bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review and comparison of two OpenFOAM® solvers: rhoCentralFoam and sonicFoam
Authors: Canteros Maria Laura , Polanský Jiří
Published: July 2024

This article deals with the comparison and review of two solvers from the open-source CFD tool, OpenFOAM®, in the field of compressible fluids: the explicit segregated density-based solver (rhoCentralFoam), and the PIMPLE algorithm solver (sonicFoam). In spite of the numerous studies showing both solvers, there are not yet been presented complete flowcharts. This work will expose the creation of two flowcharts based on bibliographic review. For the purpose of the demonstration of the application of the two solvers, the Mach number, and the mass flow rate in time in the current case analysis are numerically estimated in both cases in an ISO 9300 Venturi nozzle case analysis.
Validation of a numerical software for the simulation of the pollutant dispersion from traffic in a real case: Some preliminary results
Authors: Ferrari Simone , Santus Alessandro , Tendas Luca
Published: July 2024

An increasing attention of citizens and policy-makers is devoted to the monitoring and modelling of urban traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), as there is a demonstrated relationship among this and human health effects (e.g. circulatory and ischemic heart diseases, lung cancer, asthma onset in children and adults, and acute lower respiratory infections in children). In this work, we investigate the capability of the ENVI- met® software to reproduce the concentrations of pollutants, emitted from vehicular traffic, and the meteorological parameters, both measured by a specific monitoring station, to evaluate its potential use for the TRAP prediction. Starting from the meteorological and traffic flow data of a specific day, a number of simulations, with different configurations, have been run and the results (temporal and spatial distribution of meteorological parameters and pollutants concentrations) have been compared with the monitored data, provided by the ARPAS (Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente della Sardegna – Regional Agency for the Protection of the Sardinian Environment) and measured by the weather station and the air quality monitoring station CENCA1 in Cagliari (Italy). The results of these comparisons are encouraging and can help, among the others, in better understanding the urban traffic pollutant dispersion and in optimizing the location of the air quality monitoring stations.
Ventilation and pollutant dispersion in a group of courtyard buildings with a diagonal wind
Authors: Ferrari Simone , Tendas Luca
Published: July 2024

The urban built environment strongly modifies the wind flows and, consequently, can cause heat and pollutant accumulation. The former contributes to generate the Urban Heat Island phenomenon, the latter to the increase in health issues recorded in the cities. Both of them can be mitigated through the proper implementation of the Urban Microclimate Design, which is a design and planning strategy employing the shape and layout of buildings to optimize comfort, air quality and energy efficiency of the built environment and, consequently, contributing to the generation of mitigative cities. In this paper, we present a parametric study, via numerical simulations employing the ENVI-met® three-dimensional microclimate model, of the ventilation and of the dispersion of a pollutant inside and outside a group of courtyard buildings hit by a diagonal wind. All the variables are kept constant, except the length of the internal courtyard, which is the variable parameter. The results suggest that the shape of these buildings biases the air flows and pollutant behaviour, so pointing out that it can be efficiently used to improve the air quality and the outdoor human comfort in the modern cities.
Liquid dispersion in inner cavity of rotating packed bed
Authors: Hájek Jiří , Malý Milan , Hájek Ondřej , Cejpek Ondřej , Bouchal Patrik , Jícha Miroslav
Published: July 2024

Majority of power producing, and industrial processes generate a significant amount of carbon dioxide (CO2). To reduce their CO2 emissions, CCS (carbon capture and storage) can be used. One of the ways for CO2 capture is rotating packed bed (RPB), which operates on a similar principle as an absorption tower. However, in the RPB, mass transfer rate is driven by a centrifugal force, hence the RPB could be much smaller than the absorption tower, which relay on gravitational force. Also, the internal design of the RPB could affect efficiency of CO2 capture. There are several types of packing design, such as raised mesh, Zigzag, metal foam, or wire mesh. This study is focused on testing and construction of a transparent wire mesh packing, which could be used for analyse of fluid behaviour inside the packing e.g., a flow character, a liquid hold up and a liquid-gas interfacial. The operating packing speeds in the experimental part were 300 rpm, 600 rpm, 1200 rpm and 1800 rpm. The operating liquid (water) was supplied by six plain orifice nozzles with 1.44 mm diameter. Water was supplied to the system in a range of liquid flow rates from 44 to 176 kg/h. This corresponds to the jet velocity of 1.25 – 5.00 m/s. The observed area was the entry of the water jet into the wire mesh, where the atomization is the most intense. For the measurement, a high-speed camera was used. It is evident from results that with the higher jet velocity, the penetrating distance is larger, and the atomization is more intense.
Characteristics of droplets formed on the outer surface of the rotating packed bed
Authors: Hájek Ondřej , Bouchal Patrik , Cejpek Ondřej , Malý Milan , Hájek Jiří , Prinz František , Zawadski Dawid , Blatkiewicz Michal , Jícha Miroslav
Published: July 2024

