bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring Chemoprevention in Colorectal Cancer for Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Aspects
Authors: Fousekis Fotios S. , Mpakogiannis Konstantinos , Filis Panagiotis , Skamnelos Alexandros , Christodoulou Dimitrios K. , Mauri Davide , Katsanos Konstantinos H.
Published: January 2025

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) have been associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) development and chronic colonic inflammation seems to have a critical role in the pathogenesis of CRC in patients suffering from IBD. In respect to that, surveillance colonoscopy at regular intervals is recommended in patients with colitis. Objective: This review aims to explore the chemopreventive potential of a range of agents, including mesalazine, thiopurines, anti-TNF agents, statins, ursodeoxycholic acid, aspirin, folic acid, and nutraceuticals. Results: These agents target inflammation, oxidative stress, and oncogenic pathways, thereby offering the potential to reduce the risk of CRC in patients with IBD. Anti-TNF agents, such as infliximab and adalimumab, not only reduce colonic inflammation, but also play a protective role against CRC by lessening the carcinogenic effects associated with prolonged inflammatory processes. Furthermore, mesalazine and thiopurines have demonstrated established efficacy, while newer biologics, including interleukin inhibitors, show promising advancements. Although nutraceuticals and dietary interventions require further clinical validation, they offer additional possibilities for non-pharmacological prevention. Conclusion: Despite progress, knowledge gaps persist regarding the long-term safety, optimal dosing, and combined use of these agents. A significant reduction in the incidence of CRC in patients with IBD could be achieved by advancing chemoprevention and personalizing strategies.
The Rare Entity of Basaloid Thymic Carcinoma: A Multicentric Retrospective Analysis from the Italian Collaborative Group for ThYmic MalignanciEs (TYME)
Authors: Catania Chiara , Manglaviti Sara , Zucali Paolo , Perrino Matteo , Ruffini Enrico , Di Tommaso Luca , Mazzella Antonio , Spaggiari Lorenzo , Delmonte Angelo , Lo Russo Giuseppe , Garassino Marina , Solli Piergiorgio , Pasello Giulia , Rosso Lorenzo , Lococo Filippo , Rindi Guido , Ricciardi Sara , Picozzi Fernanda , Lyberis Paraskevas , Tinterri Benedetta , Pala Laura , Conforti Fabio , De Pas Tommaso
Published: January 2025

Background: thymic basaloid carcinoma (BTC) is an extremely rare tumor, and very little data are available on BTC’s biology, clinical behavior, drug sensitivity, and patient outcomes. Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study on patients diagnosed with BTC in 11 referral centers of TYME. All BTC diagnoses were reviewed by the referring pathologist. Results: Twenty-eight patients were identified. A total of 22/28 patients were included. Eighteen patients had TNM stage I–III disease, and all underwent surgery; three patients received preoperative chemotherapy, and 10 patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. With a median follow-up of 46 (1–133) months, median overall survival (mOS) and median relapse-free survival were not reached. At 48 months, OS was 77% (95%CI 43–92), and DFS was 63% (95%CI 30–83). The median OS of the 4 patients diagnosed with metastatic disease was 7 months. Six patients received first-line systemic treatment for metastatic disease, and all showed tumor responses. Anti-tumor activity was also observed with an anti-VEGFR TKI and a multi-TKI inhibitor combined with an anti-PD1 antibody. Next-generation sequencing performed in three tumor samples did not identify actionable alterations or microsatellite instability. Conclusions: BTC is an extremely rare tumor that usually presents as a localized disease. Patients diagnosed with stage I–III disease can achieve long-term DFS, and efforts should be made to perform radical surgical resection combined with perioperative treatment whenever appropriate. Patients with advanced disease progression have a poor prognosis despite a high response rate to systemic treatments.
Extracellular Regucalcin: A Potent Suppressor in the Cancer Cell Microenvironment
Authors: Yamaguchi Masayoshi
Published: January 2025

The regucalcin gene is located on the X chromosome, comprising seven exons and six introns. This gene and protein are expressed in various tissues and cells and is predominantly expressed in human liver, kidney, and adrenal tissues. Regucalcin gene expression is enhanced via a mechanism mediated by several signaling molecules and transcription factors. Regucalcin plays a multifunctional role in cellular regulation in maintaining cell homeostasis. In addition, regucalcin has been implicated in several metabolic disorders and diseases. In particular, regucalcin plays a role as a novel suppressor in several types of cancer patients. Increased expression of regucalcin suppresses the growth of human cancer cells, suggesting its pivotal role in suppressing tumor development. The survival time of cancer patients is prolonged with increased expression of regucalcin in the tumor tissues. The adhesion, migration, invasion, and bone metastatic activity of cancer cells are blocked by the overexpression of regucalcin, promoting dormancy in cancer patients. Interestingly, regucalcin is also found in human serum, suggesting its character as a novel biomarker in various diseases. This extracellular regucalcin has been shown to suppress human cancer cells’ growth and bone metastatic activity. Thus, extracellular regucalcin may play a vital role as a suppressor of human cancer activity. Alteration of the serum regucalcin levels in physiological and pathophysiological conditions may influence the activity of cancer cells in the microenvironment. This review will discuss the potential role of extracellular regucalcin in cancer cell activity as a critical suppressor in the cancer microenvironment.
Robotic-Assisted Colon Cancer Surgery: Faster Recovery and Less Pain Compared to Laparoscopy in a Retrospective Propensity-Matched Study
Authors: Lin Chun-Yu , Liu Yi-Chun , Chen Chou-Chen , Chen Ming-Cheng , Chiu Teng-Yi , Huang Yi-Lin , Chiang Shih-Wei , Lin Chang-Lin , Chen Ying-Jing , Lin Chen-Yan , Chiang Feng-Fan
Published: January 2025

