bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Passive Neutron Instrumentation and Applications
Authors: Weinmann-Smith R. K. , Aucott T. J. , Belian A. P. , Broughton D. P. , Frankl M. , Hausladen P. A. , Henzlova D. C. , Hutchinson J. D. , McElroy R. D. , Menlove H. O. , Pochet T. P. , Refalo L. A. , Root M. A. , Nelson M. , Sprinkle J. K. , Swinhoe M. T. , Watson M. M.
Published: October 2024

This chapter presents a description of most of the instruments that are currently in use for the measurement of plutonium and uranium using passive methods (without an external source). This includes the acquisition electronics as well as Singles counting methods, coincidence counting methods and multiplicity counting methods. The Singles counting applications include the measurement of waste and curium bearing materials. The coincidence counting applications include bulk plutonium, bulk uranium, waste and holdup measurements and fresh fuel assemblies. The multiplicity application description includes advantages and disadvantages and multiplicity detector design. There is also a description of some non-3He systems. The chapter concludes with a description of additional concepts: neutron imagers, list-mode data analysis, distributed source term analysis, unattended monitoring and MCNP modeling for detector design.
Basics of Uncertainty
Authors: Stinnett J. , Santi P. A. , Swinhoe M. T.
Published: October 2024

This chapter presents an introduction to the basic concept of uncertainty, which is that every result is an instance taken from a distribution of potential measurements. Describing this distribution is an important part of characterizing a result. This is a complex topic and the literature has not always been consistent in the use of specific terms, for example the term ‘error’ and ‘uncertainty’. One approach is the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM). Random variables and uncertainty models are introduced. The concepts of probabilities, means and standard deviations are described. The special case of uncertainties in Poisson distributions are presented. Example cases of ‘bottom-up’ uncertainty and error propagation are given. There is a discussion of the uncertainties involved with detector calibration. The important topic of total measurement uncertainty is presented. ‘Top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ uncertainties are contrasted. There is a brief description of measurement control and the chapter concludes with a description of International Target Values.
Nuclear Material Accounting and Control Measurements
Authors: McMath G. E. , Lousteau A. L. , Smith S.
Published: October 2024

Nuclear material accounting and control (NMAC) is the collective set of activities that help to deter and detect unauthorized removal of nuclear material by maintaining and reporting accurate and timely inventories of all nuclear material present. NMAC is used for both nuclear safeguards and nuclear security, though the implementation may differ given the different objectives of the two. The purpose of nuclear safeguards is to detect and deter a State’s clandestine nuclear weapons program. The purpose of nuclear security is to prevent and detect attempts to steal nuclear material by a non-State actor. NMAC protects against both of these very different threats/adversaries. Even though the legal obligations, requirements, and implementation of an NMAC program differ among countries, facilities, and agencies, the basic NMAC principles are the same. This appendix discusses the basic NMAC principles with a focuses on the role of nondestructive assay, general guidance, and best practices related to measurements and measurement control as they relate to an effective NMAC program.
The Meaning(s) of Sound(s)
Authors: Guski Rainer
Published: October 2024

The meaning of sound for our lives and actions depends largely on the experience we have had with them, partly also on the context in which they occur. Sound events that humans and other animals can hear on earth are usually created by physical movement in the environment. Meaning implies that at least one (direct) relationship exists between the specific acoustic properties, and the perception of a sound, often associated with a second relationship: the perception of the sound and the identification of its source, e.g., a creaking door. And a third relation is usually associated, too: I like or dislike it (the sound and/or the source). Some relationships are rather trivial and are usually shared by a large cultural community. Other connections apply only in small groups of people (e.g., a neighborhood with a common history), and in extreme cases, only in a single person in a particular situation (e.g., a violin expert testing violins). This chapter starts with what dictionaries say about the word “sound” and the distinction between sound and noise. The next section deals with sounds as source of information. The last section describes the many non-acoustic influences on the meaning of sounds and noise, i.e., physical factors (e.g., color, object size, and motion), and personal factors (e.g., noise sensitivity, personal control, evaluation of the source, trust in the agents responsible, and expectations for the future acoustic development).
Influence of iron deficiency definition on the efficacy of intravenous iron in heart failure: a meta-analysis of randomized trials
Authors: Marques Pedro , Vasques-Nóvoa Francisco , Matias Paula , Vieira Joana T. , Mavrakanas Thomas A. , Sharma Abhinav , Friões Fernando , Ferreira João Pedro
Published: October 2024

Background

Intravenous iron improves symptoms in heart failure (HF) with iron deficiency (ID) but failed to consistently show a benefit in cardiovascular outcomes. The ID definition used may influence the response to intravenous iron. The aim of this meta-analysis is to assess the influence of ID definition on the intravenous iron effect in HF.

