bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New diagnostic approach to central hypothyroidism after traumatic brain injury in children and adolescents
Authors: Graca Geraldo Miranda , Aguiar Luiz Roberto , De Lacerda Luiz
Published: January 2025

Background

Pituitary lesions after traumatic brain injury (TBI) are frequent in children and adolescents, but the rate of post-TBI central hypothyroidism remains uncertain.

Objective

To identify the long-term incidence of post-TBI CH and the clinical and laboratory characteristics of this complication in children and adolescents.

Methods

The analysis included 31 patients with a history of TBI with at least 1 year of follow-up. Patients were evaluated at hospital admission and every 3 months thereafter. Assessments included clinical evaluation, brain CT and hormone assessments (basal fT4, IGF-1, cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone; insulin tolerance test/thyrotropin-releasing hormone test with TSH, growth hormone and cortisol measurement; and corticotropin-releasing hormone test, if indicated). The CH diagnosis was based on clinical and laboratory findings and a therapeutic trial with levothyroxine.

Results

Overall, five patients (16%) developed CH (3 with associated adrenal insufficiency). At 3 and 12 months, median fT4 values were lower in patients with CH compared with those without anterior pituitary dysfunction (n = 18; P = 0.01). Patients with CH received levothyroxine and progressed with clinical resolution and increased median fT4 (from 0.92 to 1.47 ng/dL) and IGF-1 (from −2.08 to −0.22 standard deviation scores (SDS)) levels. Temporary suspension of levothyroxine was accompanied by decreased median fT4 (1.02 ng/dL) and IGF-1 (−1.07 SDS) levels and reappearance of clinical symptoms, which resolved once levothyroxine was reinitiated.

Conclusions

The longer follow-up, valorization of clinical manifestations, nontraditional laboratory approach and therapeutic trial with levothyroxine in the present study revealed a higher rate of post-TBI CH in children and adolescents than that reported in the literature.
Clinical and ultrasonographic evaluation of breast lipofilling after expander extrusion. Case report
Authors: Bogdan Razvan George , Helgiu Alina , Cimpean Anca-Maria , Crainiceanu Zorin Petrisor
Published: January 2025

Background. Breast cancer treatment often involves mastectomy and adjuvant therapies such as radiotherapy, which can lead to complications in reconstructive procedures. Tissue expanders are commonly used for immediate breast reconstruction post-mastectomy, but radiation therapy increases the risk of complications like expander extrusion. Lipofilling has emerged as a promising technique to address tissue damage and improve reconstructive outcomes. This case illustrates the utility of ultrasonography in measuring fat thickness before and after the lipofilling procedure and calculating the resorption rate for managing complex post-radiation complications.
Case description. We report the case of a 38-year-old patient born and raised in Romania with a history of right breast cancer, who initially underwent mastectomy followed by immediate reconstruction with a subpectoral tissue expander. The patient subsequently received adjuvant radiotherapy, which led to the extrusion of the tissue expander and chronic pain with skin redness. Due to significant damage to the surrounding tissue and chest wall, lipofilling was employed as a reconstructive approach to enhance skin quality and support tissue regeneration. Fat grafting was performed in multiple sessions, with ultrasonographic evaluations conducted before and after each session to monitor volumetric changes in the reconstructed breast. Following lipofilling, the patient experienced marked improvements in skin texture and breast volume, with no recurrence of complications. Later that year we performed a DIEP flap.
Conclusions. This case demonstrates the efficacy of ultrasonography in measuring fat graft and fat resorption after lipofilling as a reconstructive strategy in patients who experience complications from tissue expander extrusion post-radiation. Lipofilling, in combination with thorough imaging assessments, can significantly enhance the outcomes of breast reconstruction following radiotherapy.
Legal Regulation of Pharmacy Operation prior to 1918
Authors: Petlina Tetiana V.
Published: January 2025

The article aims to investigate the question of the legal regulation of the field of pharmacy in the 17th – early 20th centuries, which is of relevance in the history of medicine and pharmacy as one of the forerunning cross-disciplinary branches in the historical-legal research. In the article, academic literature is used as a primary source of information, as well as the laws and the decisions of the Governing Senate in pharmacy cases before 1918.
Perceived Psychological Well-Being of Lithuanian Judges
Authors: Valickas Gintautas , Vanagaitė Kristina
Published: January 2025

The article examines the psychological well-being of judges. The aim of the study is to reveal the peculiarities of Lithuanian judges’ psychological well-being. The following questions were sought to be answered: (1) what is the character of perceived psychological well-being of judges; (2) does there exist any relation among the psychological well-being of judges, experience accumulated by the participants, and their sociodemographic characteristics. The participants (307 judges from various Lithuanian courts) completed the Psychological Well-Being of Judges questionnaire developed by the authors of this paper. The findings revealed that the psychological well-being of judges perceived by the participants was more positive than negative: from thirteen components of psychological well-being, six components elicit a strong satisfaction, two – moderate and five – weak satisfaction of judges. The judges’ experience of psychological well-being was related with the gender, age, work experience, work place (District Court, County Court, or The Supreme Court of Lithuania, The Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania, and The Court of Appeal of Lithuania) and size of the city or town they were working in: a metropolitan city (Kaunas, Klaipėda, Panevėžys, Šiauliai, Vilnius) or other towns of Lithuania. The data gathered suggest that psychological well-being is a fairly relevant problem for Lithuanian judges; therefore, the Judicial Council, leaders of the Courts, and the National Courts Administration should devote more attention to it.
Ecclesiastical Acts of the Holy See: Their Classification and Juridical Weight
Authors: Rudinskas Aurimas , Machovenko Jevgenij
Published: January 2025