A rotating packed bed (RPB), as a device for mass transfer enhancement, can be divided into three main parts. An eye of a rotor, a packing, and an outer cavity. It has been reported that a contribution to the total mass transfer of the outer cavity can reach up to 30% of the whole device. Mass transfer is highly influenced by the droplet hydrodynamics and dimensions, hence the liquid dispersion from the outer surface of a metal foam packing was recorded with a high-speed camera. The recordings were analysed with an in-house MATLAB® code to determine the droplet dimensions, and with a PIVlab software to evaluate velocity fields. It has been found that the droplet dimensions and velocities were influenced primarily by a packing speed, as the higher packing speed resulted in a presence of the smaller droplets. Two peaks in histograms for the droplet diameters could be explained with a breakup theory of a liquid jet which breaks into large, mother, and small, satellite droplets. The droplet velocity corresponded to a peripheral velocity of the packing. A liquid flow rate influenced only the number of droplets dispersed from the packing.
Coherent structures detection using the DMD and OPD methods: Differences between the methods and sensitivity to the adjustable parameters
Authors: Kluková Zuzana , Nosek Štěpán , Jaňour Zbyněk
Published: July 2024

The turbulent part of the flow within the Atmospheric boundary layer is not necessarily totally random, but it usually reports some structures with inner coherence. These so called coherent structures can be decomposed from measured or modelled spatio-temporal data using mathematical methods as for instance dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) or oscillating pattern decomposition (OPD). These two methods produce complex eigenvectors and eigenvalues revealing cyclic propagation of the structures in space accompaigned with the information about the frequency of the structure’s excitation and decay time of the amplitude’s oscillation. This contribution will show that despite some differences in the DMD and OPD calculation, these methods produce very similar results. In contrary, the results are very sensitive to some parametrs occurring in the algorithm, mainly the number of the POD modes included to the calculation. The fewer POD modes are taken, the smoother topology of the DMD or OPD modes containing fewer but bigger whirls is produced, usually going hand by hand with lower frequencies.
A flue gas moisture separation for the CCS systems using membrane condensation
Authors: Kolovratník Michal , Petr Václav , Bartoš Ondřej
Published: July 2024

Currently, in connection with the use of combustion with only pure oxygen (oxyfuel), the issue of energy-efficient moisture separation from flue gases before the storage or the use of CO2 is being intensively studied. One of the theoretically and experimentally verified options for separation is the condensation of moisture in different types of condensation exchangers: tube, shower, membrane and plate. An experimental measuring setup consisting of a gas mixture generation and condenser measuring section was built to compare individual condenser concepts. The basis of the mixture generation section is a humidifier, which enables the preparation of an input mixture simulating flue gases. From water vapor and from air or CO2 with the required temperature and humidity. The mixture then flows through the measuring section with condensing surfaces. The whole measuring setup is equipped with instrumentation and allows obtaining data for verification and fitting of theoretical condensation models. The aim of this contribution is introducing the entire measurement concept of the experimental facility and reveal the compares of the obtained experimental data with the theory for the membrane condenser.
The flow of micrometre-sized glass fibres in a replica of the first bifurcation in human airways
Authors: Lizal Frantisek , Cabalka Matouš , Malý Milan , Bělka Miloslav , Mišík Ondrej , Jedelský Jan , Jícha Miroslav
Published: July 2024

Prediction of the fate of inhaled fibres in human airways represents a significant challenge in comparison with spherical particles. There are several ways of computation ranging from a simplified approach assuming equivalent spheres with empirical corrections to sophisticated numerical solutions of momentum and rotations in three-dimensional flow. Each of these mathematical approaches has its area of application. However, their precision is still insufficient namely because of the lack of experimental data for validation. Especially data on the behaviour of fibres under transient flow in bifurcating channels is missing. This paper presents a description of the experimental setup for such measurement and statistically evaluated characteristics of the rotation and flips of micrometre-sized glass fibres. The results proved that there are significant differences in the rotations of fibres when compared to previously measured stationary flows.
Balancing precision and safety: the crucial imperative of radiation dose optimization in radiology and the role of certified medical physicists in quality assessment
Authors: Sekkat H. , Khallouqi A. , El rhazouani O. , Halimi A. , K  , Elmansouri  , Madkouri Y.
Published: July 2024

This review systematically examines the optimization of radiological imaging protocols and practices from December 2023 to April 2024. Through a rigorous selection process, 97 relevant articles and reports were identified from databases like PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Screening of titles and abstracts, followed by a thorough evaluation of full-text articles meeting inclusion criteria, yielded 63 studies for qualitative analysis. Advancements in digital radiography, mammography, fluoroscopy, and interventional radiology have reshaped imaging techniques. Traditional methods, augmented by digital tools and algorithms, optimize imaging while minimizing radiation exposure. Innovations such as ultra-low-dose imaging in mammography aim to enhance cancer detection with reduced radiation. Optimization in fluoroscopy and interventional radiology involves a nuanced approach, considering both equipment protocols and operator behavior. Collaboration between medical physicists and optimization teams aligns protocols with equipment functionality. ISO-defined quality management principles guide the establishment of quality in radiology departments through components like quality control and assurance. Dosimetry monitors equipment performance and estimates individualized radiation risks, ensuring patient safety. Performance indicators help in assessing departmental performance, with medical physicists driving their development and monitoring. Collaborative initiatives and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and theranostics, underscore the ongoing journey of dose optimization in radiology. These strategies will shape the future of radiological imaging, enabling personalized patient care and advancing our understanding of health and disease.
Gekrümmt und verdreht
Authors: Schreiber Thomas
Published: July 2024