Background and Objective: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide, with colon cancer accounting for approximately 60% of all CRC cases. Surgery remains the primary and most effective treatment. Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) has emerged as a promising approach for colon cancer resection. This retrospective study compares RAS and laparoscopic-assisted surgery (LSS) for stage I–III colon cancer resections at a single medical center in East Asia. Methods: Between 1 January 2018, and 29 February 2024, patients undergoing colectomy were classified into right-side and left-side colectomies. Propensity score matching was conducted based on age group, gender, ASA score, and BMI to ensure comparability between groups. After matching, there were 50 RAS and 200 LSS cases for right colectomy (RC), and 129 RAS and 258 LSS cases for left colectomy (LC). Perioperative outcomes were compared between the two surgical approaches. The primary outcomes were recovery milestones, while secondary outcomes included complications and postoperative pain scores. Results: RAS demonstrated faster recovery milestones compared to LSS (hospital stay: 6.5 vs. 10.2 days, p = 0.005 for RC; 5.5 vs. 8.2 days, p < 0.001 for LC). RAS also resulted in lower rates of ileus (14% vs. 26%, p = 0.064 for RC; 6.2% vs. 15.9%, p = 0.007 for LC) and higher lymph node yields (31.4 vs. 26.8, p = 0.028 for RC; 25.8 vs. 23.9, p = 0.066 for LC). Major complication rates showed no significant difference between RAS and LSS (4.0% vs. 7.0%, p = 0.746 for RC; 4.7% vs. 3.1%, p = 0.563 for LC). Patients in the RAS group experienced earlier diuretic phases and reported significantly lower postoperative pain scores (3.0 vs. 4.1, p = 0.011 for RC; 2.9 vs. 4.1, p < 0.001 for LC). Conclusions: Robotic-assisted surgery is associated with faster recovery, lower rates of ileus (LC), higher lymph node yield (RC) and reduced postoperative pain compared to laparoscopic-assisted surgery for colon cancer resection.
Valproate-Induced Model of Autism in Adult Zebrafish: A Systematic Review
Authors: Camussi Diletta , Marchese Maria , Nicoletti Ferdinando , Santorelli Filippo Maria , Ogi Asahi
Published: January 2025

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social skills and the presence of repetitive and restricted behaviors and interests. The social behavior of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) makes this organism a valuable tool for modeling ASD in order to explore the social impairment typical of this disorder. In addition to transgenic models, exposure of zebrafish embryos to valproic acid (VPA) has been found to produce ASD-like symptoms. This review first sets out to examine the existing literature on adult social behavior in the zebrafish VPA-induced model of autism, and the authors also aim to identify the ideal VPA dosage able to induce a persistent and long-lasting ASD-like phenotype while minimizing the suffering and distress of research animals in compliance with the principles of replacement, refinement, and reduction (3Rs).
Chemical Space of Fluorinated Nucleosides/Nucleotides in Biomedical Research and Anticancer Drug Discovery
Authors: Kothapalli Yugandhar , Lesperance Tucker A. , Jones Ransom A. , Chu Chung K. , Singh Uma S.
Published: January 2025