Methods/Results

We performed a random-effects meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) on intravenous iron (vs. placebo or standard of care) in patients with HF and ID that provided data on transferrin saturation (TSAT) and ferritin subgroups on the composite outcome of cardiovascular death (CVD) or HF hospitalizations (HFH). The risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were extracted on the TSAT (< 20% and ≥ 20%) and ferritin (< 100 ng/mL and ≥ 100 ng/mL) subgroups. Data from four major RCT was collected including a total of more than 5500 patients. In patients with a TSAT < 20%, intravenous iron reduced the composite outcome of CVD or HFH: RR 0.81, 95%CI 0.69–0.94, while in patients with a TSAT ≥ 20% the effect was neutral: RR 0.98, 95%CI 0.79–1.21, interaction, P = 0.05. On the other hand, ferritin levels did not modify the effect of IV iron: ferritin ≥ 100 ng/mL RR 0.84, 95%CI 0.65–1.09, and ferritin < 100 ng/mL RR 0.85, 95%CI 0.74–0.97; interaction, P = 0.96.

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis suggests that the benefit of intravenous iron may be restricted to patients with TSAT < 20% regardless of ferritin levels and supports the single use of TSAT < 20% to identify patients with ID who may benefit from intravenous iron therapy.

Graphical abstract

In this meta-analysis of > 5500 patients, intravenous iron reduced the composite outcome of CVD or HFH in those with a transferrin saturation (TSAT) < 20%, while for TSAT ≥ 20%, treatment effect was neutral. Ferritin, however, had no impact on intravenous iron response. This analysis suggests that the benefit from intravenous iron may be limited to patients with TSAT < 20%, irrespective of ferritin levels. Utilizing a TSAT < 20% to identify patients with ID who may benefit from intravenous iron therapy should be considered.
Evaluating a digital tool for supporting people affected by breast cancer: a prospective randomized controlled trial—the ADAPT study
Authors: Vrancken Peeters Noelle J. M. C. , Husson Olga , Kulakowski Rafal , Hainsworth Emma , Lidington Emma , McGrath Sophie E. , Noble Jillian , Azarang Leyla , Cruickshank Susanne , Georgopoulou Sofia
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study reports the findings from the ADAPT randomized controlled trial (RCT), concerning the impact of a digital tool for supported self-management in people affected by breast cancer on patient activation as the primary outcome, with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and health status as secondary outcomes.

Methods

Women with early-stage breast cancer were randomly assigned to standard care (control) or standard care in addition to the breast cancer digital tool (intervention). Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Patient Activation Measure (PAM-13), the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), and the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year from diagnosis. Linear mixed effect model regression was used to assess the effect of the digital tool over the first year from diagnosis while correcting for intra-participant correlation.

Results

A total of 166 participants were included, with 85 being randomized into the intervention. No significant differences (p > 0.05) in the PAM-13 scores, EORTC QLQ-C30 scales (global QoL, physical functioning, emotional functioning, pain, fatigue), and EQ-5D-5L Index between the control and intervention groups were observed. It is important to note that there was significant non-adherence within the intervention group.

Conclusion

The breast cancer digital tool had no statistically significant impact on patient activation, HRQoL, and health status over time compared to standard care alone in women with early-stage breast cancer. Future research should focus on identifying and addressing barriers to digital tool engagement to improve efficacy.

Clinical trial information

The study was registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03866655) on 7 March 2019 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03866655).
A review of Artificial Intelligence methods in bladder cancer: segmentation, classification, and detection
Authors: Bashkami Ayah , Nasayreh Ahmad , Makhadmeh Sharif Naser , Gharaibeh Hasan , Alzahrani Ahmed Ibrahim , Alwadain Ayed , Heming Jia , Ezugwu Absalom E. , Abualigah Laith
Published: October 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) and other disruptive technologies can potentially improve healthcare across various disciplines. Its subclasses, artificial neural networks, deep learning, and machine learning, excel in extracting insights from large datasets and improving predictive models to boost their utility and accuracy. Though research in this area is still in its early phases, it holds enormous potential for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of urological diseases, such as bladder cancer. The long-used nomograms and other classic forecasting approaches are being reconsidered considering AI’s capabilities. This review emphasizes the coming integration of artificial intelligence into healthcare settings while critically examining the most recent and significant literature on the subject. This study seeks to define the status of AI and its potential for the future, with a special emphasis on how AI can transform bladder cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Mitigating Investor Reactions to Financial Misconduct: The Moderating Roles of Firm Commitment Cues
Authors: Ye Lu , Hu Helen Wei
Published: October 2024