Skoliosen sind gekennzeichnet durch Deformationen der Wirbelsäule, deren Ursache in den meisten Fällen unbekannt sind. Ihr Fortschreiten hängt unter anderem von ihrer Ausprägung und der Skelettreife ab. Klassifiziert werden können Skoliosen beispielsweise nach Entstehungszeitpunkt sowie Lage, Ausmaß und Ausrichtung der Abweichung von der physiologischen S-Form der Wirbelsäule. Der Beitrag informiert über Inspektionen und Untersuchungen, die in der naturheilkundlichen Praxis möglich sind, sowie über osteopathische Behandlungsoptionen.
Zwischen Nähe und Grenze
Authors: Peters Christian
Published: July 2024

Zu den Motivationen für das Aufsuchen einer Naturheilpraxis zählen Leidensdruck, Ohnmachtsgefühl und/oder Erwartung, wodurch Abhängigkeit begünstigt werden kann. Berührung, Scham und Schmerz im Rahmen der Therapie machen die Behandlungssituation für Patient*innen sensibel und ambivalent. Aufklärung, Authentizität, Humor, kollegiales Feedback, Zuhören und -sehen, Empowerment und die Kenntnis der persönlichen Grenzen der Patient*innen sowie entsprechender Hilfsangebote beugen Übergriffen und Grenzverletzungen vor.
Synthesis of Heterocycles by HNTf2-Catalyzed C–H Functionalization of Vinyldiazo Compounds with 3-Phenyl-3-hydroxyisoindolinone
Authors: Doyle Michael P. , Bao Ming , Arman Hadi
Published: July 2024

A Brønsted acid catalyzed C–H functionalization of vinyldiazoacetates with 3-hydroxyisoindolinone is developed. This methodology provides a general access to E-substituted isoindolinone vinyldiazo compounds in good yields and excellent diastereoselectivities with broad substrate generality under mild conditions, and with 4-substituted 2-diazo-3-butenoates produces fused bicyclic pyrrolidines. The reaction generally involves addition of the N-acyl ketiminium electrophile, formed from the 3-hydroxyisoindolinone, to the vinylogous position of the vinyldiazo compound resulting in vinyldiazonium ion intermediates that undergo deprotonation to new vinyldiazo compounds or ring closure to fused bicyclic pyrrolidines.
Ataxias in Brazil: 17 years of experience in an ataxia center
Authors: Massuyama Breno Kazuo , Gama Maria Thereza Drumond , Silva Thiago Yoshinaga Tonholo , Braga-Neto Pedro , Pedroso José Luiz , Barsottini Orlando Graziani Povoas
Published: July 2024

Background Cerebellar ataxias comprise sporadic and genetic etiologies. Ataxia may also be a presenting feature in hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs).

Objective To report a descriptive analysis of the frequency of different forms of cerebellar ataxia evaluated over 17 years in the Ataxia Unit of Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil.

Methods Charts of patients who were being followed from January 2007 to December 2023 were reviewed. We used descriptive statistics to present our results as frequencies and percentages of the overall analysis. Diagnosed patients were classified according to the following 9 groups: sporadic ataxia, spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs), other autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias, autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxias (ARCAs), mitochondrial ataxias, congenital ataxias, X-linked ataxias, HSPs, and others.

Results There were 1,332 patients with ataxias or spastic paraplegias. Overall, 744 (55.85%) of all cases were successfully diagnosed: 101 sporadic ataxia, 326 SCAs, 20 of other autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias, 186 ARCAs, 6 X-linked ataxias, 2 mitochondrial ataxias, 4 congenital ataxias, and 51 HSPs.

Conclusion This study describes the frequency of cerebellar ataxias in a large group of patients followed for the past 17 years, of whom 55% obtained a definitive clinical or molecular diagnosis. Future demographic surveys in Brazil or Latin American remain necessary.
Radiologic Decision-Making for Imaging in Pulmonary Embolism: Accuracy and Reliability of Large Language Models—Bing, Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity
Authors: Sarangi Pradosh Kumar , Datta Suvrankar , Swarup M. Sarthak , Panda Swaha , Nayak Debasish Swapnesh Kumar , Malik Archana , Datta Ananda , Mondal Himel
Published: July 2024

Background Artificial intelligence chatbots have demonstrated potential to enhance clinical decision-making and streamline health care workflows, potentially alleviating administrative burdens. However, the contribution of AI chatbots to radiologic decision-making for clinical scenarios remains insufficiently explored. This study evaluates the accuracy and reliability of four prominent Large Language Models (LLMs)—Microsoft Bing, Claude, ChatGPT 3.5, and Perplexity—in offering clinical decision support for initial imaging for suspected pulmonary embolism (PE).

