bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural, Electromagnetic and Thermodynamic Analysis of Ion Pollutants Adsorption in Water by Gallium Nitride Nanomaterial: a Green Chemistry Application
Authors: Mollaamin F. , Monajjemi M.
Published: May 2024

Gallium nitride (Ga–N) nanocage can effectively remove alkali and alkaline earth metal ions from water. Therefore, it has been found a selective competition for metal cations in the Ga–N. The electronic, magnetic and thermodynamic properties of alkali-alkaline earth metal ion-adsorbed Ga–N have been investigated using density functional theory. The results denote that alkali/alkaline earth-metal ion-adsorbed Ga–N systems are stable compounds, with the most stable adsorption site being the center of the cage ring. In addition, because of charge transfer from Ga–N to the alkali/alkaline earth-metal cations show clear n-type adsorbing behavior. The absorption of alkali metal atoms on alkali/alkaline earth-metal cations occur via chemisorption. In this article, the behavior of trapping of main group cations of Li+, Na+, K+, Be2+, Mg+ and Ca2+ by gallium nitride nanocone was observed for sensing the water metal cations. The essence of covalent traits for these clusters has displayed the similar energy value and image of the PDOS for the p states of N, the d states of Ga and s orbitals of metal cations including Li+, Na+, K+/Be2+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ through water treatment. The partial density of states (PDOS) can also estimate a certain charge assembly between Li+, Na+, K+/Be2+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ and Ga–N which indicate the complex dominant of metallic features and an exact degree of covalent traits between alkali/alkaline earth-metal cations and gallium nitride nanocage. Furthermore, the NMR spectroscopy has indicated the remarkable peaks around metal elements of Li+, Na+, K+, Be2+, Mg+ and Ca2+ through the trapping in the Ga–N during ion detection and removal from water; however, there are some fluctuations in the chemical shielding behaviors of isotropic and anisotropy attributes. In addition, all accounted $$\Delta G_{R}^{o}$$ amounts are very close, which demonstrate the agreement of the measured specifications by all methodologies and the reliability of the computing values.
Correlations between ambient air pollution and the prevalence of hospitalisations and emergency room visits for respiratory diseases in children: a systematic review
Authors: de Souza Aline Priscila , Souza Gomez Carla Cristina , Gonçalves de Oliveira Ribeiro Maria Angela , Dornhofer Paro Costa Paula , Ribeiro José Dirceu
Published: May 2024

Objective

It is known that exposure to air pollution is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. This review aimed to summarise observational studies on the impact of short and long-term exposure to ambient air pollution on prevalence of hospitalisations and/or emergency department visits caused by respiratory diseases in children and adolescents.

Sources

Pubmed, Scopus, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were searched for the years 2018 to December 2022, including studies in any language.

Summary of the findings

A total of 15 studies published between 2018 and 15 January 2022 were included in this review. PM
2.5
was the most type of particulate matter studied. Short-term exposure to PM
2,5
, PM
10
, NO
2
, SO
2
and O
3
, even at concentrations less than the current health-based guidelines, was significantly correlated with increased risk of outpatient/hospital visits and hospitalisations for respiratory diseases by children.

Conclusions

Our findings emphasise the importance and urgency of long-term control of air pollution and pollution-related diseases, especially among children and adolescents. There is a need for further research employing more homogeneous methodologies for assessing exposure and outcome measurements, in order to enable systematic reviews with meta-analysis.
Comparison of parent or caregiver-completed development screening tools with Bayley Scales of Infant Development: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Balasubramanian Haribalakrishna , Ahmed Javed , Ananthan Anitha , Srinivasan Lakshmi , Mohan Diwakar
Published: May 2024

Background

Parent/caregiver-completed developmental testing (PCDT) is integral to developmental care in children; however, there is limited information on its accuracy. In this systematic review, we compared the diagnostic accuracy of PCDT with concurrently administered Bayley Scales of Infant Development for detection of developmental delay (DD) in children below 4 years of age.

Methods

We searched databases PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Google Scholar until November 2023. Bivariate and multiple thresholds summary receiver operating characteristics were used to obtain the summary sensitivity and specificity with 95% CIs. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool was used for risk of bias assessment.