Corporate financial misconduct has garnered increased interest in business ethics research. Although prior research has provided insights into the consequences of financial misconduct, our understanding of why investors react differently to similar instances of misconduct, especially in emerging markets, remains limited. In this study, we first argue that direct information on the severity of misconduct is the primary basis for investors’ evaluations. Next, drawing on screening theory, we theorize that in contexts characterized by high information asymmetry, indirect information about existing firm commitment cues plays a vital screening role by demonstrating the firm’s legitimacy and capability. Subsequently, we develop a tripod framework that integrates the social, market, and strategy dimensions as firm commitment cues that serve as fundamental screening mechanisms to mitigate the adverse effect of misconduct severity on investor reactions. We use a sample of 344 Chinese listed firms that engaged in financial misconduct during 2009–2019 and find that greater misconduct severity results in more negative investor reactions. However, this negative relationship is weakened when the firm demonstrates stronger social and strategy commitments but not stronger market commitment.
The combined effects of electrolyte addition and mechanical shearing on cellulose nanocrystal alignment
Authors: Ghosh Ananya , Amit Sadat Kamal , Davis Virginia A. , Jiang Zhihua
Published: October 2024

This research explored the impact of four different electrolytes on the orientation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) in shear-cast films prepared from aqueous CNC gels. Changes in the aqueous CNC gels’ rheological properties with electrolyte addition were correlated to the orientation and optical properties of dried CNC films. Film alignment was qualitatively assessed using cross-polarized optical microscopy and quantified by order parameters computed by UV–Vis transmission spectroscopy. Electrolyte addition resulted in an increased alignment in dried CNC films. For pure CNCs, the film order parameters remained constant at approximately 0.3 for shear rates from 20 s−1 to 100 s−1. However, higher order parameters were achieved in the presence of electrolytes. Notably, an order parameter of 0.88 was achieved at a shear rate of only 20 s−1. In addition, films produced from dispersions containing electrolytes exhibited improved clarity and haze. The results of this work highlight that electrolyte addition can enable higher order parameters at lower shear rates and facilitate the development of aligned CNC films for applications such as polarizers, clear coatings, and piezoelectric materials.

Graphical abstract
Neutrosophic set and optimized deep learning for classification of chicken Eimeria species: a practical solution for poultry industry
Authors: Sayed Gehad Ismail , Hassanien Aboul Ella , Basha Sameh H.
Published: October 2024

To optimize infection control and bolster productivity within the poultry industry, it is imperative to accurately classify Chicken Eimeria species. There are several methods for determining Eimeria disease in chickens. Traditional methods involve watching for clinical symptoms, and macroscopic lesions, and studying the parasite’s biology and oocyst morphology. These methods are frequently time-consuming and labor-intensive, necessitating the manual collection and analysis of samples, which can be especially difficult in large chicken farms. Deep learning algorithms, on the other hand, provide automated, accurate, and non-invasive methods for the detection of Eimeria. This paper proposed a classification model for the automatic classification of chicken Eimeria species. The proposed model is mainly based on integrating neutrosophic set theory and InceptionV3 deep-learning architecture. Three primary phases make up the proposed chicken Eimeria species classification model: the data preprocessing phase, the neutrosophic image conversion phase, and the image classification phase. To address the issue of class imbalance in the adopted dataset and enhance the model’s generalizability, the random oversampling method, and data augmentation techniques are employed during the data preprocessing phase. The preprocessed data is considered to feed the neutrosophic set-based segmentation algorithm, where true, false, and intermediate subsets are extracted. Finally, the true subset is utilized to feed the optimized InceptionV3. To determine the optimal hyperparameter values for InceptionV3, a modified version of the Brown Bear optimization algorithm is proposed in this paper. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model, a real benchmark dataset comprising images of different Eimeria species is adopted. The experimental results revealed that the proposed model offers a more efficient and accurate alternative to traditional methods and state-of-the-art models, enabling faster and more effective diagnosis and treatment of Eimeria infections. It achieved an overall accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, and F1-score of nearly 100%. Additionally, the results showed that the high performance of the proposed model can reduce labor costs and boost throughput, thereby enhancing economic viability even more.
High-Fugacity Expansion and Crystallization in Non-sliding Hard-Core Lattice Particle Models Without a Tiling Constraint
Authors: He Qidong , Jauslin Ian
Published: October 2024

In this paper, we prove the existence of a crystallization transition for a family of hard-core particle models on periodic graphs in dimension $$d\ge 2$$

d
≥
2

. We consider only models featuring a single species of particles, which in particular forbids the particles from rotation and reflection, and establish a criterion under which crystallization occurs at sufficiently high densities. The criterion is more general than that in Jauslin and Lebowitz (Commun Math Phys 364:655–682, 2018), as it allows models in which particles do not tile the space in the close-packing configurations, such as discrete hard-disk models. To prove crystallization, we prove that the pressure is analytic in the inverse of the fugacity for large enough complex fugacities, using Pirogov–Sinai theory. One of the main new tools used for this result is the definition of a local density, based on a discrete generalization of Voronoi cells. We illustrate the criterion by proving that it applies to three examples: staircase models and the radius 2.5 hard-disk model on $$\mathbb Z^{2}$$