By identifying the functions that the Roman Catholic Church assigns to itself, categorizing ecclesiastical acts according to these functions, and examining the concept of the ecclesiastical power of governance, the authors of this article aims to provide some guidelines and rules that would enable both lay lawyers and Church hierarchs living and working in Lithuania to more correctly assess the juridical weight of the Holy See’s ecclesiastical acts which fall under the domain of Ecclesiastical Law (regulating the relationships of the faithful within the Church itself, and not with other international legal entities). The study shows that a significant number of acts of the Holy See cannot be equated with the concepts of ‘legal acts’ and ‘papal acts’, and their legal weight cannot be determined solely by the title of the act. A detailed content analysis is required.
Employee Surveillance Using Algorithmic Management Based on Artificial Intelligence Systems
Authors: Breskienė Ineta
Published: January 2025

The article analyses the legal regulation of employee surveillance managed by employers carried on algorithmic management based on artificial intelligence systems. Employers observe employees and their work so that to smoothly organize work processes at workplaces, ensure efficient use of resources, and manage risks. Through the process of surveillance, personal data of employees are collected, which are later analysed; hence, employees may experience direct legal consequences (for example, termination of employment, violations of work duties, adjusted wages, etc.). Algorithmic management based on artificial intelligence systems generates various risks to employees. Before starting their application, employers have to evaluate various requirements. The key requirements arise from the Artificial Intelligence Act, the General Data Protection Regulation and the practice formed by the European Court of Human Rights which has been established regarding employee surveillance. Also, the employer has the obligation to ensure the employee’s privacy rights, since, when applying algorithmic management, artificial intelligence systems can sometimes make hardly predictable insights and reveal extremely sensitive facts about the employee. The issue of informing and consulting employees and their representatives regarding the implementation and use of algorithmic management based on artificial intelligence systems in the work environment is analysed.
Enhancing the Enforcement Powers of ICAO in Aviation Safety and Security
Authors: Aquilina Saviour
Published: January 2025

The objective of this article is to determine the improvements required by ICAO’s institutional mechanisms so to enforce compliance with Standards contained in Annexes to the Chicago Convention, detailing preventive safety or security measures. To offer a comprehensive study, the article analyses the enforcement measures under international law, the enforcement mechanisms of organising it internationally, the monitoring mechanisms of ICAO, and the mechanism on the settlement of disputes included in the Chicago Convention. The article recommends a number of amendments to the Chicago Convention and analyses the challenges to achieve such recommendations.
Recovery of Damages for Mental Anguish Relating to Death Grief: the Jurisprudence of Certain Common Law Jurisdictions
Authors: Lytvynenko Anatoliy A.
Published: January 2025

Courts in Common Law jurisdictions usually did not grant the recovery of damages for mental suffering unaccompanied with a physical injury or other wrong until the late 19th century. However, the given maxim changed when American courts allowed recovering damages for mental suffering in cases of improper delivery (or non-delivery) of telegraph messages, which primordially related to the death or serious illness of close relatives. English courts also recognized nervous shock to be recoverable in a handful of cases of the late 19th – early 20th century. In the several subsequent decades, the world of Common Law witnessed a multitude of cases, where the plaintiffs managed to recover damages caused by disinterment of graves, maltreatment of cadavers, negligence in burials and similar causes, where injury to feelings was connected with the demise of a close relative, or, as proposed by the author of the article, for the matter of brevity, death grief. In England, the recovery of damages for mental suffering from death grief was recognized by the judiciary in the case of Owens v. Liverpool Corp. (1938), which became one of paramount cases on recovery of damages for mental suffering relating to death grief, whereas there is a multitude of legal precedents of such recognition in the United States, and the key precedent upon this subject in Canada is the case of Mason v. Westside Cemeteries, Ltd. (1996). The article discusses English, American and Canadian cases, where the given topic is invoked.
Parental and Medical Classification of Neurodevelopment in Children Born Preterm
Authors: Richter Lindsay L. , Janvier Annie , Pearce Rebecca , Bourque Claude Julie , Church Paige T. , Luu Thuy Mai , Synnes Anne
Published: January 2025

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The likelihood and severity of neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) affects critical health care decisions. NDI definitions were developed without parental perspectives. We investigated the agreement between parental vs medical classification of NDI among children born preterm.