Results

A total of 38 studies (31 in the meta-analysis) were included. Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) and Parent Report of Children’s Abilities-Revised (PARCA-R) were the most commonly evaluated PCDTs. ASQ score >2 SD below the mean had an overall sensitivity of 0.72 (0.6, 0.82) and 0.63 (0.50, 0.75) at a median specificity of 0.89 (0.82, 0.94) and 0.81 (0.76, 0.86) for diagnosing moderate to severe DD and severe DD, respectively. PARCA- R had an overall sensitivity of 0.69 (0.51, 0.83) at median specificity of 0.75 (0.64, 0.83) for predicting severe DD. Participant selection bias and partial verification bias were found in over 50% of the studies. The certainty of evidence was low for the studied outcomes.

Conclusions

The most commonly studied parental tools, ASQ and PARCA-R, have moderate to low sensitivity and moderate specificity for detecting DD in young children. High risk of bias and heterogeneity in the available data can potentially impact the interpretation of our results.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021268629.
Seizures and severe methaemoglobinaemia following accidental ingestion of amyl nitrite
Authors: Timmons Patrick
Published: May 2024

We present a case of a man in his late 40s presenting with generalised tonic-clonic seizures and profound methaemoglobinaemia shortly after inadvertent ingestion of amyl nitrite. Arterial blood gas analysis demonstrated methaemoglobin levels exceeding the upper detection threshold of our analyser, accompanied with profound cyanosis despite apparent oxygen saturations of 94%. Prompt administration of intravenous methylene blue led to a rapid and complete recovery. This case highlights the importance of swift recognition and treatment of methaemoglobinaemia particularly when the precipitating factor may be unknown at the time of presentation. This case also demonstrates the potential limitations of bedside blood gas analysers in diagnosis.
Diagnostic and therapeutic challenges with germ cell tumours associated with transverse testicular ectopia and persistent Müllerian duct syndrome
Authors: Upadhyay Amitabh Kumar , Pradhan Sridhar , Shekhar Shashank , Jakka Sree Devi , Kumar Abhishek , Rana Farah
Published: May 2024

Transverse testicular ectopia (TTE) is an infrequent ectopic testis where both testes descend via the same inguinal canal, located in the same hemiscrotum, and augments the risk of developing testicular tumours. Type II TTE is accompanied by persistent Müllerian duct syndrome, where the Müllerian structures persist for various reasons. Here, we present a case of an adult in his early 30s, who presented with a right testicular swelling and was diagnosed as type II TTE and testicular mixed germ cell tumour after surgery. We could find only 13 similar cases of TTE and testicular tumours in the literature. Our case highlights the importance of clinical acumen with detailed history, meticulous clinical examination, radiological investigations and a detailed pathological examination while dealing with such sporadic presentations.
18F-FDG PET/MR for diagnosis of primary central nervous system lymphoma: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Qiu Xiaowei , Zheng Hong , Zhong Fangming , Shen Bin
Published: May 2024

Background

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare form of extranodal non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma with poor prognosis. 18F-flourodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance (MR) combines the advantages of PET and MR. The aim of this study is to evaluate the validity of PET/MR for the diagnosis of PCNSL by means of a meta-analysis.

Methods and analysis

Wanfang Database, SinoMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Cochrane Library, PubMed and Embase will be searched for candidate studies about PET/MRI in PCNSL diagnosis from database inception to October 2024. The following keywords will be applied: “Primary central nervous system lymphoma”, “Primary intracerebral lymphoma”, “Positron Emission Tomography Magnetic Resonance” and “PET-MR”. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria will be included. Studies without full true positive, false positive, false negative and true negative values; studies reported in languages other than English and Chinese; conference abstracts not available in full text and case reports will be excluded. Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies will be used to evaluate the study quality. The STATA software (V.15.0) and Meta-Disc software (V.1.4) will be used to carry out meta-analysis. When heterogeneity is evident, subgroup analysis will be used to investigate the origin of heterogeneity. The robustness of the analysis will be checked with sensitivity analysis.