Z
2

, and a heptacube model on $$\mathbb Z^{3}$$

Z
3

.
Evaluating the relationship between heat-related illness and cooling center location in Virginia
Authors: Allen Michael J. , Vecellio Daniel J. , Hoffman Jeremy S.
Published: October 2024

Extreme heat contributes to adverse health outcomes and public cooling centers are often used as both a heat-health mitigation and management strategy to protect public health during extreme heat events. While the presence of a cooling center should theoretically improve heat-health outcomes in the surrounding community, there are no quantitative studies evaluating this relationship. Using heat-related emergency department and urgent care center visits from the 2014–2020 summer seasons, this study evaluates the relationship between heat-related illness (HRI) and cooling centers in Virginia. In total, more than 10,000 incidences of HRI occurred over the period across 68% of Virginia ZIP codes as reported. Communities with a cooling center had higher rates of HRI than those without, and this difference was most significant in urban areas. This result was coincident with a significant increase in non-white residents in these ZCTA. Our results draw attention to the need for additional research on the topic of cooling center access, efficacy, and operations. Strategically locating cooling centers near or within vulnerable communities is one just consideration, and more work is needed to uncover if, when, who, and how communities are utilizing, or in many cases not utilizing or unable to utilize, cooling centers.
Integrated understanding of climate change and disaster risk for building resilience of cultural heritage sites
Authors: Aktürk Gül , Hauser Stephan J.
Published: October 2024

Heritage assets are vulnerable to climate change and disaster risks. However, existing literature has long been separating climate change from disaster risks, which were mainly considered as natural disasters. Recently, the framework of integrated understanding of climate change and disaster risk reduction in international policies started to be discussed in sustainable development discussion, while mentioning opportunities to build resilience of cultural heritage sites (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction 2020). But this framework is yet to be implemented and detailed in the context of heritage sites. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze how the integrated understanding of climate change and disaster risk reduction policies can contribute to building climate resilience of cultural heritage sites by reviewing the key themes emerging from the literature. The question this paper answers are how can the integrated understanding of climate change and disaster risks reduction tackle barriers to the resilience of heritage sites? And what can be done to fill the gaps identified in the literature? To understand it, four elements from the literature are analyzed, including methodological contributions, temporalities, challenges and gaps, and opportunities. The findings of this review help in understanding the gap and interplay between science and policy in decision-making processes. We conclude by discussing the ways forward for the applicability of the framework in building resilience of cultural heritage sites.
Promotionalism, orthogonality, and instrumental convergence
Authors: Sharadin Nathaniel
Published: October 2024

Suppose there are no in-principle restrictions on the contents of arbitrarily intelligent agents’ goals. According to “instrumental convergence” arguments, potentially scary things follow. I do two things in this paper. First, focusing on the influential version of the instrumental convergence argument due to Nick Bostrom, I explain why such arguments require an account of “promotion”, i.e., an account of what it is to “promote” a goal. Then, I consider whether extant accounts of promotion in the literature—in particular, probabilistic and fit-based views of promotion—can be used to support dangerous instrumental convergence. I argue that neither account of promotion can do the work. The opposite is true: accepting either account of promotion undermines support for instrumental convergence arguments’ existentially worrying conclusions. The conclusion is that we needn’t be scared—at least not because of arguments concerning instrumental convergence.
The multivocality of the nation: political imagination and transformation in the emergence of African Nationalism
Authors: Schoots Jonathan
Published: October 2024

At key moments in history, political understanding and action are irrevocably transformed. What makes such moments of transformation possible? This article examines the emergence of African nationalism in South Africa, following the multivocal appeal to African nationhood made by proto-nationalist leaders and intellectuals. In doing so I examine how new political imagination can reconfigure the structure of political relations and create powerful new possibilities for political organizing and action. African proto-nationalist leaders were ‘intermediary intellectuals’ who used African nationhood to speak to three different political logics of their key audiences: a ‘progressive nationhood’ to their white colonial audience, a ‘unifying nationhood’ to their missionary-educated African audience, and a ‘traditional nationhood’ to their rural African audience. African nationhood thus had a multivocal appeal which allowed proto-nationalist leaders to bring otherwise divided audiences to support a common political project. By bridging these divided communities, proto-nationalist leaders were able to combine resources and strategies from once separated domains into novel forms of political power. Transformation in political understanding was thus a critical enabler of innovation in organization and action because it built a political project where new connections between African and colonial worlds were made politically ‘thinkable’. Speaking to the scholarship on political repertoires and the sociology of anti-colonial intellectuals, this study has broader implications for the role political ideas play in political transformation.
Translation and Validation of the Malayalam Version of the Subjective Happiness Scale
Authors: Cotton Kelly , Sathyan Sanish , Jacob Soumya , Shaji K. S. , Ayers Emmeline , Adhikari Dristi , Sigamani Alben , Pradeep Kumar VG , Verghese Joe
Published: October 2024