METHODS

In this multicenter study, parents of children born preterm (<29 weeks) evaluated at 18 to 21 months corrected age (CA) were asked whether they considered their child as developing normally, having mild/moderate impairment, or having severe impairment. Medical categorization was based on hearing, vision, cerebral palsy status, and Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development Third Edition (Bayley-III) scores. Agreement was analyzed using Cohen’s weighted κ. Discrepancies in categorization by NDI components and parental demographics were examined using the Pearson χ2 test, Fisher exact test, or Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

RESULTS

Children (n = 1098, gestational age 26.1 ± 1.5 weeks, birthweight 919 ± 247 g) were evaluated at 19.6 ± 2.6 months CA at 13 clinics. Agreement between parental and medical NDI classification was poor (κ = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.26–0.35). Parents described their child’s development as normal or less impaired. Only 12% of parents of children classified as having a severe NDI according to the medical definition agreed. There were significant disagreements between classification for children based on Bayley-III cognitive, language, and motor scores but not for cerebral palsy. Discrepancies varied by parental education and ethnicity but not by single caregiver status.

CONCLUSIONS

Parent perception of NDI differs from medical categorization, creating a risk of miscommunication. This indicates an overestimation of the impact of disability by clinicians, which may affect life-and-death decisions. Parental perspectives should be considered when reporting and discussing neurodevelopmental outcomes.
HIGH REMISSION AND LOW RECURRENCE RATES OF HIDRADENITIS SUPPURATIVA LESIONS TREATED BY REGIONAL COMPLETE EXCISION AND SECONDARY INTENTION WOUND HEALING AFTER 36 MONTHS OF FOLLOW-UP
Authors: E. Hristakieva  , P. K. Kohl  , T. Gancheva  , K. Manuelyan  , R. Deliyska  , D. Gancheva  , R. Lavcheva
Published: January 2025

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease which mostly affects intertriginous skin areas. For its advanced stage, regional complete surgical excision (CSE), followed by healing by secondary intention is a useful treatment modality.
PURPOSE: We performed a pilot case series study to calculate remission and defined recurrence rates of HS lesions after regional CSE.
METHODS: 44 regional CSE were performed in 22 patients with Hurley stage II/III disease. The mean resulting wound size was 96 cm². After completed reepithelization by secondary intention, patients were under regular face-to-face follow-up for 36 months at the Clinic of Dermatology and Venereology in Stara Zagora. New HS lesions within 1 cm around the resulting scar were rated as regional recurrence.
RESULTS: 42/44 (95.5%) excision sites showed complete scarring without hypertrophic scar, keloid formation, functional impairment or lymphedema. Regional recurrence was detected in 2/44 (4.5%) excision sites. New HS lesions distant from the regional excision site developed in 1/22 (4.5%) patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results underscore the high remission and low defined recurrence rates of treatment of advanced HS lesions by regional CSE and secondary intention wound healing and further support the significance of this treatment modality for long-term disease control.
HETEROTOPIC PANCREAS OF THE GIT: TWO CASE STUDIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW
Authors: V. Bozhkov  , P. Chernopolsky
Published: January 2025

Heterotopic pancreas is pancreatic tissue that is found outside its anatomical location. It is asymptomatic and is detected accidently. The risk of malignant transformation is low. It can be found in all organs of the GIT. Purpose: We present two clinical cases of heterotopic pancreas.  The first patient is a 61-year-old man who presented with pain in the epigastrium, the upper right quadrant, weight loss and history of gallstone disease, gastritis and peptic ulcer. The second case is a 79-year-old woman, hospitalized with complaints of abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Results: The patients were operated. The intraoperative finding was chronically inflamed gallbladder and tumour formation in the pyloro-antral part of the stomach. Cholecystectomy and resection of the tumour formation were performed, followed by pyloroplasty in first patient. Internal incarceration of the ileum with necrosis and Meckel's diverticulum was established. Resection of the small intestine was performed with anastomosis and resection of the Meckel’s diverticulum in the second case. Histological examination of both specimens revealed ectopic pancreatic tissue in the stomach and in the Meckel's diverticulum. Conclusions: Heterotopic pancreas is a rare pathology. Surgical removal of the tumour is the only radical treatment.
Susan Campbell: The Cook's Companion
Authors: D. J.M.
Published: January 2025

Susan Campbell: The Cook's Companion: Macmillan, London, 1980: 288 pp. Hundreds of illustrations. £9.95.
Vanilla Cream Caramels
Authors: Editors The
Published: January 2025

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Antioxidant activities of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) and purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) leaves powder and their applications for preservation of cupcakes
Authors: Aljumayi Huda
Published: January 2025