Fluorinated nucleos(t)ide drugs have proven to be successful chemotherapeutic agents in treating various cancers. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several drugs that fit within the fluorinated nucleoside pharmacophore, and many more are either in preclinical development or clinical trials. The addition of fluorine atoms to nucleos(t)ides improves the metabolic stability of the glycosidic bond and, in certain instances, facilitates additional interactions of nucleons(t)ides with receptors. The insertion of fluorine either on sugar or the base of nucleos(t)ides proved to enhance the lipophilicity, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic properties. Overall, the fluorine atom feeds diverse advantages to the biological profile of nucleos(t)ide analogs by improving their drug-like properties and therapeutic potential. This review article covers the often-used fluorinating reagents in nucleoside chemistry, the clinical significance of [18F]-labeled nucleosides, the synthesis and anticancer activity of FDA-approved fluoro-nucleos(t)ide drugs, as well as clinical candidates, which are at various stages of clinical development as anticancer agents.
The Potential Role of sPD-L1 as a Predictive Biomarker in EGFR-Positive Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Ćeriman Krstić Vesna , Jovanović Dragana , Samardžić Natalija , Gajić Milija , Kotur Stevuljević Jelena , Klisic Aleksandra , Soldatović Ivan , Radončić Damir , Roksandić Milenković Marina , Šeha Biljana , Čolić Nikola , Lukić Katarina , Savić Milan
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: A significant breakthrough in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment has occurred with the introduction of targeted therapies and immunotherapy. However, not all patients treated with these therapies would respond to treatment, and patients who respond to treatment would acquire resistance at some time point. This is why we need new biomarkers that can predict response to therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether soluble programmed cell death-ligand 1 (sPD-L1) could be a predictive biomarker in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive NSCLC. Materials and Methods: Blood samples from 35 patients with EGFR-mutated (EGFRmut) adenocarcinoma who achieved disease control with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR TKI) therapy were collected for sPD-L1 analysis. We analyzed sPD-L1 concentrations in 30 healthy middle-aged subjects, as a control population, to determine the reference range. Adenocarcinoma patients were divided into two groups, i.e., a group with low sPD-L1 (≤182.5 ng/L) and a group with high sPD-L1 (>182.5 ng/L). Results: We found that progression-free survival (PFS) was 18 months, 95% CI (11.1–24.9), for patients with low sPD-L1 and 25 months, 95% CI (8.3–41.7), for patients with high sPD-L1. There was no statistically significant difference in PFS between the groups (p = 0.100). Overall survival (OS) was 34.4 months, 95% CI (26.6–42.2), for patients with low sPD-L1 and 84.1 months, 95% CI (50.6–117.6), for patients with high sPD-L1; there was also no statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.114). Conclusion: In our study, we found that patients with high sPD-L1 had numerically better PFS and OS, but this has no statistical significance. Further studies with a larger number of patients are needed to evaluate the role of sPD-L1 as a predictive biomarker in patients with EGFRmut NSCLC.
One-Step In Situ Electrochemical Synthesis of Polyaniline/CeO2 Composite Coating for Enhanced Corrosion Protection of Mild Steel
Authors: Zhou Haoyao , Du Xiaoqing , Yang Zhongnian , Chen Yu
Published: January 2025

The electrolytic composition significantly influences the structure and corrosion protection performance of polyaniline (PANI) coating. In the present work, oxalic acid and benzoic acid were employed to electropolymerize PANI coating on a mild steel substrate using the cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique. Then, cerium nitrate was introduced into the benzoic acid medium to electrochemically synthesize a PANI/CeO2 composite coating in situ. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical measurements were used to characterize the coating structure and corrosion resistance. The results suggested that the PANI coating prepared from benzoic acid electrolyte possessed a neater structure and better anti-corrosive properties. The co-deposition of CeO2 further increased the thickness and improved the compactness of the PANI coating. The synthesized PANI/CeO2 composite coating possessed the smallest corrosion current density and the largest inhibition efficiency of 98.2%. The charge transfer resistance and coating resistance also increased significantly after the implantation of CeO2 in the PANI coating. The enhanced corrosion protection performance of the PANI/CeO2 hybrid was also elucidated.
Failure Mechanism Analysis of Thermal Barrier Coatings Under a Service Simulation Environment
Authors: Zhang Mourui , Wang Yifan , Feng Yang , Shang Yong , Gong Shengkai , Cheng Yuxian
Published: January 2025

In this paper, the ceramic coating of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) was prepared on the surface of the tube specimens by Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition (EB-PVD) process. Subsequently, a service simulation was conducted using a simulation device to analyze the failure behavior of the TBCs. The effects of high-temperature sintering and CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 (CMAS) corrosion on the microstructural evolution, phase structural changes, and insulation performance of the thermal barrier coatings were investigated. The results indicated that with increasing high-temperature sintering time, the “feather” structures at the boundaries of the columnar grains evolve into the “tentacle” structure that facilitates the fusion of adjacent columnar grains, resulting in increased grain diameter and wider gaps. No transformation from t’-ZrO2 to the monoclinic phase m-ZrO2 occurred during the high-temperature sintering process. Over time, CMAS wets the coating surface and infiltrates the interior of the coating, causing corrosion to the Yttria-stabilised zirconia (YSZ) and accelerating sintering. A new phase, ZrSiO4, was formed after corrosion without inducing the transition.
Use of Exosomes for Cosmetics Applications
Authors: Villarreal-Gómez Luis Jesús , Origel-Lucio Sergio , Hernández-Hernández Daniela Alejandra , Pérez-González Graciela Lizeth
Published: January 2025