Methods Open-ended (OE) and select-all-that-apply (SATA) questions were crafted, covering four variants of case scenarios of PE in-line with the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria. These questions were presented to the LLMs by three radiologists from diverse geographical regions and setups. The responses were evaluated based on established scoring criteria, with a maximum achievable score of 2 points for OE responses and 1 point for each correct answer in SATA questions. To enable comparative analysis, scores were normalized (score divided by the maximum achievable score).

Result In OE questions, Perplexity achieved the highest accuracy (0.83), while Claude had the lowest (0.58), with Bing and ChatGPT each scoring 0.75. For SATA questions, Bing led with an accuracy of 0.96, Perplexity was the lowest at 0.56, and both Claude and ChatGPT scored 0.6. Overall, OE questions saw higher scores (0.73) compared to SATA (0.68). There is poor agreement among radiologists' scores for OE (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient [ICC] = −0.067, p = 0.54), while there is strong agreement for SATA (ICC = 0.875, p < 0.001).

Conclusion The study revealed variations in accuracy across LLMs for both OE and SATA questions. Perplexity showed superior performance in OE questions, while Bing excelled in SATA questions. OE queries yielded better overall results. The current inconsistencies in LLM accuracy highlight the importance of further refinement before these tools can be reliably integrated into clinical practice, with a need for additional LLM fine-tuning and judicious selection by radiologists to achieve consistent and reliable support for decision-making.
Safely Withdrawing Glucocorticoid Therapy: A Case-Based Approach
Authors: Alenazi Mohammed , Aldahmani Khaled , Imran Syed Ali
Published: July 2024

Glucocorticoids (GCs) have potent anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating effects, making them effective for treating various diseases. They are among the most commonly prescribed medications worldwide. The prevalence of GC therapy in the general population is estimated to be ∼0.9 to 3%, though it is challenging to determine precisely. The chronic GC therapy is associated with severe morbidity and increased mortality due to iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome and suppression of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, leading to tertiary adrenal insufficiency. Therefore, it is not recommended to abruptly stop chronic GC therapy, and a gradual tapering of GCs is generally considered the ideal approach for GCs withdrawal. However, withdrawing GCs in patients on chronic therapy can be challenging due to the difficulty in accurately assessing HPA function. In this article, we aim to provide a practical, case-based approach to GC withdrawal based on current literature and our extensive experience in this field.
Pelvic Ring Reconstruction with an Osteocutaneous Fibula Flap for Abdominal Wall Repair in Adults with Bladder Exstrophy
Authors: Alvedro-Ruiz Pedro , Sánchez-García Alberto , Heredia-Alcalde Iván , Andresen-Lorca Belén , Trapero-Ovejero Ana , Alonso-Carpio Miriam , García-Pastor Providencia , Pous-Serrano Salvador , Pérez-García Alberto
Published: July 2024

Abdominal wall repair in adults with bladder exstrophy is challenging. We present a case of a 46-year-old woman with bladder exstrophy presenting with a large midline incisional hernia associated with a 13-cm hypoplasia of both pubic rami that precluded fixation of any abdominal mesh. A two-stage approach was adopted. First, a free vascularized osteocutaneous fibula flap was used to reconstruct the pelvic ring. After complete bone union 18 months later, a mesh was anchored to the fibula flap to restore the abdominal wall competence. After 2 years of follow-up, no hernia recurrence was observed, and the patient reported improved quality of life and self-esteem. This novel technique may provide long-term stability and good functional outcomes for reconstruction of the abdominal wall in selected adults with bladder exstrophy.
Association of ET1 and APE1 Genes Polymorphism with Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Raza Syed T. , Eba Ale , Wani Irshad A. , Srivastava Sanchita , Mahdi Farzana
Published: July 2024

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), being the foremost reason for mortality and disability globally. It is a cascade of polygenic architecture of various disorders as a resultant of complexities between various genetic factors and environmental factors. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the ET1 and APE1 gene polymorphism is associated with the susceptibility to CAD. This study was approved by the Ethical Review Committee of Era Medical College and Hospital. Three milliliters of venous blood sample was collected in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-coated vials, and genomic DNA was isolated by using the standard phenol-chloroform extraction method for restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction study. The APE1 gene AA, AG, GG, and AG + GG genotypes frequencies were 13.91, 40.87, 45.22, and 86.99% in CAD cases and 13, 50, 37, and 87% in controls, respectively. The ET1 gene GG, GT, TT, GT + TT genotypes frequencies were 6.67, 37.5, 55.8, and 93.34% in CAD cases and 6.67, 25.33, 68, and 93.34% in controls. The ET1 and APE1 gene polymorphisms were not significantly associated with the risk of CAD.
Exploring the Use of Ambientally Stored Methylene Diphosphonate Radiopharmaceutical Aliquots in Solving Challenging Situations in Developing Countries
Authors: Zulu Jenipher None , Katebe Reuben None , Ramli Martalena None , Sakala Rita None , Mwape Elias None , Chipasha Ernest None , Hang'ombe Bernard Mudenda
Published: July 2024

Objectives The primary aim was to evaluate the prolonged quality characteristics of methyl diphosphonate (MDP) aliquots during ambient storage over a specified duration. This study further investigated potential additives that could enhance the stability of MDP aliquots stored under such conditions.