Since the advantages of a healthy diet on one’s quality of life are widely recognized, the food industry must come up with new food products that have particular health-improving qualities. Using water and ethanolic extraction, the current study assessed the antioxidant capacities of purslane and chicory leaves extracts. The study assessed how MCI (Chicory (Cichorium intybus) leaf powder) (cupcake flour replaced with 5% and 10% chicory leaf powder) and MPO (Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) leaf powder) (cupcake flour replaced with 5% and 10% purslane leaf powder) affected the physical traits, textural qualities, nutritional content, lipid oxidation, and consumer acceptability of cupcakes. Total phenols, flavonoids, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity were evaluated. The texture, color, and nutritional content of cupcake samples from MCI and MPO were assessed and compared to control samples. According to the findings, raising the MPO and MCI by 10% reduced the specific volume, yellowness, and lightness of crumb and crust while enhancing the redness. After the storage period, both cakes (MCI and MPO) had higher nutritional values than the control. A nine-point hedonic scale was used to rate the acceptability of cupcakes. As MPO and MCI concentrations increased, darker colors predominated (p < 0.05). However, the overall consumer acceptance of cupcake samples declined with increase in MCI and MPO concentrations, and compared to MCI cupcake samples, MPO cupcake samples were substantially more acceptable (p < 0.05). The results of sensory evaluation also showed that the sensory qualities of the prod-uct did not change significantly by the addition of up to 5% of MPO and MCI to cupcake recipe. Hence, up to 5% MPO and MCI can be used as a flour substitute in cupcake recipes to increase the nutritional value and function-ing of cakes without degrading the quality.
EN The combined effect of heating zone length and inclination angle on start-up, transient and operational characteristics of pulsating heat pipe
Authors: Мане К. , Алексеїк Є.С.
Published: January 2025

Pulsating heat pipes (PHP) are novel heat transfer devices which have wide prospects of application in energy, refrigeration, cryogenic systems and electronics cooling because of simple design and high efficiency of heat transfer. However, heat transfer characteristics of PHP depend on many parameters. This paper is dedicated to experimental investigation of the impact of heating zone length and angle of inclination on the start-up and operational characteristics of PHP. The investigation involved a systematic variation of the heating zone length and inclination angle with measuring of key performance indicators, including start-up heat flux density and temperature, transient heat flux density, and thermal resistance, for water, methanol and pentane as a heat carrier. 5-turn PHP made of copper capillary tube with inner diameter 1,1 mm was used as experimental sample. Main operational modes of PHP were defined and described in the paper based on obtained experimental data. Results indicate that increasing the heating zone length from 10 to 50 mm at all tested inclination angles significantly enhances the thermal performance of PHP by reducing start-up, transient heat flux densities and thermal resistance. Specifically, thermal resistance decreased by up to 51,8% and start-up, transient heat flux densities up to 68-71% with longer heating zone lengths. Also, it was shown that maximum transferred heat flux increased up to 59% with increasing in heating zone length. These findings suggest that optimizing heat zone length can improve start-up efficiency and overall heat transfer performance. The impact of inclination angle varies with the coolant used; generally, water outperforms methanol and pentane across all orientations. Methanol ranks next, with pentane showing the least performance. However, methanol and pentane are viable choices for low heat flux applications in vertical bottom heating mode. The study provides valuable insights for the design of PHP in energy, refrigeration and electronics cooling systems, highlighting the importance of heating zone (HZ) length configuration in achieving optimal performance
Оцінка енергетичної ефективності мікрохвильового очищення грунту від антропогенного хімічного забруднення
Authors: Бошкова І.Л. , Волгушева Н.В. , Галкін О.І. , Борець С.О. , Бондаренко О.С.
Published: January 2025

Наголошується, що з розвитком охорони навколишнього середовища рекультивація ґрунту стає все більш важливою, при чому в останні роки використовуються не тільки біологічні та хімічні методи, а також стрімко розвиваються методи термічної обробки завдяки високій ефективності та зручній експлуатації. Технологія мікрохвильового нагрівання привернула велику увагу, оскільки вона забезпечує економію часу, економічність і високу гнучкість. Аналіз літератури показує, що ефективна енергетична потужність і рівень температур для мікрохвильової рекультивації відрізнялися залежно від типу забрудненого ґрунту. Особливу увагу слід приділяти вологості ґрунту, тому що вона істотно впливає як на характеристики процесу нагрівання, так і на процеси, що відіграють роль усунення забруднюючих речовин. Наведені результати експериментальних досліджень, спрямовані на визначення енергоефективності мікрохвильового нагрівання ґрунту. Для досліджень було обрано чорноземний ґрунт з густиною ρ = 1150 кг/м3. Теплова енергія, що генерується у зразку, визначалась як сума її складових: частка на нагрівання самого матеріалу Qмат та випаровування вологи Qвип, що становить корисно використовувану теплоту Qкор, а також втрати в довкілля за рахунок променистого Qп і конвективного Qк теплообміну та втрати на нагрівання діелектричної комірки Qком. Отримано, що незважаючи на суттєве зниження вологовмісту зразків ґрунту, спостерігалось безперервне зростання температури, що свідчить про досить високі значення фактору діелектричних втрат, імовірно, внаслідок великої кількості органічних речовин. Коефіцієнт корисної дії мікрохвильової камери при завантаженні шару ґрунту товщиною 0,02 м та масою 0,4 кг складає 82 %, загальний ККД з урахуванням ККД магнетрону η = 0,63 %. Визначено значення напруженості електричного поля в мікрохвильовій камері, яке пропонується враховувати при конструюванні промислових установок для мікрохвильової очистки ґрунтів від забруднення хімічними речовинами
Підвищення ефективності роботи автономних систем теплопостачання для індивідуального опалення з застосуванням теплових насосів
Authors: Лужанська Г.В. , Бабаєв Є.С. , Сергеєв М.І. , Паламарчук О.О. , Фуркаленко О.Л.
Published: January 2025