This study addresses a significant gap in the clinical validation and standardization of exosome-based applications within the domains of cosmetics and regenerative medicine. Despite offering a thorough overview of the potential therapeutic benefits and underlying mechanisms of exosomes, the manuscript underscores several unresolved challenges, including the paucity of clinical evidence, regulatory barriers, inconsistencies in standardization, and incomplete mechanistic understanding. The primary aim of this research is to conduct a systematic and comprehensive review of existing studies on the applications of exosomes in cosmetics and skincare. To achieve this, a systematic literature review was performed, drawing on the major medical database PubMed. This approach facilitated the collection and meta-analysis of relevant data, ensuring a rigorous assessment of recent advancements in exosome research. The main outcomes of the study highlight the multifaceted roles of exosomes in promoting skin rejuvenation and mitigating signs of aging. Specific applications discussed include pigmentation correction, wound healing, tissue repair, and innovative delivery mechanisms. Moreover, the study examines the emerging potential of exosomes in plastic surgery and regenerative medicine. Challenges and limitations, such as regulatory constraints, standardization hurdles, and the need for further clinical validation, are critically analyzed, providing a framework for future research directions.
Application of Surface-Cracking Process to Improve Impact Toughness of High-Strength BCC Steel at Low Temperatures
Authors: Park Minha , Lee Gang Ho , Kim Byoungkoo , Noh Sanghoon , Jeon Jong Bae , Lee Changwoo , Kim Byung Jun
Published: January 2025

At very low temperatures, typically ductile materials, especially body-centered cubic (BCC) steels, often exhibit an abrupt transition to brittle fracture, significantly limiting their applicability in cryogenic and low-temperature environments. This challenge arises from the inherent properties of BCC steels, where ductility is drastically reduced, leading to unexpected failures under mechanical stress. Despite the advantages of high-strength BCC steels, including cost-effectiveness and mechanical robustness, their susceptibility to brittle fracture restricts their use in demanding low-temperature applications. To address this limitation, we developed an innovative surface-cracking process to enhance the impact toughness of BCC steels. The introduction of controlled surface cracks redistributes stress and energy dissipation mechanisms, improving the toughness of high-strength BCC steels at cryogenic temperatures. Microscopic observations and finite element analyses reveal that these surface cracks not only dissipate crack formation energy but also alter stress triaxiality at crack tips. This causes the stress state to transition toward a plane stress condition, effectively mitigating stress concentrations typically observed in plane strain states. By reducing localized stress severity and promoting uniform energy distribution, the surface cracks encourage failure mechanisms favoring ductile behavior over brittle fracture.
Knowledge and Habits of Photoprotection in the Spanish Population: An Updated Survey
Authors: Truchuelo María Teresa , Vitale María , Rius-Diaz Francisca , Gomez-Sánchez María José
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: As the incidence of melanoma and skin cancer is increasing, awareness campaigns can be a useful tool to prevent these conditions. To optimize these campaigns, it is important to establish what the population really know about photoprotection and how they comply with photoprotection habits. Methods: We conducted a survey on the knowledge, behavior, and attitudes related to sun exposure in the Spanish population across the country. The results were analyzed globally and also differentiating by age between those under 25 years of age and those over 25 years of age. Results: Responses from 12,597 respondents were analyzed. Globally, 97% associate bad sun exposure habits with skin cancer; however, when we analyze the results in more detail, the prevalence of an association between tanning and skin damage and the prevalence of the correct use of sunscreens and photoprotective attitudes are lower, especially in people under 25 years old. Conclusions: The data from this survey reinforce the idea that dermatologists need to promote greater awareness among the Spanish population regarding both the skin damage induced by solar radiation and the importance of good photoprotection and preventive habits, specifically in men and people under 25 years of age. To our knowledge, this is the biggest survey to date performed in Spain.
Defining “Giant” Mediastinal Tumors: Proposal of a New Clinical–Radiological Classification and Case Report
Authors: Palade Emanuel , Delaca George Bucur , Titu Ioana-Medeea , Ciulic Sergiu Adrian , Cismaru Gabriel , Stef Adrian , Manole Simona
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: Mediastinal tumors, regardless of their location, can grow to significant sizes, causing compression-related symptoms. The term “giant” mediastinal tumor is inconsistently defined in the literature. This study presents a new clinical–radiological classification (CRC) for mediastinal tumors and evaluates its applicability through a systematic review and a detailed case analysis of a giant thymolipoma. Methods: A systematic review of the literature from the past decade was conducted using PubMed to identify relevant studies on “giant” mediastinal tumors. The inclusion criteria focused on studies involving adult patients with documented tumor size and symptomatology. The review identified 22 studies, with most anterior mediastinal tumors classified as CRC 3 (81%), indicating “giant” tumors. Thymolipomas accounted for 58% of these cases. Tumor volume and weight correlated with symptom severity, guiding surgical approaches. The proposed CRC effectively standardized the definition of “giant” tumors. The case analysis of a 6.84 kg thymolipoma highlighted the challenges of surgical resection, confirming the importance of tailored surgical strategies for large tumors. Results: The review of the literature revealed a significant variation in tumor size and weight across the different mediastinal compartments. Symptomatic tumors (CRC stage 3) located in the anterior mediastinum exhibited the largest volumes and weights, with an average volume of 4949 mL (range: 2013–8840 mL) and an average weight of 4137 g (range: 1575–7500 g). In comparison, tumors in the posterior mediastinum ranked second in terms of size, with an average volume of 2128 mL (range: 1040–5460 mL) and an average weight of 2489 g (range: 1009–6000 g). Tumors located in the middle mediastinum were considerably smaller, with an average volume of 536 mL (range: 21–1092 mL). Among the largest symptomatic tumors in the anterior mediastinum, thymolipomas were the most frequently observed histologic type. These findings underscore a clear size gradient across the mediastinal compartments, with the anterior mediastinum harboring the largest symptomatic tumors, followed by the posterior mediastinum, and the smallest tumors in the middle mediastinum. Conclusions: The novelty of the study lies mainly in the new clinical–radiological classification (CRC) of mediastinal tumors. This classification integrates clinical presentation and cross-sectional imaging findings, offering a standardized framework for tumor reporting. In addition, it provides a precise definition of “giant” mediastinal tumors. The findings emphasize the need for early surgical intervention to prevent severe symptoms and complications. This study also showcases the largest enbloc-resected thymolipoma reported in the recent literature, supporting the utility of the proposed classification in clinical practice.
Assessment of the Severity of Intermediate Coronary Artery Stenosis Using the Systemic Inflammatory Response Index
Authors: Akyel Serdar , Korkmaz Ahmet , Yıldız Abdülkadir
Published: January 2025