Materials and Methods This was a laboratory-based experimental study conducted at the University Teaching Adult Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. A total of 36 MDP aliquots stored at ambient conditions and 4 MDP aliquots stored at conventional refrigerated frozen conditions were labeled with technitium-99m (99mTc) and tested for radiochemical purity (RCP) and other quality characteristics. A comparative analysis of the stability and quality of MDP aliquots from the two cohorts was then conducted.

Statistical Analysis Stata 14 was used to analyze the data on the RCP of all MDP aliquots.

Results The RCP of ambient stored MDP aliquots was found to be ranging from 98 to 99%, while that for frozen and refrigerated ones ranged from 99 to 100%. There was also a 1% increase in RCP for both cohorts with argon gas purging (98 and 99%, respectively).

Conclusion The RCP of MDP aliquots from both cohorts was much higher than the required minimum of 90% implying that there was no significant association of their stability and quality with the mode of storage. However, purging with argon gas seemed to increase the stability further in both streams. The study findings show potential for application in resource-constrained environments and centers, especially in developing countries, where challenges to maintain the cold storage chain of these important radiopharmaceuticals are likely to be encountered due to power outages.
See the world from a plant’s perspective: on creating an interactive multimedia sculpture implying plant optics
Authors: Burnusuz Alexandra , Moshchenskaia Mariia , Prizova Veronika , Shalepo Mikhail , Rider Maxim , Zakharov Viktor , Markelov Ippolit , Petrov Mikhail , Kadyrov Dmitrii
Published: July 2024

Humans constantly interact with their environment, with other humans, as well as natural and artificial non-human agents. Nevertheless, our somatosensory system limits the diversity of our ways of communicating. Such organisms as plants thus escape our notice, blending into the landscape. This phenomenon is called Plant blindness. This leads not only to indifference and lack of empathy towards plants among ordinary people but also to a deficit in funding plant conservation. We believe that it is important to develop connections and also rethink the relationship between humans and flora. This paper examines the Plant turn in the context of an art-science project titled Plantoverse. The scientific part of the project is based on a study of plant epidermis cells, which possess optical properties and function as a “lens”. The data acquired via confocal microscopy was used to construct a mathematical model of these lenses which in turn formed the basis of the artistic work. It is a representation of the plant epidermis in a digital environment. The work allows us to look at ourselves through “plant optics'' and find new tools for interacting with the vegetal world. This interdisciplinary approach can help transfer knowledge about flora from the professional environment to lay society and form a new, more empathetic view toward plants.
Guidance experiments on residents’ participation in decision-making activities related to urban settlement regeneration in China
Authors: Zhang Jiayu , Yang Xiaodong , Xia Manman , Lu Dagang
Published: July 2024

In China, how to guide residents on actively participating in decision-making activities related to urban settlement regeneration is critical and must be addressed. Referring to the theory of planned behavior (TPB), combined with the characteristics of regeneration decision-making, the external environmental factors affecting residents’ participation in such decision-making activities, through impacting psychological environmental factors, were determined by establishing the structural equation model (SEM) and conducting a survey. The guidance measures of enhancing external pressure and providing regeneration information were selected. Participation guidance experiments were designed, and the typical communities located in the development zone and city center of Harbin, China were selected as the experiment regions. Forty-eight subjects were screened in each experimental region and divided into six groups; three participated in the experiments regarding the leading role of representatives, enhancing communication, and incentives, and three in the experiments on policy advocacy, regeneration technology popularization, and regeneration case sharing. Guidance measures’ effects for introversion or extraversion, regardless of region are, from large to small, incentives, regeneration case sharing, leading role of representatives, enhancing communication, policy advocacy and regeneration technology popularization. There are significant differences in the effects of enhancing external pressure measures between different personalities, and enhancing external pressure measures are more effective for extraversion. Although the differences in the effects of providing regeneration information measures are statistically insignificant, providing such measures is more effective for introversion. The results reflect the analysis of the influencing factors. TPB application is enriched and the guidance experiments used to verify guiding measures’ effectiveness are provided. Practically-significant implications include: communities and proprietor committees should organize neighborhood-relationship to enhance community activities, with the proprietor committee solving residents’ daily problems to win authority and trust, positively guiding residents’ participation. Community staff can also understand, via daily participation, residents’ personality traits, so as to implement the above-mentioned guidance measures.
Intercultural interaction willingness: a PLS-PM approach to influencing factors and its mediation effect
Authors: Zheng Haijian , Ding Peng , Liu Qian , Xing Lirong
Published: July 2024