У роботі розглянуто застосування теплових насосів в автономних системах теплопостачання, а саме у житлово-комунальному комплексі для індивідуальних систем водяного опалення. У досліджуваних варіантах тепловий насос є обов'язковим елементом. Для ефективної роботи системи додається котел, як додаткове джерело теплової енергії, а також з метою енергозбереження – буферна ємність. У статті виконано аналіз роботи теплонасосних схем із буферною ємністю. Розглянута можливість роботи за трьома режимами в залежності від температури зовнішнього повітря. В послідовній моновалентній низькотемпературній системі опалення максимальна потужність теплового насосу буде використовуватись незначний проміжок часу впродовж року (при температурі зовнішнього повітря – 18 ºС). Паралельна моновалентна низькотемпературна система опалення дозволяє більш ефективно вирішувати потреби теплопостачання, частково зменшити розрахункову потужність теплового насосу за рахунок накопичення теплоти у буферній ємності, яка також буде відігравати роль акумулятора теплоти. Паралельна бівалентна комбінована система опалення не дозволяє працювати одночасно теплового насоса и котла в перехідний період, що зменшує ефективність роботи системи теплопостачання. Послідовна бівалентна комбінована система опалення схема не дозволяє при температурах зовнішнього повітря значно нижче температури бівалентної точки одночасно використовувати одночасно ТН і котел, що не дозволяє досягти найбільшої ефективності у бівалентній схемі системи теплопостачання. У послідовно-паралельній бівалентній комбінованій системі опалення потужність теплового насосу розраховується на температуру зовнішнього повітря для бівалентній точці, при цьому розрахункова потужність котла може бути зменшена. Проведений аналіз показав, що максимальна ефективність досягається із застосуванням послідовно-паралельної бівалентної комбінованої системи опалення
Evaluation of connectors' influence on the interface behaviour between concrete layers
Authors: Masėnas Juozas , Valivonis Juozas
Published: January 2025

The behavior of concrete interfaces cast at different times is influenced by many variables, including material characteristics, interface surface preparation, interface geometry and many more. The performance of such interfaces is not yet fully understood and is particularly challenging to predict. This paper presents and discusses the results of 17 experimental push-off tests, which varied in interface types and connector arrangements. Three types of interface connector arrangements were tested and compared: one perpendicular to the interface and two lattice girder configurations. Interfaces with lattice girder connectors exhibited greater adhesion resistance. Among these, one specific lattice girder arrangement demonstrated the highest resistance to shear following adhesion failure. A second type of lattice girder arrangement was responsible for the lowest interface crack width. When the perpendicular interface connector arrangement was used, the widest interface crack was observed. The experimental specimens also featured different interface surface types: smooth and shear key interfaces. The shear key interface achieved the highest overall shear capacity. Additionally, a novel theoretical model was employed to predict interface behavior up to considerable slippage. The impact of differential shrinkage on the adhesion resistance of the interface was demonstrated using theoretical shrinkage and interface behavior results.
Small-strain stiffness and dynamic properties of well-graded gravel–rubber mixtures
Authors: Fiamingo Angela , Abate Glenda , Chiaro Gabriele , Massimino Maria Rossella
Published: January 2025

Soil–rubber mixtures have been proposed as cost-effective seismic and dynamic risk mitigation techniques. The granulated rubber used for these mixtures is obtained from end-of-life tires, allowing for stockpiles of waste rubber tires to be recycled. To date, most of the research has focused on the mechanical properties of sand–rubber mixtures, while limited studies have been performed on gravel–rubber mixtures (GRMs). In particular, GRMs with well-graded gravel (wgGRMs), which are of significant practical interest due to their availability, have only been poorly characterised. As part of a wider investigation aimed at facilitating the use of wgGRMs as geotechnical dynamic isolation systems, this paper presents bender element and small-strain cyclic triaxial test results performed on mixtures with 25%, 40%, and 55% volumetric rubber content. It is found that, thanks to their excellent energy absorption properties, wgGRMs can be efficiently adopted as geotechnical dynamic isolation to mitigate seismic risk of and anthropically induced vibrations on existing and new structures/infrastructures. Their easy implementation, low-cost, and widespread availability further facilitate their use.
A data-driven method for prediction and design of biomass ash alkali-activated materials
Authors: He Y. , Zhao D. , Xu J. , Chen X. , Liu R.
Published: January 2025

This study proposes a data-driven framework based on XGBoost and the whale optimisation algorithm (WOA) for predicting and designing the biomass ash alkali-activated pure solid waste cementitious materials. Based on 112 sets of experimental data, an XGBoost model was developed to predict 3-day and 28-day compressive strength and flowability based on input parameters including microchemical composition, alkali activator concentration, and water-to-binder ratio (W/B). To optimise material performance, WOA was employed to design and refine the material mix ratios and alkali activator concentrations. The results indicated that the W/B is the most critical parameter influencing compressive strength and flowability. The model’s prediction errors remained within 5% for both the training and test sets, validating the accuracy and feasibility of the proposed method. The framework has broad applicability and can serve as a reference for the development of similar solid waste–based materials.
Preparation and characterizing of PVDF/TiO2/GO membranes for oil–water separation
Authors: Zhou Xinnan , Xin Binjie , Newton All Amin
Published: January 2025