Background: Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) is a method that enables the hemodynamic assessment of coronary artery stenosis. The Systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI) is a new marker calculated by multiplying the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with the monocyte count. It is indicative of the presence and severity of coronary artery disease. This study evaluates the relationship between the functional significance of FFR measurements and the SIRI in intermediate coronary stenosis. Methods: A total of 294 patients with 50–70% stenosis in their coronary arteries based on quantitative measurement following angiography who underwent FFR measurement were included in the study before the FFR procedure. Total and differential leukocyte counts and routine biochemical tests were performed. Results: A total of 37% of the patients were found to have a positive FFR, while 63% had a negative FFR. Significant differences were observed in the neutrophil count, monocyte count, Systemic Inflammation Response Index (SIRI), total cholesterol, and amount of adenosine used between the groups (p < 0.05). A SIRI value of 1.16 was 77% sensitive and 55% specific for FFR positivity. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the SIRI as an independent predictor of FFR positivity. Conclusions: Our study has demonstrated that high values of the SIRI may serve as a new biomarker for predicting FFR positivity.
An Intelligent 5G Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Path Optimization Algorithm for Offshore Wind Farm Inspection
Authors: Jiang Congxiao , Yang Lingang , Gao Yuqing , Zhao Jie , Hou Wenne , Xu Fangmin
Published: January 2025

In recent years, clean energy has gained increasing attention, with offshore wind power playing a crucial role in global energy production. However, the high operating and maintenance costs of offshore wind farms remain a significant challenge. The advent of 5G technology provides a solution for efficiently monitoring and controlling wind power equipment. The use of 5G unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for blade inspections is a promising development. A key challenge is efficiently planning UAV flight paths for fast and effective inspections in complex offshore environments. To address this problem, we conduct an in-depth study of the 5G UAV path optimization method. In this paper, the UAV inspection path problem is modeled as an obstacle avoidance traveling salesman problem (TSP), taking into full account UAV flight constraints and complex sea environment factors, particularly the impact of sea wind on UAV flight speed. We propose a novel Sea Wind-Aware Improved A*-Guided Genetic Algorithm (SWA-IAGA), which integrates an improved A* algorithm to guide the genetic algorithm for efficient path planning, with the assistance of relevant graphical knowledge. This algorithm overcomes the limitations of traditional single-path planning methods, enabling more accurate and efficient path planning.
Simulation of Flow Around a Finite Rectangular Prism: Influence of Mesh, Model, and Subgrid Length Scale
Authors: Zhang Xutong , Savoie Maxime , Quinn Mark K. , Parslew Ben , Revell Alistair
Published: January 2025