The subjective happiness scale (SHS) is a brief instrument used to measure global subjective happiness that has been translated from its original English to many other languages. To date, there is no reported translation of this scale into Malayalam, a language spoken by over 32 million people especially in the southern state of Kerala, India. In the present study, 656 community-dwelling older adults participating in the Kerala Einstein study (KES) completed the Malayalam version of the SHS. The Malayalam version demonstrated high internal consistency and good convergent validity, as assessed by comparison to measures of depression and anxiety. We also used factor analysis to determine that the Malayalam version of the SHS has a unidimensional structure, akin to the original English as well as other language adaptations. Our study adds to the repertoire of tools to measure happiness in non-English-speaking populations, enabling future research to explore the foundations of well-being across diverse cultures.
An Improved Scheme for the Finite Difference Approximation of the Advective Term in the Heat or Solute Transport Equations
Authors: Petchamé-Guerrero Jordi , Carrera Jesus
Published: October 2024

Transport equations are widely used to describe the evolution of scalar quantities subject to advection, dispersion and, possibly, reactions. Numerical methods are required to solve these equations in applications, adopting either the advective or conservative formulations. Conservative formulations are usually preferred in practice because they conserve mass. Advective formulations do not, but have received more mathematical attention and are required for Lagrangian solution methods. To obtain an advective formulation that conserves mass, we subtract the discretized fluid flow equation, multiplied by concentration, from the conservative form of the transport equation. The resulting scheme not only conserves mass, but is also elegant in that it can be interpreted as averaging the advective term at cell interfaces, instead of approximating it at cell centers as in traditional centered schemes. The two schemes are identical when fluid velocity is constant, and both have second-order convergence, but the truncation errors are slightly different. We argue that the error terms appearing in the proposed scheme actually imply an improved representation of subgrid spreading/contraction and acceleration/deceleration caused by variable velocity. We compare the proposed and traditional schemes on several problems with variable velocity caused by recharge, discharge or evaporation, including two newly developed analytical solutions. The proposed method yields results that are slightly, but consistently, better than the traditional scheme, while always conserving mass (i.e., mass at the end equals mass at the beginning plus inputs minus outputs), which the traditional centered finite differences scheme does not. We conclude that this scheme should be preferred in finite difference solutions of transport.
Perceptual video quality assessment: a survey
Authors: Min Xiongkuo , Duan Huiyu , Sun Wei , Zhu Yucheng , Zhai Guangtao
Published: October 2024

Perceptual video quality assessment plays a vital role in the field of video processing due to the existence of quality degradations introduced in various stages of video signal acquisition, compression, transmission and display. With the advancement of Internet communication and cloud service technology, video content and traffic are growing exponentially, which further emphasizes the requirement for accurate and rapid assessment of video quality. Therefore, numerous subjective and objective video quality assessment studies have been conducted over the past two decades for both generic videos and specific videos such as streaming, user-generated content, 3D, virtual and augmented reality, high dynamic range, high frame rate, audio-visual, etc. This survey provides an up-to-date and comprehensive review of these video quality assessment studies. Specifically, we first review the subjective video quality assessment methodologies and databases, which are necessary for validating the performance of video quality metrics. Second, the objective video quality assessment measures for general purposes are categorized and surveyed according to the methodologies utilized in the quality measures. Third, we overview the objective video quality assessment measures for specific applications and emerging topics. Finally, the performance of the state-of-the-art video quality assessment measures is compared and analyzed. This survey provides a systematic overview of both classical works and recent progress in the realm of video quality assessment, which can help other researchers quickly access the field and conduct relevant research.
Patterns of Sexuality, Adjustment to Aging and Satisfaction with Life: A Cluster Analysis of Adults Across the Lifespan
Authors: von Humboldt Sofia , Miguel Isabel , Low Gail , Leal Isabel
Published: October 2024

Sexual satisfaction, adjustment to aging, and satisfaction with life are relevant dimensions of overall well-being across the life cycle. Through cluster analysis procedures, this study aims to describe the specific profile of adjustment to aging, sexual satisfaction and satisfaction with life of adults across the life span. This cross-sectional study involved a community-based sample of 619 Portuguese individuals, aged between 18 and 92 years old (M = 47.53 SD = 18.34) evaluated using a two-step cluster analysis. Fours clusters emerged. The most adjusted participants were mostly of a younger age, women and had a high education. The least adjusted participants globally presented low education, poor perceived health, and poor engagement in leisure activities. Well-being focused participants were mostly women of older age, with high education and spirituality. Finally, moderately satisfied participants were mostly men of older age, had a lower education, and presented poor reported health. Complementary comparative analysis among the identified subgroups was performed. The most adjusted participants had the highest perceived overall sexual well-being, sexual attractiveness, sexual openness and communication, and sexual satisfaction. These data characterize the profile of this population and can be used as the basis for developing efficient strategies aimed a combining adjustment to aging, satisfaction with life and sexual satisfaction for tailored interventions to the specific needs of populations across the lifespan.
Coaching in Transformationsprozessen kirchlicher Einrichtungen
Authors: Balz Hans-Jürgen , Stockmann Friederike , Hegemann Thomas
Published: October 2024