For international students, interaction with host nationals greatly influences their adjustment to the host country. Their willingness to interact is subject to the influence of multiple factors. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) was employed in this study to explore three key research questions. Firstly, we sought to determine whether language proficiency, culture, racism and discrimination, and environment could affect international students’ willingness to interact with their Chinese peers. Secondly, we investigated whether interaction willingness was positively correlated with social connection. Thirdly, we examined whether interaction willingness had a mediation effect on intercultural communication. The measurement models and structural models were assessed using consistent PLS-SEM algorithm (PLSc) and consistent PLS-SEM bootstrapping. The assessment results indicated that the models exhibited a satisfactory goodness of fit. Path analysis results showed that (1) language proficiency, culture, and environment exhibited a positive correlation with interaction willingness, while racism and discrimination exerted a negative correlation; (2) interaction willingness was positively correlated with social connection and (3) the variable of interaction willingness was identified as a mediating variable in the correlation between independent variables (i.e. language proficiency, culture, racism and discrimination, and environment) and the dependent variable (i.e. social connection). The findings indicate that multilingualism, length of stay, and empathy from host nationals may contribute to willingness of international students to interact with Chinese students by reducing barriers of language, culture, and discrimination. It is therefore evident that a supportive environment is crucial for interaction and the development of social connection.
The effect of prosocial behavior and its intensity on doctors’ performance in an online health community
Authors: Zhou Peiyu , Xie Yuguang , Liang Changyong , Zhu Junhong , Zhao Shuping
Published: July 2024

Online health communities (OHCs) are encouraging doctors to engage in prosocial behaviors to promote sustainable development of OHCs and benefit the user base, which may further influence doctor-level performance. However, it is unclear how prosocial behavior and its intensity affect doctor-level performance, such as doctor-patient relationship, online reputation, and online demand. The purpose of this study is to test the effects of prosocial behavior and its intensity on doctor-patient relationship, online reputation, and online demand. We conducted a series of empirical analyses on 103,208 doctor-level samples from a leading OHC in China. Initially, we applied the propensity score matching (PSM) method to obtain a more balanced sample, then, we employed a negative binomial regression model to analyze the sample after PSM, and finally, we performed a robustness test using a zero-inflated negative binomial regression model and changing the time window. Our research findings indicate that prosocial behavior positively affects the doctor-patient relationship, doctors’ online reputation, and online demand. The intensity of prosocial behavior has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the doctor-patient relationship, online reputation, and online demand. The doctor’s clinical title negatively moderates the effect of prosocial behavior on the doctor-patient relationship and online demand. Therefore, OHC operators can draw on our findings to encourage more doctors to engage in prosocial behavior while suggesting they consider the role of the intensity of prosocial behavior and clinical title.
Horse selection differs between secular and non-secular equine-assisted organizations
Authors: Tumlin Kimberly I. , Cunningham Patricia V. , Lilley Stacey
Published: July 2024

Equine assisted services (EAS) consist of a complex system of horse, human, and environmental factors which ultimately impact program effectiveness. Despite recognition in the literature that organizational affiliation with spirituality or religion impacts values, practices, and culture, connection between faith, spirituality, and specific religious belief, when combined with EAS is a nascent field of inquiry. Despite preliminary observations that suggest many organizations offering EAS are affiliated with religious institutions or claim their practices are informed by a particular faith, the extent of these non-secular affiliations is unknown in current literature. To explore this, we surveyed 113 EAS organizations to determine the extent and type of non-secular (i.e., faith-based) affiliations and whether these affiliations were professed publicly, to all internal staff and participants, to staff only, or not at all (i.e., level of “transparency”). We collected data on a range of horse characteristics and program practices. We used chi-square analyses to assess associations between secular/non-secular status and characteristics of practices. Of 93 organizations, 71% claimed a non-secular affiliation. Of non-secular organizations, 61% were fully transparent, and 36% were open about their belief system only internally with staff and participants. More non-secular organizations emphasized horses that were sensitive to humans and the environment (p = 0.0063). Non-secular organizations placed more importance on partnering with horses with a history of abuse or neglect (p = 0.0461). Transparency of faith or religious affiliation was associated with selection of horses based on girth, bone, and sturdiness (p = 0.0004). This is the first study to explore how a proxy for organizational-level values is associated with EAS practice differences. Further research is needed to determine if program-level differences in faith affiliation impact outcomes for participants in EAS.
Spherical symmetric solutions of conformal Killing gravity: black holes, wormholes, and sourceless cosmologies
Authors: Clément Gérard , Nouicer Khireddine
Published: July 2024

The most general set of static and spherically symmetric solutions for conformal Killing gravity coupled to Maxwell fields is presented in closed form. These solutions, depending on six parameters, include non-asymptotically flat black holes or naked singularities, non-asymptotically flat traversable wormholes, and (possibly singularity-free) closed universes. We also consider the inverse problem, showing that the most general energy–momentum tensor generating a given static spherically symmetric metric depends on three parameters. Sourceless time-dependent isotropic solutions are also given. These solutions depending on the curvature, the cosmological constant, and a new integration constant α, present a rich variety, including singularity-free eternal cosmologies and universes evolving symmetrically from a big bang to a big crunch within a finite lapse of time.
Nucleation of InP on Si under micro-crucibles at ultra-high vacuum using a two-step VLS process
Authors: Suwito Galih R , Haffouz Sofiane , Dalacu Dan , Poole Philip J , Quitoriano Nathaniel J
Published: July 2024

