , Bahrami Masoud , Ghandi Yazdan
Published: February 2025

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an uncommon syndrome characterized by dyspnea and fatigue resulting from a progressive elevation in pulmonary vascular resistance. Recent research suggests that the relationship between pulmonary arterioles and platelets could be connected to the ongoing changes in pulmonary blood vessels seen in PAH. Therefore, this study aimed to assess platelet indices in pediatric patients with PAH. Methods: This study in pediatric cardiology was conducted in 2020. Laboratory and clinical data were obtained retrospectively from hospital records. All patients had undergone physical examination and echocardiography. The study included 44 pediatric cases with congenital heart disease (CHD). Results: Mean and standard deviation (SD) of age in cases with and without PAH were 7.75±3.64 and 5.97±3.71, respectively; the male/female ratio in the two groups was 10:12. The mean and SD of pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in cases with and without PAH were 36.81±6.08 and 19.80±2.78 mm Hg ; also, right ventricular systolic diameter (RVSD) and right ventricular diastolic diameter (RVDD) did not show a statistically significant difference in echocardiography. Hemoglobin (Hb) (P=0.146), hematocrit (HCT) (P=0.712), and platelet count did not show statistically significant differences. However, mean platelet volume (MPV), Platelet distribution width (PDW), and plateletcrit (PCT) in PAH cases were significantly higher than cases with normal pulmonary tension (P=0.0001). Also, our study showed a correlation between MPV, PCT, PDW, and PAH. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated a notable elevation in MPV and PDW among pediatric patients with PAH and identified a relationship between PDW and MPV in this patient population.
Comparison of Ilioinguinal/Iliohypogastric Nerve Block and Ilioinguinal/Iliohypogastric Nerve Block Plus Genitofemoral Nerve Block in Patients with Chronic Pelvic/Groin Pain: A Retrospective Quasi-experimental Study
Authors: Dadkhah Payman , Taheri Mehrdad , Hashemi Seyyed Masoud , Momenzadeh Cyrus , Salehi Jafar , Bahrami Keivan
Published: February 2025

Background: Chronic pelvic/groin pain (CP/GP) is a debilitating condition with various treatment options, including nerve blocks. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric (II/IH) nerve block and the combination of genitofemoral (GF) and II/IH nerve block in patients with CP/GP. Methods: This retrospective quasi-experimental (longitudinal) study was conducted at Labbafinejad Hospital (Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran) and assessed the medical records of 54 patients with CP/GP. Patients alternately received interventions from an experienced pain specialist. Twenty-six patients received the II/IH plus GFN block, and 28 patients received the II/IH nerve block alone. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores (before and 1, 2, and 3 months after intervention) available in medical records were extracted for all patients. Results: In the first (P=0.019), second (P=0.015), and third month (P=0.021) following the intervention, patients in the G+I group consistently reported significantly lower pain severity compared to patients in the I group. Patients with pain from surgical causes demonstrated significantly better treatment response than those with idiopathic causes in the second (P=0.014, 0.021) and third months (P=0.015, 0.026) post-intervention in the G+I group compared to the I group. Conclusion: Both II/IH nerve block and II/IH nerve block plus GFN block are effective in treating CP/GP. However, patients who received II/IH nerve block plus GFN block demonstrated a better treatment response than those who received II/IH nerve block alone. Additionally, it is worth noting that patients with pain from surgical causes reported lower pain intensity compared to patients with idiopathic causes in both treatment groups.
ESTADÍSTICA NO PARAMÉTRICA APLICADA A LA INVESTIGACIÓN CIENTÍFICA CON SOFTWARE SPSS, MINITAB Y EXCEL
Authors: Adrián Quispe Andía , Ilich Ivan Pumacayo Palomino , José Luis Rodríguez López , Judith Soledad Yangali Vicente , Kriss Melody Calla Vasquez
Published: February 2025

Así como la nueva concepción de la educación del hombre, busca su desarrollo personal, la interrelación con los demás, la incorporación de cultura, y la capacitación tecnológica implica por ello dar aportes sustanciales de algunas experiencias del campo de la estadística aplicada con software.

La nueva concepción del aprendizaje consiste en aprender a aprender. La enseñanza es la función del profesor que es formador de personas, el cual actúa como un guía. Su tarea principal es acompañar el proceso de desarrollo y maduración de sus alumnos estimulando su capacidad de pensar, aprender y resolver problemas con autonomía.
Design of an optional course for the training of educators in Zacatecan Normal Schools
Authors:   Benemérita Escuela Normal "Manuel Ávila Camacho", Alvarado-Sánchez Martina
Published: February 2025

The work reports on a research experience in the design of the optional course in the initial training of teachers of the Degrees in Preschool Education and Primary Education, the case of Zacatecas of the 2012 plan. The work was guided by the questions: what are the real needs that normal students in training face and what type of course is necessary to design to meet such needs in order to contribute to better professional performance and real impact in basic education classrooms in the State of Zacatecas? The methodology was qualitative with a random sample of a focus group, interviews were applied, among other techniques that allowed the course to be built, the theoretical support was centered on Díaz Barriga, among other theorists in the field of curriculum and education. The results allowed us to identify the relevance and significance of the course that was finally designed and implemented in four Normal Schools in the State of Zacatecas.