This study investigates the flow field around a finite rectangular prism using both experimental and computational methods, with a particular focus on the influence of the turbulence approach adopted, the mesh resolution employed, and different subgrid length scales. Ten turbulence modelling and simulation approaches, including both ‘scale-modelling’ Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) models and ‘scale-resolving’ Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (DDES), were tested across six different mesh resolutions. A case with sharp corners allows the location of the flow separation to be fixed, which facilitates a focus on the separated flow region and, in this instance, the three-dimensional interaction of three such regions. The case, therefore, readily enables an assessment of the ‘grey-area’ issue, whereby some DDES methods demonstrate delayed activation of the scale-resolving model, impacting the size of flow recirculation. Experimental measurements were shown to agree well with reference data for the same geometry, after which particle image velocimetry (PIV) data were gathered to extend the reference dataset. Numerical predictions from the RANS models were generally quite reasonable but did not show improvement with further refinement, as one would expect, whereas DDES clearly demonstrated continuous improvement in predictive accuracy with progressive mesh refinement. The shear-layer-adapted (SLA) subgrid length scale (ΔSLA) displayed consistently superior performance compared to the more widely used length scale based on local cell volume, particularly for moderate mesh resolutions commonly employed in industrial settings with limited resources. In general, front-body separation and reattachment exhibited greater sensitivity to mesh refinement than wake resolution. Finally, in order to correlate the observed DDES mesh requirements with the observations from the converged RANS solutions, an approximation for the Taylor microscale was explored as a potential tool for mesh sizing.
Mediating Effects of Foreign Direct Investment Inflows on Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Authors: Tripathy Prajukta , Brahmi Mohsen , Pallayil Baiju , Mishra Bikash Ranjan
Published: January 2025

In this research, the direct and indirect effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in India are examined, covering the period from 1980 to 2014. To quantify the indirect outcome of the existence of FDI on CO2 emissions, in this study, the three mediating channels of FDI are considered. The three broad mediating channels of FDI inflows are energy structure, industrial structure, and high-carbon technology, by which foreign direct investments affect India’s carbon dioxide emissions. In this study, the unit root test, the Johansen cointegration, the Granger causality technique, and the seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) are used for the empirical analysis. The findings discover a process of cointegration in the long-run and reveal unidirectional causation between FDI inflows and CO2 emissions. The outcomes of the SUR estimation indicate that all the mediating factors substantially contribute to the level of CO2 emissions. In this paper, the findings reveal that FDI inflows affect the level of India’s CO2 emissions mainly via mediating factors compared to their direct effect. Finally, in this research, it is recommended that the concerned authorities should prioritize the redistribution of foreign direct investment from high carbon-intensive technologies to less carbon-intensive and cleaner technologies for India’s carbonless and sustainable future.
Automatic Generation of Moodle Cloze Questions for the Assessment of Knowledge About Lexical Analysis Algorithms
Authors: Izquierdo-Amo Roberto , Barbero-Aparicio José Antonio , Garrido-Labrador José Luis , Olivares-Gil Alicia , García-Osorio César Ignacio
Published: January 2025

Moodle quizzes are a convenient way of online assessment, benefiting both teachers and students. Unfortunately, their preparation is slow, cumbersome, and error-prone. In addition to the effort of designing the questions, it is necessary to enter them in Moodle. Furthermore, for questions that require images, these must first be created and then uploaded to Moodle. If this process has to be repeated with many questions, the required work becomes prohibitive. This paper presents a tool that solves all these problems, allowing the automatic and massive generation of questions for the evaluation of the knowledge about lexical analysis algorithms. The evaluation of these algorithms is relevant in the subjects of both automata and formal languages and in those of compiler design. The tool allows the creation of exercises of configurable complexity, after which the text, tables, and associated images are generated for quick upload to Moodle. The main impact of this tool is the substantial reduction of question preparation time, reducing hundreds or thousands of interactions with Moodle forms to just a few simple steps. In addition, the ease of question generation makes it possible to prepare self-assessment questionnaires for the students, something that they greatly appreciate as a study aid.
Corpus-Based Reflective Practice for Professional Development: A Collaborative Micro Auto-Ethnography
Authors: Sert Olcay , Wulff Sahlén Elisabeth , Schröter Thorsten
Published: January 2025

Recent research underscores the significance of data-led and collaborative reflection in enhancing teaching practices and professional development of teachers. While video-based reflections have been extensively studied, the potential of corpus-based methods remains underexplored. We address this gap in two ways. Firstly, we describe a research and development project in which we employed a corpus linguistic tool to analyse and reflect on our own lectures, with the ulterior aim of promoting a corpus-based reflective practice (CBRP) model that would help other teachers do the same. Secondly, we introduce collaborative micro auto-ethnography (CMAE) to illustrate how our model can facilitate the noticing of different aspects of teacher talk and lead to, what we call, snowball reflections (i.e., a sequence of reflective talk that extends a topic and spreads from one participant to the next). Our approach shows that corpus analysis, coupled with collaborative reflections, has the potential to not only enhance language use but also stimulate broader and deeper pedagogical discussions on and insights into teaching styles and student engagement, going beyond analyses of single words and lexico-grammatical patterns in teacher talk. We argue that there should be institutional support for developing new corpus-based professional development initiatives and that researchers can benefit from using ethnographic data together with detailed analyses of interactions.
A Simple Single-Ended Post-Fault Location Technique for DC Lines Based on Controlled Re-Energizations
Authors: Mahtani Kumar , Guerrero José M. , Decroix Julien , Platero Carlos A.
Published: January 2025