Ethics and dissemination

This research is based on public databases and does not require ethical approval. The results will seek publication in a peer-reviewed journal after the completion of this systematic review and meta-analysis.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42023472570.
Active shooter in emergency departments in Guanajuato State, Mexico
Authors: Magos-Vázquez Francisco Javier , Linkov Faina , Flores-Mendiola Noemí , González-Moreno Miriam Victoria , Navarro Olivos Efrain , Cardoso-Linares Josué Francisco , Díaz-Martínez Daniel Alberto , Flores-Vargas Gilberto , Padilla-Raygoza Nicolas
Published: May 2024

Mass violence events, especially in healthcare settings, have devastating consequences and long-lasting effects on the victims and the community. The rate of violent events in Mexico, especially in hospital settings, has increased since 2006, but has become more evident in 2018. Guanajuato State, located in central Mexico, is among the states most affected by the wave of violence, especially active shooter events. The year 2019 had the highest number of incidents. Therefore, the Silver Code and the components of Safe Hospitals, in accordance with the Hartford consensus and PAHO guidelines, were implemented in the hospitals of the Institute of Public Health of the State of Guanajuato, with a focus on the actions of healthcare personnel to prevent collateral damage. Although subsequently there were still fatalities and injuries in the events involving active shooters in the hospitals, there were no casualties among healthcare personnel, according to data from the Institute of Public Health, Guanajuato State. This paper presents information from the data from General Directorate of Epidemiology to describe the hospital mass violence situation in the State of Guanajuato, Mexico and recounts the step taken to effectively manage and prevent these situations moving forward. Specific recommendations based on international consensus and our experience provided include increasing the level of security checks for people entering the hospital premises, training healthcare personnel on violence-related preparedness and improving management of active shooter events consistent with published evidence, to reduce the possibility of casualties.
Antibacterial, anti-invasive, and anti-inflammatory activity of bovine lactoferrin extracted from milk or colostrum versus whole colostrum
Authors: Rosa Luigi , Ianiro Giusi , Conte Antonietta Lucia , Conte Maria Pia , Ottolenghi Livia , Valenti Piera , Cutone Antimo
Published: May 2024

Lactoferrin (Lf), a multifunctional cationic glycoprotein extracted from milk or colostrum, is able to chelate two ferric ions per molecule, inhibit the formation of reactive oxygen species, interact with the anionic components of bacteria or host cells, and enter inside host cell nucleus, thereby exerting antibacterial, anti-invasive, and anti-inflammatory activities. By virtue of Lf presence, bovine colostrum is expected to perform analogous functions to pure Lf, along with additional activities attributable to other bioactive constituents. The present research aims to compare the antibacterial, anti-invasive, and anti-inflammatory activities of bovine Lf purified from milk (mbLf) and colostrum (cbLf) in comparison to those exhibited by whole bovine colostrum (wbc). The results demonstrated a major efficacy of mbLf in inhibiting pathogenic bacteria and in exerting anti-invasive and anti-survival activities with respect to cbLf and wbc. Furthermore, mbLf lowered IL-6 levels to those of uninfected cells, while a less evident decrease was observed upon cbLf treatment. Conversely, wbc managed to slightly lower IL-6 levels compared to those synthesized by infected cells. These data demonstrate that, to obtain maximum effectiveness in such activities, Lf should be formulated/used without addition of other substances and should be sourced from bovine milk rather than colostrum.
How valinomycin transports water across the bilayer: effect of the cation in the electrolyte
Authors: Su ZhangFei , Chen Aicheng , Lipkowski Jacek
Published: May 2024

Surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS) was employed to investigate the structure of the interfacial water in the 1,2-diphytanoyl- sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPhPC)/valinomycin floating bilayer on the gold surface in two electrolytes with different cations, KClO4 and NaClO4. The SEIRAS studies indicate that interfacial water adopts different structures in the bilayer with different cations. The structure of interfacial water in the DPhPC/valinomycin bilayer in the NaClO4 solution is similar to water in the DPhPC bilayer (without valinomycin), while the structure of water in the bilayer in the KClO4 solution has a high amount of disordered hydrogen bond network. The results of the present study confirm that valinomycin selectively transports K+ across the lipid bilayer as an ion pair and that the ion pair is bonded to residual water that is released into the submembrane region.
The Grenville Province: revisiting the orogenic framework and integrating recent findings
Authors: Indares Aphrodite
Published: May 2024