We reported nucleation mechanisms of InP directly on Si (8% lattice mismatch) under confined structures, called micro-crucibles, at ultra-high vacuum (UHV) by chemical beam epitaxy. These micro-crucibles are used to induce lateral growth in the presence of a micro-scale Au catalyst. It is found that at this UHV condition, the kinetics is dictated predominantly by adatom surface diffusion. Using a two-step growth process ((1) In-only exposure, then, (2) simultaneous In and P exposures), InP islands have been successfully nucleated on Si substrates under micro-crucible structures. The nucleation of these InP islands strongly depends on the metal catalyst location relative to the micro-crucible opening with metal catalysts residing closer to the opening having a higher chance to get incorporated with In and P atoms. Importantly, we found that using smaller micro-crucibles with double openings can increase the possibility of having metal catalysts reside near either opening and nucleate InP under micro-crucibles.
Analytical design of electrode particle debonding for battery applications
Authors: Surya Mitra A , Anapolsky Abraham , Edwin García R
Published: July 2024

A physics-based analytical methodology is presented to describe the debonding of a statistically representative electrochemically active particle from the surrounding binder-electrolyte matrix in a porous electrode. The proposed framework enables to determine the space of C-Rates and electrode particle radii that suppresses or enhances debonding. Results are graphically summarized into maps where four debonding descriptions are identified: (a) the spontaneous debonding description, which occurs when the electrode particle spontaneously detaches from the matrix; (b) the continuous debonding description, which occurs when the electrode particle gradually loses contact with the surrounding matrix; (c) the electrochemical cycling fatigue description, which causes gradual growth of the flaw due to electrochemical cycling; and (d) the microstructural debonding description, which is a result of the microstructural stochastics of the electrode and is embodied in terms of the debonding probability of particles. The particle-dependent critical C-Rates for debonding power-law relation enables the experimental identification of individual failure mechanisms, thereby providing a context to formulate design strategies to minimize debonding and provide robust, physics-based, phenomenological, and statistics-based estimates for electrochemically driven failure.
DC-biased Suzuki stack circuit for Josephson-CMOS memory applications
Authors: Mustafa Yerzhan , Krause Keith , Shah Archit , Hamilton Michael C , Köse Selçuk
Published: July 2024

Josephson-CMOS hybrid memory leverages the high speed and low power operation of single-flux quantum logic and the high integration densities of CMOS technology. One of the commonly used type of interface circuits in Josephson-CMOS memory is a Suzuki stack, which is a latching high-voltage driver circuit. Suzuki stack circuits are typically powered by an AC bias voltage that has several limitations such as synchronization and coupling effects. To address these issues, a novel DC-biased Suzuki stack circuit is proposed in this paper. As compared to a conventional AC-biased Suzuki stack circuit, the proposed DC-biased design can provide similar output voltage levels and parameter margins, approximately two times higher operating frequency, and three orders of magnitude lower heat load of bias cables.
The cosmological collider in R2inflation
Authors: Wu Yi-Peng
Published: July 2024

Starobinsky'sR2inflation manifests a best-fit scenario for the power spectrum of primordial density fluctuations. Observables derived from the slow-roll picture of theR2model in the Einstein frame relies on the conformal transformation of the metric, which inevitably induces a unique exponential-type couplings of the rolling scalaron with all matter fields during inflation. The “large-field” nature of theR2model further invokes non-negligible time and scale dependence to the matter sector through such an exponential coupling, modifying not only the dynamics of matter perturbations on superhorizon scales but also their decay rates. In this work, we identify the simplest observable of the cosmological collider physics built in the background ofR2inflation, focusing on the so-called “quantum primordial clock” signals created by the non-local propagation of massive scalar perturbations. Our numerical formalism based on the unique conformal coupling can have extended applications to (quasi-)single-field inflationary models with non-trivial couplings to gravity or models that originated from thef(R) modification of gravity.
Two-dimensional iron oxide/graphene-based nanocomposites as high-performance solid lubricants
Authors: Kasbe Pratik S , Yang Muxuan , Bosch Juan , Bu Jinyu , DellaCorte Christopher , Xu Weinan
Published: July 2024

Beyond conventional 2D layered materials such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides, 2D metal oxides have also received much interest in recent years. They have unique electronic (such as 2D TiO2 and MoO2), catalytic (such as 2D CeO2 and MnO2), and magnetic properties (such as 2D Fe2O3) compared with bulk metal oxides due to their atomically thin structures. Certain types of 2D metal oxides also have the potential to be a new type of high-performance solid lubricants due to the tunable interlayer interaction and possibility for 2D heterostructure formation, but this remains largely unexplored. In this work, we developed a scalable microwave-assisted solid-state synthesis of 2D Fe2O3 and their nanocomposites with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The 2D Fe2O3/rGO nanocomposites were systematically characterized by electron microscopies and spectroscopies, and their utilization as solid lubricants was studied by pin-on-disk tribometer on both silicon and steel substrates. The results show that due to the easy sliding between 2D Fe2O3 and rGO nanosheets and their unique magnetic-induced assembled morphology, low coefficient of friction (COF) can be achieved for both steel-silicon and steel-steel interfaces. Superlubricity (COF ∼ 0.007) can be achieved for the 2D Fe2O3/rGO nanocomposite with a GO primer layer on a steel substrate. This work provides new insights into the development of functional 2D nanocomposites and expands their applications to solid lubrication and beyond.
Performance investigation of hydrothermally stressed polyamide nanocomposites for insulation applications
Authors: Khan Salman , Butt Safi Ullah , Ahmad Nafees , Khattak Abraiz , Ahmed Numan , Ullah Nasim , Alahmadi Ahmad Aziz
Published: July 2024