Oil–water separation has applications in industrial production, environmental protection, and energy production and plays a positive role in promoting economic development and protecting water resources. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofiber membranes are highly regarded in the field of oily wastewater purification due to their excellent mechanical strength and corrosion resistance. In this study, fiber membranes were prepared by electrostatic spinning method using poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and graphene oxide (GO) as raw materials (voltage: 15.5 kV, distance: 11 cm, and spinning solution concentration of about 12.8%). It was proved that the PVDF/TiO2/1% GO fiber membrane had good hydrophobicity and superoleophilicity. The prepared fiber membrane was recycled several times, and the separation efficiency and permeation flux were measured by gravity sedimentation and direct measurement, respectively, and the experimental results showed that the separation efficiency was more than 98%, and the permeation flux was up to 1700 L/m2/h. Therefore, the material has good oil–water separation effect.
Influence of bamboo charcoal on soil degradation behavior of PLCL composite films
Authors: Li Yuanshuai , Chen Zongrui , Yang Dailan , Luo Guoying , Yuan Mingwei , Zhang Yin
Published: January 2025

Bamboo charcoal (BC) was utilized as a modifier to functionalize poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) in this research. Five types of BC/PLCL composite films with varying BC content (0.5 wt%, 1.0 wt%, 1.5 wt%, 2.0 wt%, and 2.5 wt%) were fabricated and subjected to degradation studies in soil. The degradation performance of these composite films was assessed by analyzing changes in apparent morphology, micromorphology, mass loss, molecular weight, and mechanical properties after 20, 40, 60, and 80 days of degradation. Results indicated a gradual increase in the degradation level of PLCL over time, accompanied by a decrease in elongation at break from 273.5% to 12.01%. The incorporation of BC was found to decelerate the degradation of PLCL, leading to a delayed degradation process as the proportion of BC increased. This work offers a novel perspective on the application of new biodegradable composite film materials in express packaging and agricultural mulch.
Graphene/chitosan composite aerogels towards methyl orange and copper ions
Authors: He Jianlei , Kang Jiaming , Xu Jiahan , Wu Junling , Wei Sainan , Liu Hui , Zhang Jingyu , Xu Jia
Published: January 2025

The composite of graphene oxide (GO) and chitosan (CS) effectively addresses the issues of GO aggregation, difficult recovery, and the poor mechanical properties and small surface area of CS, while significantly improving the adsorption performance of CS. However, during the composite process, the active sites of GO and CS may react, which reduces the number of available adsorption sites and thereby impacts overall adsorption efficiency. In this study, a composite aerogel (GCG) was prepared using glutamine-modified CS and GO, and its adsorption performance for methyl orange and Cu2+ was investigated. The results show that GCG exhibits significantly better adsorption performance than the unmodified composite aerogel (GC). Under conditions of pH = 3 and 25°C, the maximum adsorption capacity of GCG for methyl orange reached 261.78 mg/g; at pH = 6 and 25°C, the maximum adsorption capacity for Cu2+ was 74.79 mg/g. The adsorption process follows pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. After six cycles of adsorption–desorption, the adsorption capacity remained above 85% of the initial value. This study provides important insights for the development of efficient and renewable nanoadsorbents.
Interaction of unsaturated sand with a retaining wall under various active movements
Authors: Gourgani Majid , Razeghi Hamid Reza , Mamaghanian Jaber
Published: January 2025

Estimation of the active earth pressure is a fundamental factor in the design of many geotechnical engineering structures. In the current study, in order to investigate the earth pressure in an active state, the results of 14 retaining wall models in unsaturated and dry conditions are reported. The conducted models consisted of rigid retaining walls that were capable of translating, rotating about the toe, and rotating about the top. It is observed that the distribution of the earth pressure behind the model wall was non-linear, and the non-linearity rose by increasing suction in the soil. Results of image processing obtained from top and side views of the models besides the recorded earth pressures showed that the volume of the failure wedge behind the wall and consequently the imposed force to the wall in active condition significantly decreased by slightly increasing the matric suction in sand. An equation that agrees well with experiments is presented to estimate the load that backfill imposed on the wall in similar soils.
Restrictive or Liberal Blood Transfusion in Patients with Myocardial Infarction and CKD
Authors: Strom Jordan B. , Herbert Brandon M. , Bertolet Marnie , Brooks Maria M. , Malik Shahbaz A. , Lemesle Gilles , Madan Mina , Steg Philippe Gabriel , Hebert Paul C. , Traverse Jay H. , White Harvey D. , Alsweiler Caroline , Gupta Rajesh , Ritt Luiz Eduardo F. , Menegus Mark A. , Alexander John H. , Lopes Renato D. , Chaitman Bernard R. , Carson Jeffrey L. ,   on behalf of the MINT Trial Investigators
Published: January 2025

Key Points

This Myocardial Ischemia and Transfusion (MINT) trial analysis evaluated the optimal transfusion strategy for patients with CKD and anemia experiencing acute myocardial infarction.