Fault location in medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) systems is an essential yet underexplored area compared to high-voltage (HVDC) and low-voltage (LVDC) systems. MVDC systems, characterized by intermediate line lengths and fault resistances, as well as rapid fault clearance requirements, demand specialized solutions. This paper proposes a novel single-ended, offline fault location method based on controlled re-energizations after fault clearance. This approach employs a switched grounding resistor and a bypass connection through the current-limiting inductor to extract fault parameters from the discharge curves of two re-energization cycles. By analyzing the time constants derived from these curves, the method estimates fault location and resistance with high accuracy. The proposed method eliminates the need for additional active injection sources and circuit breaker modifications, ensuring seamless integration into existing MVDC infrastructure. Furthermore, the method avoids inter-terminal communication delays and sampling delays before fault clearance. Validation through electromagnetic transient simulations demonstrates fault location errors below 5% for fault resistances up to 50 Ω. Results show that the method performs better for faults farther from the active terminal, with the higher errors seen for short distances and elevated resistances. The proposed technique offers a robust and practical solution for post-fault location in DC lines.
Comparison of the Reliability of SAC305 and Innolot-Based Solder Alloy in a Board-Level BGA Package Considering Harmonic and Random Vibration Environment
Authors: Ferdowsi Sima Besharat , Doranga Sushil , Li Yueqing
Published: January 2025

This paper presents a comparative study of the fatigue life of solder joints in a board-level Ball Grid Array (BGA) assembly. It specifically contrasts the commonly used SAC305 alloy with the advanced Innolot-based solder alloy, recognized for its superior tensile strength. Through Finite Element Analysis (FEA), we simulate and predict the reliability of these solder joints under harmonic and random vibration conditions. Following the JEDEC (Joint Electronic Device Engineering Council) standards, two different board-level BGA assemblies are used for the analysis. In both assemblies, the dimensions of the substrate, molding compound, and solder balls remain identical; only the board dimensions are changed to observe how they affect stress in the solder joints. The results indicate that using Innolot raises the volume-averaged stress levels by more than 25% on larger boards and about 5% on smaller boards compared to SAC305. This increase in stress levels is due to the Innolot alloy having a less significant stiffening effect than SAC305, which results in higher stress levels under the same excitation conditions. While the stress in the Innolot-based solder joint is greater than that in the SAC305 joint under identical excitation conditions, the fatigue life of the Innolot joint is significantly higher than that of the SAC305 joint. The results show that the Innolot-based alloy exceeds the performance of SAC305, and that it is suitable for use as a solder alloy in extreme vibration conditions.
Video Description Generation Method Based on Contrastive Language–Image Pre-Training Combined Retrieval-Augmented and Multi-Scale Semantic Guidance
Authors: Wang Liang , Hu Yingying , Xia Zhouyong , Chen Enru , Jiao Meiqing , Zhang Mengxue , Wang Jun
Published: January 2025

In view of the insufficiency of the text encoder using CLIP and the insufficiency of the interaction between the two towers using CLIP, a CLIP-based video description model RAMSG is proposed, which combines retrieval augmentation with multi-scale semantic guidance. Firstly, RAMSG uses the visual and text encoder module of CLIP to achieve cross-modal retrieval and extract relevant text as a supervisory signal. Then, the intrinsic order of semantic words is obtained by a semantic detector and ranker. Finally, the global and local semantic guidance of the multi-scale semantic guidance module is used to improve the video description generation effect of the decoder module. Experimental results on the video description datasets MSR-VTT and VATEX show that the RAMSG model has a significant improvement in several performance indicators compared with other work, and the additional text semantics obtained through videotext matching tasks greatly improve the performance of the model.
Depth Estimation Based on MMwave Radar and Camera Fusion with Attention Mechanisms and Multi-Scale Features for Autonomous Driving Vehicles
Authors: Zhu Zhaohuan , Wu Feng , Sun Wenqing , Wu Quanying , Liang Feng , Zhang Wuhan
Published: January 2025

Autonomous driving vehicles have strong path planning and obstacle avoidance capabilities, which provide great support to avoid traffic accidents. Autonomous driving has become a research hotspot worldwide. Depth estimation is a key technology in autonomous driving as it provides an important basis for accurately detecting traffic objects and avoiding collisions in advance. However, the current difficulties in depth estimation include insufficient estimation accuracy, difficulty in acquiring depth information using monocular vision, and an important challenge of fusing multiple sensors for depth estimation. To enhance depth estimation performance in complex traffic environments, this study proposes a depth estimation method in which point clouds and images obtained from MMwave radar and cameras are fused. Firstly, a residual network is established to extract the multi-scale features of the MMwave radar point clouds and the corresponding image obtained simultaneously from the same location. Correlations between the radar points and the image are established by fusing the extracted multi-scale features. A semi-dense depth estimation is achieved by assigning the depth value of the radar point to the most relevant image region. Secondly, a bidirectional feature fusion structure with additional fusion branches is designed to enhance the richness of the feature information. The information loss during the feature fusion process is reduced, and the robustness of the model is enhanced. Finally, parallel channel and position attention mechanisms are used to enhance the feature representation of the key areas in the fused feature map, the interference of irrelevant areas is suppressed, and the depth estimation accuracy is enhanced. The experimental results on the public dataset nuScenes show that, compared with the baseline model, the proposed method reduces the average absolute error (MAE) by 4.7–6.3% and the root mean square error (RMSE) by 4.2–5.2%.
Mitigating Randomness Leakage in SM2 White-Box Implementations via Trusted Execution Environments
Authors: Zhu Hongyu , Song Yubo , Li Yang , Luo Weiqiang , Tian Jianwei , Yang Fangliao , Liu Wenchang , Gong Yi , Li Ding
Published: January 2025