The Grenville Province holds record of Mesoproterozoic orogenic processes at the Laurentian margin during the assembly of Rodinia. This contribution reviews key characteristics of the Province, integrates recently published data, and questions some earlier interpretations. Despite crustal reworking during the Grenvillian orogeny (1.09–0.98 Ga), contrasts between crustal-age domains across the Allochthon Boundary largely reflect differences between internal and external Laurentia, and allochthonous units were far-travelled in the west but not in the east. In addition, there is growing evidence towards a continuum between the Ottawan and Rigolet orogenic phases. Based on ages of metamorphism, the high-pressure segments of the hinterland reflect localized thickening at the front of the Ottawan orogen and evidence for an orogenic plateau is limited to the western Grenville. Peak metamorphic conditions in the mid-pressure orogenic core, mostly within the confines of biotite dehydration melting (max ∼900 °C) for aluminous rocks, culminated in early Ottawan and were followed by protracted extension. In addition, high-temperature granitoid magmatism was active throughout the duration of the orogeny and localized in formerly pericratonic terranes accreted at 1.4 and 1.2–1.1 Ga, indicating an influence of inherited lithospheric structures on Grenvillian mantle dynamics. The overall orogenic pattern reveals considerable lateral variations in the hinterland potentially linked to the earlier configuration of external Laurentia and is consistent with weak lithosphere supporting a broad, hot, but not necessarily high-standing orogen for most of the Ottawan, in contrast to the Rigolet phase that marks the propagation of the orogen against Archean lithosphere of internal Laurentia.
Universal acceleration and fuzzy dark matter
Authors: Edmonds Douglas , Erlich Joshua , Minic Djordje , Takeuchi Tatsu
Published: May 2024

Observations of velocity dispersions of galactic structures over a wide range of scales point to the existence of a universal acceleration scale [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m/s2. Focusing on the fuzzy dark matter paradigm, which proposes ultralight dark matter with mass around [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]eV and de Broglie wavelength [Formula: see text] parsecs, we highlight the emergence of the observed acceleration scale from quantum effects in a fluid-like description of the dark matter dynamics. We then suggest the possibility of a natural connection between the acceleration scale and dark energy within the same paradigm.
The emission mechanism of gamma-ray bursts from supernovae
Authors: Postavaru Octavian , Craciun Victor M.
Published: May 2024

The connection between gamma ray bursts and supernovae is studied using a temperature-dependent vacuum model. A harmonically bound particle–antiparticle system is consistent with both Hawking radiation and Casimir effect, therefore, the Maxwell–Sellmeier model correlates the speed of light to temperature. According to quantum field theory, Lorentz invariance is violated only for temperatures larger than [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]K. Introducing in the temperature distribution of a 2D simulation for a type Ia supernova the speed of light temperature dependence proposed in this paper, results a speed of light distribution. A theoretical snapshot of this distribution at an arbitrary distance is consistent with photon photo finish resulted from experiments. Variable speed of light shows that supernova could be accompanied by gamma-ray bursts.
Some remarks on the subrack lattice of finite racks
Authors: Kayacan Selçuk
Published: May 2024

The set of all subracks [Formula: see text] of a finite rack [Formula: see text] forms a lattice under inclusion. We prove that if a rack [Formula: see text] satisfies a certain condition then the homotopy type of the order complex of [Formula: see text] is a [Formula: see text]-sphere, where [Formula: see text] is the number of maximal subracks of [Formula: see text]. The rack [Formula: see text] satisfying the condition of this general result is necessarily decomposable. Two particular instances occur when

[Formula: see text] is a group rack, and when [Formula: see text] is a conjugacy class rack of a nilpotent group.

We also studied the subrack lattices of indecomposable racks by focusing on the conjugacy class racks of symmetric or alternating groups and determined the homotopy types of the corresponding order complexes in some cases.
Learning the Optimal Control for Evolving Systems with Converging Dynamics
Authors: Liu Qingsong , Fang Zhixuan
Published: May 2024

We consider a principle or controller that can pick actions from a fixed action set to control an evolving system with converging dynamics. The actions are interpreted as different configurations or policies. We consider systems with converging dynamics, i.e., if the principle holds the same action, the system will asymptotically converge (possibly requiring a significant amount of time) to a unique stable state determined by this action. This phenomenon can be observed in diverse domains such as epidemic control, computing systems, and markets. In our model, the dynamics of the system are unknown to the principle, and the principle can only receive bandit feedback (maybe noisy) on the impacts of his actions. The principle aims to learn which stable state yields the highest reward while adhering to specific constraints (i.e., optimal stable state) and to immerse the system into this state as quickly as possible. A unique challenge in our model is that the principle has no prior knowledge about the stable state of each action, but waits for the system to converge to the suboptimal stable states costs valuable time. We measure the principle's performance in terms of regret and constraint violation. In cases where the action set is finite, we propose a novel algorithm, termed Optimistic-Pessimistic Convergence and Confidence Bounds (OP-C2B), that knows to switch an action quickly if it is not worth waiting until the stable state is reached. This is enabled by employing "convergence bounds" to determine how far the system is from the stable states, and choosing actions through maintaining a pessimistic assessment of the set of feasible actions while acting optimistically within this set. We establish that OP-C2B can ensure sublinear regret and constraint violation simultaneously. Particularly, OP-C2B achieves logarithmic regret and constraint violation when the system convergence rate is linear or superlinear. Furthermore, we generalize our algorithm OP-C2B to the case of an infinite action set and demonstrate its ability to maintain sublinear regret and constraint violation. We finally show two game control problems including mobile crowdsensing and resource allocation that our model can address.
Strongly Tail-Optimal Scheduling in the Light-Tailed M/G/1
Authors: Yu George , Scully Ziv
Published: May 2024