In patients with CKD, a liberal transfusion strategy overall did not demonstrate benefit over a restrictive strategy.

Background

CKD is associated with higher risk of myocardial infarction and anemia. Among patients with anemia and CKD who experience myocardial infarction, it remains uncertain whether a liberal red blood cell transfusion threshold strategy (hemoglobin cutoff <10 g/dl) is superior to a restrictive transfusion threshold (hemoglobin, 7–8 g/dl) strategy.

Methods

Among the 3504 patients enrolled in the Myocardial Ischemia and Transfusion (MINT) trial with nonmissing serum creatinine, we compared baseline characteristics and 30-day and 6-month outcomes of patients without CKD (N=1279), CKD with eGFR 30–60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 (N=999), CKD with eGFR <30 ml/min per 1.73 m2 (N=802), and CKD requiring dialysis (N=415) by assigned transfusion strategy.

Results

No statistically significant interactions were observed between CKD stage and assigned transfusion strategy. Among non–dialysis-dependent patients with an eGFR <30 ml/min per 1.73 m2, a restrictive transfusion strategy was associated with a higher risk of 30-day death or recurrent myocardial infarction (risk difference [RD], 5.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.4% to 11.2%) compared with a liberal transfusion strategy. Among patients with an eGFR 30–60 ml/min per 1.73 m2, a restrictive strategy was associated with a similar risk of 30-day death or recurrent myocardial infarction (RD, 3.7%; 95% CI, −0.9% to 8.2%) compared with a liberal transfusion strategy. Among patients with CKD requiring dialysis, a restrictive strategy was also associated with a similar risk of 30-day death or recurrent myocardial infarction (RD, −2.6%; 95% CI, −10.0% to 4.8%) compared with a liberal transfusion strategy.

Conclusions

In patients with CKD included in this MINT subgroup analysis, a liberal transfusion strategy was not worse than a restrictive transfusion strategy and was associated with less harm in subgroups not receiving dialysis.

Clinical Trial registry name and registration number:

Myocardial Ischemia and Transfusion (MINT), NCT02981407.
Forts and Foxes: Two English Loan-Words in the Book of Taliesin
Authors: Jacobs Nicolas
Published: January 2025

The English loan-words bwrch 'perimeter wall or rampart' and ffoxas 'foxes' are remarkable, i. for occurring in a single line in Armes Prydein while being recorded nowhere else in Middle Welsh; ii. for representing entities for which there were already sufficient
words in the language; and iii. in the case of ffoxas, appearing with its Old English plural termination rather than any Welsh equivalent. It is argued that each was borrowed with a specialized sense: that bwrch represents a metonymic development from Old English burh
as applied to an Alfredian fortified town, and that ffoxas as a term of abuse was not invented by the Welsh but reproduces a nickname adopted for themselves by the English officials against whose extortions the poem is a protest. The possibility that an image in La3amon's Brut
(an early Middle English verse chronicle) is connected with the passage is reviewed with some scepticism.
Formas urbanas e tensão regional
Authors: Colusso Izabele , Rodriguez Janquiel Lessa Florencio , Denardi Luísa , Schwingel Maria Dupont , Walter Bianca Gass
Published: January 2025

This article aims to demonstrate the application of the concepts presented in the research “Urban Forms and Regional Tension: The Influence of the Global Integration of Cities in the Direction of Growth”, applied here in the Metropolitan Region of Serra Gaúcha (RMSG), RS-Brazil, demonstrating the influence that regional systems exert on urban forms. The Region studied is composed of 14 municipalities that present different urban forms, through this research it was illustrated that these forms are the result of the regional tensions exerted by each city, due to its positioning in the territory, this study can help in the understanding of the whole process development of a city and region, as well as the relationship between growth and proportion, which may result in compact or dispersed cities. This study is guided through a methodological guide, which, through data collection and construction of maps and calculations, can provide a useful tool to study and analyze the influence of regional spatial effects in cities, in addition to contributing to the realization of studies. The analysis of metropolitan regions is necessary for understanding the factors that contribute to their formation, in addition to presenting potential auxiliary results for the development of the region.
Fortaleza como Destino Turístico Inteligente
Authors: Comaru Lucas Fernandes , Rodrigues Ricardo Furtado , Coelho Susana Dantas , Sousa Janaildo Soares de , Pinheiro Adson Rodrigo da Silva
Published: January 2025

This article aims to analyze the city of Fortaleza (CE) as a potential Smart Tourism Destination. Initially, the study contextualizes the contemporary panorama of the tourism market, highlighting the importance of sustainability and innovation to differentiate the tourist offer and to compromise economic development with environmental and cultural preservation. The conversion of Fortaleza into a Smart Tourism Destination (STD) is analyzed, highlighting its relevance for local tourism and the strategies adopted to achieve this aim. The study uses the SWOT matrix to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to the transformation of Fortaleza into an STD. Essential elements that compass the Smart Tourism Destination are analyzed, namely the integration of advanced technologies and sustainable practices. The challenges of this approach are also addressed, including resistance to the adoption of emerging technologies and concerns about the privacy of tourists' data. The methodology adopted includes a qualitative approach, followed by an exploratory case study, bibliographic and documentary review, and the SWOT matrix analysis. The article hands over three relevant contributions: (1) the debate stimulus on the process of transforming Fortaleza into an STD, (2) the offer of evidence for the city's diagnosis towards the new federal public tourism policy, and (3) the identification of the prospects for advancement for obtaining the STD Seal of Fortaleza. Thus, the study highlights the importance of Fortaleza becoming an STD to improve the tourist experience and promote sustainable and innovative development.
Impacto da Mobilidade Urbana na Gestão de Águas Pluviais
Authors: Buose Brenda
Published: January 2025