White-box cryptography plays a vital role in untrusted environments where attackers can fully access the execution process and potentially expose cryptographic keys. It secures keys by embedding them within complex and obfuscated transformations, such as lookup tables and algebraic manipulations. However, existing white-box protection schemes for SM2 signatures face vulnerabilities, notably random number leakage, which compromises key security and diminishes overall effectiveness. This paper proposes an improved white-box implementation of the SM2 signature computation leveraging a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) architecture. The scheme employs three substitution tables for SM2 key generation and signature processes, orchestrated by a random bit string k. The k value and lookup operations are securely isolated within the TEE, effectively mitigating the risk of k leakage and enhancing overall security. Experimental results show our scheme enhances security, reduces storage, and improves performance over standard SM2 signature processing, validating its efficacy with TEE and substitution tables in untrusted environments.
Navigating the Challenges of Sustainability in the Food Processing Chain: Insights into Energy Interventions to Reduce Footprint
Authors: Corigliano Orlando , Morrone Pietropaolo , Algieri Angelo
Published: January 2025

This review paper examines the critical intersection of energy consumption and environmental impacts within the global food system, emphasizing the substantial footprint (including land usage, costs, food loss and waste, and carbon and water footprints) associated with current practices. The study delineates the high energy demands and ecological burdens of food production, trade, and consumption through a comprehensive bibliographic analysis of high-impact research papers, authoritative reports, and databases. The paper systematically analyzes and synthesizes data to characterize the food industry’s current energy use patterns and environmental impacts. The results underscore a pressing need for strategic interventions to enhance food system efficiency and reduce the footprint. In light of the projected population growth and increasing food demand, the study advocates for a paradigm shift towards more sustainable and resilient food production practices, adopting energy-efficient technologies, promoting sustainable dietary habits, and strengthening global cooperation among stakeholders to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Investigations have revealed that the food system is highly energy-intensive, accounting for approximately 30% of total energy consumption (200 EJ per year). The sector remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which constitute 26% of all anthropogenic emissions, have shown a linear growth trend, reaching 16.6 GtCO2eq in 2015 and projected to approach 18.6 GtCO2eq in the coming years. Notably, 6% of these emissions result from food never consumed. While the water footprint has slightly decreased recently, its demand is expected to increase by 20% to 30%, potentially reaching between 5500 and 6000 km3 annually by 2050. Energy efficiency interventions are estimated to save up to 20%, with a favorable payback period, as evidenced by several practical implementations.
Experimental Study on a Solar Energy–Multi-Energy Complementary Heating System for Independent Dwellings in Southern Xinjiang
Authors: Li Jie , Yang Qian , Chen Hong , Huang Sihui
Published: January 2025

This study proposes a multi-energy complementary heating system that uses solar energy combined with biomass energy as the main heat source, with electricity as an auxiliary heat source. The system aims to tackle the low efficiency, high energy consumption, and pollution associated with traditional heating methods in rural southern Xinjiang, enhancing performance and productivity. It is designed to operate in five modes based on the region’s climate and building heat load requirements. An experimental platform was set up in eight rural households in Tumushuk City, Xinjiang, where winter heating tests were conducted. The goal of this study was to analyze the economic and environmental benefits of the system. The results showed that the energy utilization efficiencies of the five modes were 56.84%, 74.34%, 70.1%, 63.13%, and 59.68%. The corresponding CO2 emissions were 3.56 kg/d, 45.09 kg/d, 105.75 kg/d, 30.97 kg/d, and 76.79 kg/d. The environmental and economic costs for each mode were 0.0493 USD/d, 0.6398 USD/d, 1.5029 USD/d, 0.4384 USD/d, and 1.0905 USD/d. It is clear that as an auxiliary heat source, biomass energy is more beneficial than electricity. All five modes maintained indoor temperatures of 18 °C or higher, meeting winter heating needs in cold regions. The results of this study provide important data support for the promotion and application of solar and biomass heating systems in the rural areas of southern Xinjiang and also provide valuable references for solving the problem of decentralized heating in rural areas.