We study the problem of scheduling jobs in a queueing system, specifically an M/G/1 with light-tailed job sizes, to asymptotically optimize the response time tail. This means scheduling to make \mathbfP [T > t], the chance a job's response time exceeds t, decay as quickly as possible in the t \to \infty limit. For some time, the best known policy was First-Come First-Served (FCFS), which has an asymptotically exponential tail: \mathbfP [T > t] \sim C e^-γ t . FCFS achieves the optimal *decay rate* γ, but its *tail constant* C is suboptimal. Only recently have policies that improve upon FCFS's tail constant been discovered. But it is unknown what the optimal tail constant is, let alone what policy might achieve it. In this paper, we derive a closed-form expression for the optimal tail constant C, and we introduce *γ-Boost*, a new policy that achieves this optimal tail constant. Roughly speaking, γ-Boost operates similarly to FCFS, but it pretends that small jobs arrive earlier than their true arrival times. This significantly reduces the response time of small jobs without unduly delaying large jobs, improving upon FCFS's tail constant by up to 50% with only moderate job size variability, with even larger improvements for higher variability. While these results are for systems with full job size information, we also introduce and analyze a version of γ-Boost that works in settings with partial job size information, showing it too achieves significant gains over FCFS. Finally, we show via simulation that γ-Boost has excellent practical performance.
TAO: Re-Thinking DL-based Microarchitecture Simulation
Authors: Pandey Santosh , Yazdanbakhsh Amir , Liu Hang
Published: May 2024

Microarchitecture simulators are indispensable tools for microarchitecture designers to validate, estimate, optimize, and manufacture new hardware that meets specific design requirements. While the quest for a fast, accurate and detailed microarchitecture simulation has been ongoing for decades, existing simulators excel and fall short at different aspects: (i) Although execution-driven simulation is accurate and detailed, it is extremely slow and requires expert-level experience to design. (ii) Trace-driven simulation reuses the execution traces in pursuit of fast simulation but faces accuracy concerns and fails to achieve significant speedup. (iii) Emerging deep learning (DL)-based simulations are remarkably fast and have acceptable accuracy, but fail to provide adequate low-level microarchitectural performance metrics such as branch mispredictions or cache misses, which is crucial for microarchitectural bottleneck analysis. Additionally, they introduce substantial overheads from trace regeneration and model re-training when simulating a new microarchitecture.

Re-thinking the advantages and limitations of the aforementioned three mainstream simulation paradigms, this paper introduces TAO that redesigns the DL-based simulation with three primary contributions: First, we propose a new training dataset design such that the subsequent simulation (i.e., inference) only needs functional trace as inputs, which can be rapidly generated and reused across microarchitectures. Second, to increase the detail of the simulation, we redesign the input features and the DL model using self-attention to support predicting various performance metrics of interest. Third, we propose techniques to train a microarchitecture agnostic embedding layer that enables fast transfer learning between different microarchitectural configurations and effectively reduces the re-training overhead of conventional DL-based simulators. TAO can predict various performance metrics of interest, significantly reduce the simulation time, and maintain similar simulation accuracy as state-of-the-art DL-based endeavors. Our extensive evaluation shows TAO can reduce the overall training and simulation time by 18.06x over the state-of-the-art DL-based endeavors.
POMACS V8, N2, June 2024 Editorial
Authors: Ciucu Florin , Fanti Giulia , Righter Rhonda
Published: May 2024