Der Beitrag diskutiert im ersten Teil Anforderungen an Transformationsprozesse in kirchlichen Einrichtungen. Vor allem geht es darum, wie sich Downsizing-Prozesse auf struktureller Ebene, auf der Identifikationsebene der Mitarbeitenden und auf der Handlungsebene auswirken und wie sich dies im Coaching von Führungskräften wiederfindet. Führungskräfte, die in ihrer Mehrheit in diesen Einrichtungen sozialisiert wurden, stehen dabei in einem besonderen Spannungsverhältnis. Sie sollen einerseits die Institution für die Zukunft fit machen und andererseits die Mitarbeitenden – davon viele Ehrenamtliche – und die Kirchenmitglieder mitnehmen. Der Beitrag stellt im zweiten Teil praxisbewährte Handlungsstrategien und hilfreiche Coaching-Tools für die Arbeit mit Führungskräften im innerkirchlichen Kontext vor.
Analysis of the Creep Mechanism of Low-Alloy Steel in Terms of Plastic Deformation
Authors: Jakubowska M. , Chulist R. , Maj L. , Sypien A.
Published: October 2024

As the proportion of renewable energy sources within the energy grid increases, boiler operations increasingly rely on managing disparities in energy supply. This condition substantially curtails their operational lifespan due to frequent switching cycles. Materials exposed to prolonged stress at high temperatures in harsh environments gradually degrade and eventually fail catastrophically. Thus, understanding processes like creep is essential for accurately evaluating the condition of operational components under new operational standards in power plants. In this regard, this paper introduces an innovative methodological framework for analyzing the creep mechanism, focusing on the plastic deformation of a crucial pipeline segment, specifically an elbow composed of 14MoV6-3 steel, both before and after extensive usage periods (164,000 and 302,000 h). The study explored the development of microstrain from the material's surface employing the electron backscattered diffraction method. This analysis assessed how operational durations influence dislocation structural changes, as examined by synchrotron radiation techniques, across a material depth from 0 to 1.5 mm. Based on these observations, the extent of deformation over time was demonstrated. Furthermore, the evolution of precipitation processes was investigated through transmission electron microscopy. These tests allowed to obtain and compare information on the dislocation structure of the tested steel after service in creep conditions, of small and large volumes of material.
Domesticating energy flexibility. Learning from great britain’s 2022–2023 demand flexibility service
Authors: Mihalache Anca-Elena , Hampton Sam , Darby Sarah
Published: October 2024

Demand-response is essential for balancing electricity grids with increasing proportions of intermittent renewable sources of generation. Harnessing the potential for demand-response in domestic settings could deliver widespread benefits for electricity systems and householders. This study applies domestication theory to a major national domestic electricity demand-response programme in Great Britain, exploring how participants integrate demand-response sessions into their everyday routines. The study uses empirical data from twenty-five participants who completed diaries reflecting on their experience of taking part in thirteen demand-response sessions scheduled over a five-month period in winter 2022–23. The study identifies and analyses five pathways for domesticating demand-response, making recommendations to support system-actors in boosting and sustaining the adoption of demand-response. The study concludes that designing electricity demand-response programmes, as a staple of secure low-carbon energy systems, will need to take full account of users’ non-financial motivations, previous experiences of demand-response, and access to enabling technology.
Google Reviews of Tourist Attractions in Langa and Gugulethu, Cape Town
Authors: Akherwaray Tharwa , Spocter Manfred
Published: October 2024

Township tourism has evolved as a niche tourism offering in South Africa with the potential to create economic opportunities in townships. The experiences of tourists as expressed on online platforms are important barometers of what tourist offerings are working or not. This study analyses the star ratings of and written feedback about tourist attractions in Langa and Gugulethu in Cape Town, as posted on Google Reviews. A quantitative analysis of 9124 Google Review star ratings to ascertain the general ratings of 81 tourist attractions in the study areas yielded results of 3.9 and 4 out of five in Langa and Gugulethu, respectively. A content analysis was performed of 3340 written reviews on the online platform. The nine themes that emerged are discussed in the paper, namely overall experience; importance of history, culture and heritage; infrastructure concerns; safety issues; gastronomic experience; venue aesthetics; customer service; entertainment offerings; and community service and development. The study confirms that reviews from online platforms have the potential to improve the township tourism offering.
Cultivation of Aurantiochytrium sp. Using Pickle Seasoning Liquid Waste and Application of the Raw Biomass for Fish Aquaculture
Authors: Tran Anh Thi Nhat , Sun Qichen , Nakai Satoshi , Suenaga Toshikazu , Nishijima Wataru , Gotoh Takehiko , Umehara Akira , Umino Tetsuya
Published: October 2024