This paper investigates the performance of novel nano ZnO filled polyamide nanocomposites under hydrothermal conditions for cable insulation applications. Neat polyamide (PA0) and its nanocomposite with 0 wt% (PA0), 1 wt% (PA1), 3 wt% (PA3), 5 wt% (PA5), and 7 wt% (PA7) of nano ZnO were prepared and subjected to accelerated hydrothermal aging conditions in a programmable chamber at 85 °C and 85% relative humidity for 300 h. The samples were analyzed with visual inspection, hydrophobicity evaluation, optical microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, leakage current and UV–vis spectroscopy after every 100 h of aging. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and x-ray Diffraction (XRD) were employed for analyzing filler dispersion. Maximum filler dispersion was achieved in the case of 3 wt% of nanofiller. All the samples expressed surface degradation and increase in leakage current after aging. Maximum surface roughness and highest leakage current of 7 μA were noticed for PA0, however PA3 expressed lowest leakage current and surface degradation. PA0 expressed the lowest hydrophobicity class of HC-3 and lowest contact angle of 75° after aging. Among the nanocomposites, PA3 expressed the highest hydrophobicity class (HC-1) and contact angle (112°) after aging. FTIR results expressed that all the samples suffered from oxidation and the C=O peaks at ∼1728 cm−1 increased by 120%, 100% and 120% for PA1, PA3 and PA7 respectively. The peaks of –OH group at ∼3500 cm−1 increased for all the sample indicating moister absorption. However, it is observed that the addition of nanofiller enhanced the overall performance of composites and among the composites PA3 performed better.
Interactions between gut microbiota and emerging contaminants exposure: new and profound implications for human health
Authors: Zhao Feng , Liu Zhaoyi , Wu Yuehua , Wang Jiao , Xia Yinyin , Cheng Shuqun , Jiang Xuejun , Zhang Jun , Zou Zhen , Chen Chengzhi , Qiu Jingfu
Published: July 2024

Emerging contaminants (ECs) pollution has attracted global attention, and a large number of ECs spread in the environment, threatening the ecological environment and human health. Gut microbiota is the most complex microbial community, and its high sensitivity to ECs exposure has been widely concerned and reported by researchers. In fact, many studies have demonstrated that the gut microbiota is closely related to host health and is a toxic target of various environmental pollutants including ECs. This review evaluates the interaction of ECs (including persistent organic pollutants, antibiotics, microplastics and environmental endocrine disruptors) with the gut microbiota, and considers the possible harm of ECs to human health, finding that the gut microbiota may be involved in the regulation of various organ damage, endocrine disorders, embryotoxicity, and cancer development and other toxic processes caused by ECs exposure through related mechanisms such as the gut-liver axis, direct effects, and gut-brain axis. In short, we hope that more future studies will pay more attention to the relationship between ECs, gut microbiota and human health.
Circuits implementations using carbon nanotube field-effect transistor nanotechnology
Authors: Maqbool Mehwish , Sharma Vijay Kumar
Published: July 2024

Device scaling is a pivotal aspect in the field of electronics, aimed at enhancing the performance of integrated circuits (ICs) by reducing the dimensions of transistors. The device scaling presents the short channel effects (SCEs) in the nanoscale regime. To address the SCEs, nanometer IC designers have turned to the carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (CNTFET) technology, which offers unique properties and mitigates the challenges associated with transistor scaling. In this research work, a leakage reduction technique known as the input-dependent (INDEP) method is suggested to tackle the leakage current issue at the nanoscale regime using CNTFET technology. The INDEP method involves the incorporation of two additional transistors within the logic circuit. To evaluate the efficacy of the INDEP method, a CNTFET-based 7-stage inverter chain is meticulously designed at 32 nm CNTFET technology node. Subsequent comparative analysis against alternative designs is conducted, assessing performance metrics such as power dissipation, delay, and power delay product (PDP). The suggested INDEP method reduces power dissipation by 83.75% and improves PDP by 78.44%. Furthermore, the study delves into the impact of process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variations. Additionally, the investigation explores the influence of parameters such as the number of carbon nanotubes, temperature, supply voltage, and chiral indices on the performance of the 7-stage inverter chain. The simulation results demonstrate that the CNTFET-based INDEP technique yields promising outcomes, characterized by low power dissipation, precise output, and minimal uncertainty across all evaluated metrics.