The Proceedings of the ACM on Measurement and Analysis of Computing Systems (POMACS) focuses on the measurement and performance evaluation of computer systems and operates in close collaboration with the ACM Special Interest Group SIGMETRICS. All papers in this issue of POMACS will be presented at the ACM SIGMETRICS/IFIP Performance 2024 conference on June 10-14, 2024, in Venice, Italy. These papers were selected during the Winter submission round by the 93 members of the ACM SIGMETRICS/IFIP Performance 2024 program committee via a rigorous review process. Each paper was conditionally accepted (and shepherded), allowed a "one-shot" revision (to be resubmitted to one of the subsequent two SIGMETRICS/Performance deadlines), or rejected (with re-submission allowed after a year). For this issue, which represents the Winter deadline, POMACS is publishing 10 papers out of 127 submissions, of which 2 had previously received a one-shot revision decision. All submissions received at least 3 reviews and borderline cases were extensively discussed during the online program committee meeting. Based on the indicated track(s), roughly 28% of the submissions were in the Theory track, 55% were in the Measurement & Applied Modeling track, 29% were in the Systems track, and 22% were in the Learning track (papers could be part of more than one track). Many individuals contributed to the success of this issue of POMACS. First, we would like to thank the authors, who submitted their best work to SIGMETRICS/Performance/POMACS. Second, we would like to thank the program committee members who provided constructive feedback in their reviews to authors and participated in the online discussions and program committee meeting. We also thank the several external reviewers who provided their expert opinions on specific submissions that required additional input. We are also grateful to the SIGMETRICS Board Chair, Mor Harchol-Balter, the IFIP Working Group 7.3 Chair, Mark S. Squillante, the previous SIGMETRICS Board Chair, Giuliano Casale, and the past program committee Chairs, Konstantin Avrachenkov, Phillipa Gill, and Bhuvan Urgaonkar, who provided a wealth of information and guidance. Finally, we are grateful to the Organization Committee and to the SIGMETRICS Board for their ongoing efforts and initiatives for creating an exciting program for ACM SIGMETRICS/IFIP Performance 2024.
Multi-dimensional State Space Collapse in Non-complete Resource Pooling Scenarios
Authors: Cardinaels Ellen , Borst Sem , van Leeuwaarden Johan S.H.
Published: May 2024

The present paper establishes an explicit multi-dimensional state space collapse (SSC) for parallel-processing systems with arbitrary compatibility constraints between servers and job types. This breaks major new ground beyond the SSC results and queue length asymptotics in the literature which are largely restricted to complete resource pooling (CRP) scenarios where the steady-state queue length vector concentrates around a line in heavy traffic. The multi-dimensional SSC that we establish reveals heavy-traffic behavior which is also far more tractable than the pre-limit queue length distribution, yet exhibits a fundamentally more intricate structure than in the one-dimensional case, providing useful insight into the system dynamics. In particular, we prove that the limiting queue length vector lives in a K-dimensional cone of which the set of spanning vectors is random in general, capturing the delicate interplay between the various job types and servers. For a broad class of systems we provide a further simplification which shows that the collection of random cones constitutes a fixed K-dimensional cone, resulting in a K-dimensional SSC. The dimension~K represents the number of critically loaded subsystems, or equivalently, capacity bottlenecks in heavy-traffic, with K=1 corresponding to conventional CRP scenarios. Our approach leverages probability generating function (PGF) expressions for Markovian systems operating under redundancy policies.
Server Saturation in Skewed Networks
Authors: Goldsztajn Diego , Borst Sem C. , van Leeuwaarden Johan S. H.
Published: May 2024

We consider a model inspired by compatibility constraints that arise between tasks and servers in data centers, cloud computing systems and content delivery networks. The constraints are represented by a bipartite graph or network that interconnects dispatchers with compatible servers. Each dispatcher receives tasks over time and sends every task to a compatible server with the least number of tasks, or to a server with the least number of tasks among \mathrmd compatible servers selected uniformly at random. We focus on networks where the neighborhood of at least one server is skewed in a limiting regime. This means that a diverging number of dispatchers are in the neighborhood which are each compatible with a uniformly bounded number of servers; thus, the degree of the central server approaches infinity while the degrees of many neighboring dispatchers remain bounded. We prove that each server with a skewed neighborhood saturates, in the sense that the mean number of tasks queueing in front of it in steady state approaches infinity. Paradoxically, this pathological behavior can even arise in random networks where nearly all the servers have at most one task in the limit.
Structuring Success
Authors: Neville-Neil George V.
Published: May 2024