Aurantiochytrium sp. strain L3W is a heterotrophic microorganism that produces docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are essential for the growth of marine fish. In this study, pickle seasoning liquid waste was used for culturing strain L3W and the raw biomass of strain L3W was then fed to red sea bream fingerlings (Pagus major) to confirm its usability as a source of DHA and EPA. The strain L3W was cultured on the three pickle seasoning liquid waste samples, Akimurasaki, Hiroshimana, Shisohijiki, diluted with sand-filtered seawater at initial pH values of 4 and 7 under unsterile conditions. The growth of strain L3W was highest at 3.71 g/L on Hiroshimana at an initial pH of 7 with DHA and EPA production at 71.4 and 6.8 mg/g-biomass, respectively. Preparing the raw biomass of strain L3W by the 200 L-scale cultivation using the American Type Culture Collection 790By+ medium because of the DHA and EPA contents close to that produced in the Hiroshimana medium with an initial pH of 7, the raw biomass was spiked to the diet at 3%, 5%, and 10%. The final DHA and EPA contents in the whole body were increased by 4.26 and 3.03 times, respectively, by adding the strain L3W biomass at 10%. These results confirmed the feasibility of a carbon cycling scenario in which the strain L3W is cultivated using liquid food waste with the resultant biomass is utilized as a source of DHA and EPA for fish aquaculture.

Graphical Abstract
Effect of dusty clinker and alite crystal size on the properties of class G oil well cement slurries
Authors: Farazmand Reza , Rashidi Meysam , Hosseini Seyyed-Mohammad-Mehdi , Mohammadi Mohammad-Reza , Ostadhassan Mehdi , Hemmati-Sarapardeh Abdolhossein
Published: October 2024

Honing the quality of cement plays a pivotal role in the petroleum industry throughout drilling operations, undoubtedly. In cement plants, producing high-quality clinker is essential for improving oil well maintenance, reducing expenditures, enhancing safety, and more, demonstrating its importance in the long term. Despite tight control of clinker operational conditions, cement kiln operators can still produce dusty clinker. This work uniquely establishes the previously unexplored relationship between dusty clinker and the qualitative characteristics of class G oil well cement slurries, offering a practical solution to prevent the production of poor-quality cement in factories. All API tests were done according to API Specification 10 A. Furthermore, a thorough microscopic analysis was conducted on both standard and dusty clinkers to establish a connection between the properties of class G oil well cement slurries and the changes in crystal size observed in the minerals of dusty clinker. According to the studies conducted in this regard, changing the size of the cement particles has a considerable influence on the cement performance. Here, results revealed that increasing the alite (C3S) crystal size to 60–70 microns in dusty clinker led to a roughly 20-minute increase in the average thickening time. In addition, the compressive strength cured at 38 and 60 °C for 8 h, decreased by 1.47 and 2.89 MPa, respectively. More importantly, it was found that the average maximum consistency in dusty clinker oil well cement increased by almost 6.4 Bc over a 15 to 30-minute period.
A review on rheological approaches as a perfect tool to monitor thermal degradation of biodegradable polymers
Authors: Salehiyan Reza , Soleymani Eil Bakhtiari Sanaz
Published: October 2024

This review provides an in-depth analysis of the thermal degradation of biodegradable polymers through rheological methods. Focusing on key techniques such as time sweep tests, frequency sweep tests, and nonlinear rheological analyses gained at higher shear tests, the review highlights how these approaches offer critical insights into polymer stability and degradation kinetics. It entails an understanding of how molecular weight reduction, a common degradation mechanism, significantly impacts the performance of biodegradable polymers, and how the use of appropriate fillers can enhance thermal stability by mitigating chain scission. The review also discusses the application of the Arrhenius equation in modelling thermal degradation, helping predict degradation rates and optimize processing conditions. Time sweep tests are particularly emphasized for their ability to monitor polymer stability under various environmental conditions, while frequency sweep tests provide insights into the effects of processing/thermal history on material degradation. Tests at higher shear rates, which simulate real-world processing conditions such as extrusion and injection moulding, are explored for their role in understanding how processing-induced shear forces accelerate polymer degradation. Various biodegradable polymers are considered in this review, with polylactic acid (PLA) being the dominant polymer studied across most research, providing a clear picture of its degradation behaviour and strategies for enhancing its thermal stability. Therefore, it is expected that this review will be a comprehensive guide for researchers and engineers looking to optimize the thermal stability and performance of biodegradable polymers in various industrial applications.