This study explores the interrelationship between urban mobility and stormwater management, proposing integrated solutions to increase the resilience of cities to flooding. The research, with a qualitative approach, combines a literature review and case studies in global and Brazilian cities, analyzing mobility and drainage infrastructures, as well as strategies for dealing with extreme climate events. The study addresses the interaction between urban mobility and water management, traditionally treated separately, and offers guidelines for integrated urban planning. In a context of accelerated urbanization and climate change, the results show that soil sealing by transport infrastructures aggravates urban flooding, and that existing drainage infrastructures are inefficient, with significant stormwater pollution. Proposals include green infrastructure, advanced stormwater management technologies, nature-based solutions and sustainable mobility policies to reduce flooding and improve the quality of urban life. Encouraging public transportation and preserving green areas are essential strategies for urban resilience, promoting a sustainable vision of urban planning.
Wrong Answers Only: Distractor Generation for Russian Reading Comprehension Questions Using a Translated Dataset
Authors: Login Nikita
Published: January 2025

Background: Reading comprehension questions play an important role in language learning. Multiple-choice questions are a convenient form of reading comprehension assessment as they can be easily graded automatically. The availability of large reading comprehension datasets makes it possible to also automatically produce these items, reducing the cost of development of test question banks, by fine-tuning language models on them. While English reading comprehension datasets are common, this is not true for other languages, including Russian. A subtask of distractor generation poses a difficulty, as it requires producing multiple incorrect items.
Purpose: The purpose of this work is to develop an efficient distractor generation solution for Russian exam-style reading comprehension questions and to discover whether a translated English-language distractor dataset can offer a possibility for such solution.
Method: In this paper we fine-tuned two pre-trained Russian large language models, RuT5 and RuGPT3 (Zmitrovich et al, 2024), on distractor generation task for two classes of summarizing questions retrieved from a large multiple-choice question dataset, that was automatically translated from English to Russian. The first class consisted of questions on selection of the best title for the given passage, while the second class included questions on true/false statement selection. The models were assessed automatically on test and development subsets, and true statement distractor models were additionally evaluated on an independent set of questions from Russian state exam USE.
Results: It was observed that the models surpassed the non-fine-tuned baseline, the performance of RuT5 model was better than that of RuGPT3, and that the models handled true statement selection questions much better than title questions. On USE data models fine-tuned on translated dataset have shown better quality than that trained on existing Russian distractor dataset, with T5-based model also beating the baseline established by output of an existing English distractor generation model translated into Russian.
Conclusion: The obtained results show the possibility of a translated dataset to be used in distractor generation and the importance of the domain (language examination) and question type match in the input data.
Probing the Pitfalls: Understanding SVD’s Shortcomings in Language Model Compression
Authors: Pletenev Sergey
Published: January 2025

Background: Modern computational linguistics heavily relies on large language models that demonstrate strong performance in various Natural Language Inference (NLI) tasks. These models, however, require substantial computational resources for both training and deployment. To address this challenge, a range of compression and acceleration techniques has been developed, including quantization, pruning, and factorization. Each of these approaches operates differently, can be applied at various levels of the model architecture, and is suited to different deployment scenarios.
Purpose:  The objective of this study is to analyze and evaluate a factorization-based compression technique that reduces the computational footprint of large language models while preserving their accuracy in NLI tasks, particularly for resource-constrained or latency-sensitive applications.
Method: To evaluate the impact of factorization-based compression, we conducted probing experiments. First, we chose a widely-used pre-trained model (Bert-base and Llama 2) as our baseline. Then, we applied low-rank factorization to its transformer layers using various singular value decomposition algorithms at different compression rates. After that, we used probing tasks to analyze the changes in the internal representations and linguistic knowledge of the compressed models. We compared the changes in the model's internal representations with its ability to solve natural language inference (NLI) tasks and the compression rate achieved through factorization.
Results: Naive uniform factorization often led to significant accuracy drops, even at small compression rates, reflecting a noticeable degradation in the model's ability to understand textual entailments. Probing tasks showed that these uniformly compressed models lost important syntactic and semantic information, which aligned with the performance decline we observed. However, targeted compression approaches, such as selectively compressing the most redundant parts of the model or weighting algorithms, mitigated these negative effects.
Conclusion:  These results demonstrate that factorization, when used properly, can significantly reduce computational requirements while preserving the core linguistic capabilities of large language models. Our research can inform the development of future compression techniques that adapt factorization strategies to the inherent structure of models and their tasks. These insights can help deploy LLMs in scenarios with limited computational resources.