Graphical abstract
The maximum magnitude of natural and induced earthquakes
Authors: Bommer Julian J. , Verdon James P.
Published: October 2024

A key element in the assessment of seismic hazard is estimation of the maximum possible earthquake magnitude, Mmax. A great deal of effort has been invested in developing approaches to estimate Mmax for natural (tectonic) earthquakes, especially in regions of relatively low seismicity where it is difficult to associate observed seismicity with known geological faults. In probabilistic seismic hazard analysis, there has been a tendency to assign a narrow range of large values to Mmax. This results in the impression that hazard results are insensitive to this parameter, which is not the case when the Mmax distribution captures the full range of possible values. For induced seismicity, Mmax estimates can have far-reaching implications both in terms of quantitative assessments of the resulting seismic hazard and risk, and in terms of the public and regulatory perception of this risk. Estimates of Mmax for induced seismicity need to distinguish between driven earthquakes, for which magnitudes are largely controlled by operational parameters, and triggered tectonic earthquakes, together with estimates of the likelihood of such triggering. Distributions of triggered Mmax may be limited to smaller magnitudes than distributions for natural seismicity due to the shallow depth of most injection/extraction wells. For the management of induced seismic risk, the expected largest event magnitude (which may be influenced by a Traffic Light Scheme in operation) may be more relevant than any physical upper bound truncating the recurrence relationship.
Empirical estimation of metal powder bed fusion technological improvement rate
Authors: Alves de Campos António , Torres Ferreira Bruna , Gonçalves Afonso , Leite Marco , Ribeiro Inês , L. Magee Christopher , Henriques Elsa
Published: October 2024

This study empirically estimates the technological improvement rate (TIR) of metal powder bed fusion (PBF) technology, widely used in aerospace, automotive, and medical industries. PBF's continuous long-term adoption growth is driven by its ability to enhance manufacturing efficiency in terms of time and raw material use, as well as its capability to produce high-quality, high-strength, complex-shaped parts. Measuring the technological development of PBF is crucial as itis enlarging its application domain and is increasingly considered a viable alternative to traditional manufacturing technologies across a broader range of applications. We resorted to the literature to collect information and assess which technical parameters are most relevant to measure the capabilities of PBF. With those, we established an ideal functional performance metric (FPM) capable of comprehensively assessing PBF's technological performance improvement. Considering all available data sources and PBF machines ever made commercially available, a data set of technical parameters was constructed. This was followed by a data curation process focusing on data availability and reliability. The resultant practical FPM was used to estimate the TIR of PBF technology. By employing regression analysis, we estimate a yearly improvement of 26.8%. This empirical rate comes as a more accurate and reliable substitute to the previously indirectly estimated patent-derived rate of 33.3%. Our findings underscore PBF's capability of keeping pace with its growing significance and wider industrial applications. The results of this study provide a key metric for those in the industry and research, confirming the rapid performance growth and establishing a standard for future industrial uses.
Optimization model for mass casualty management system using qos-aware routing protocol and casualty triage prediction
Authors: Olivia Diana , Attigeri Girija , Saxena Arnav
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Unexpected events, whether man-made or natural, cause significant distress and disorder. The number and magnitude of disasters and catastrophes have been rising globally in recent decades, according to historical data. Continued real-time monitoring of mass casualty along with the arrangement of needed medical resources to handle the mass casualty is required to reduce the mortality and morbidity rates.

Methods

Electronic tag-based casualty monitoring and machine learning-based Decision Support Systems are emerging as a more effective and proactive solution that provides continuous remote monitoring of patients. A novel framework based on Body-to-Body Network, Prediction model, and Genetic Algorithm-based medical resource optimization is proposed for the continuous monitoring of the mass casualty and medical resource allocation at the incident. The aim of this work is to give priority to the handling of critical casualties. Firstly, a Quality of Service and load-sensitive routing protocol for transmitting mass casualties' physiological parameters across a wireless network is proposed, with the critical casualty being emphasized. Secondly, the clinical seriousness degree of the mass casualty is predicted using Backpropagation Artificial Neural Network. Finally, an optimization model using a Genetic algorithm and queuing theory is proposed to find the required optimal number of medical resources to handle critical and non-critical casualties separately. Also, the proposed optimization model considers the predicted clinical level transition rates of the mass casualty.

Results

The performance and accuracy of the proposed framework are evaluated using the MIMIC-II dataset. The outcome demonstrates that the framework emphasizes critical casualty management. Furthermore, the framework allocates an adequate number of servers by incorporating the proposed routing protocol in comparison to the AODV protocol.

Conclusion

The inclusion of a prediction model in the framework aids in allocating an adequate number of servers by considering the predicted clinical deteriorating transition rates of casualties at a mass casualty incident. In terms of the estimated length of the casualty at the incident, the results suggest that incorporating a medical resource optimization model outperforms the non-optimal option.