The problem with software structure is people don't really learn it until they really need it, and your homework assignments will have to force them to look closely at how they are solving problems, not only through algorithms but through structure.
Preparation of the Porous Copper Foil Current Collector for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries by Electro-Codeposition: Effect of Stirring Speed
Authors: Yang Yaming , Dong Hanqing , Xie Hongwei , Yu Kai , Song Qiushi , Ning Zhiqiang , Wang Jinxia
Published: May 2024

As an indispensable component of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the application of porous copper (Cu) foil current collector is an effective method to improve the performance and energy density of LIBs. In this work, a porous Cu (PCu) foil was fabricated by acid washing the Cu-Fe3O4 foil prepared by the electro-codeposition in a stirred CuSO4 solution containing the magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The effect of the stirring speed on the properties of PCu foils and the battery performance of PCu foil as current collectors were investigated. The surface roughness of the PCu foil increases, while its volume density decreases as the stirring speed rises. The volume density of PCu foil (6.63 g cm−3) prepared at 400 rpm (PCu400) is reduced by 22.4% than that of the commercial Cu foil (8.55 g cm−3). The specific capacity (241.2 mAh g−1) of the cell with PCu400 current collector is 31.3% higher than that of the cell with commercial Cu current collector (183.7 mAh g−1) after 300 charge-discharge cycles at 2 C. The electro-codeposition of porous Cu foil current collectors offers a promising method for high-performance lightweight LIBs.
Enhancing Cycle Stability via Discharge Voltage Regulation in Li–S Batteries: Impact of the Lower Cutoff Voltage on Electrochemical Stability
Authors: Yeo Changyu , Kim Minkyung
Published: May 2024

The lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery emerges as a candidate for next-generation batteries owing to its superior energy density and cost-effectiveness. Despite these advantages, the longevity of Li–S batteries remains a complex challenge. The shuttle effect has been identified as a principal factor contributing to degradation, prompting extensive research aimed at mitigating its impact. Recent studies, however, have unveiled that the presence of Li2S exerts a significant influence on the kinetics and stability of the electrochemical reaction. Although lower cutoff voltage directly controls the formation of Li2S, its relationship between lower cut-off voltage and Li2S formation has not been investigated so far. In this study, we regulated the discharge voltage and revealed the relationship between lower cutoff voltage and electrochemical stability. A low lower cut-off voltage increased Li2S formation and the first discharge capacity but reduced Li2S transformation to sulfur, as confirmed by the high overpotential and low charge capacity. Furthermore, repeated cycles at a high discharge exhibited severe capacity loss and deteriorated Coulombic efficiency. By contrast, a high lower cut-off voltage cell exhibited enhanced capacity retention with a low overpotential owing to the inhibition of Li2S formation. Thus, this study provides insights into controlling Li2S formation, which is critical to stabilizing the electrochemical reaction and enhancing the cycle stability of Li–S batteries.
Role of the Microstructure in the Li-Storage Performance of Spinel-Structured High-Entropy (Mn,Fe,Co,Ni,Zn) Oxide Nanofibers
Authors: Triolo Claudia , Maisuradze Mariam , Liu Yanchen , Li Min , Pagot Gioele , Ponti Alessandro , Di Noto Vito , Aquilanti Giuliana , Pinna Nicola , Giorgetti Marco , Santangelo Saveria
Published: May 2024

High-entropy oxides with spinel structure (SHEOs) are promising anode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this work, electrospun (Mn,Fe,Co,Ni,Zn) SHEO nanofibers produced under different conditions are evaluated as anode materials in LIBs and thoroughly characterised by a combination of analytical techniques. The variation of metal load (19.23 or 38.46 wt% relative to the polymer) in the precursor solution and of calcination conditions (700 °C/0.5 h, or 700 °C/2 h followed by 900 °C/2 h) affects the morphology, microstructure, crystalline phase, and surface composition of the pristine SHEO nanofibers and the resulting electrochemical performance, whereas mechanism of Li+ storage does not substantially change. Causes of long-term (≥650 cycles) capacity fading are elucidated via ex situ synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The results evidence that the larger amounts of Fe, Co, and Ni cations irreversibly reduced to the metallic form during cycling are responsible for faster capacity fading in nanofibers calcined under milder conditions. The microstructure of the active material plays a key role. Nanofibers composed by larger and better-crystallized grains, where a stable solid/electrolyte interphase forms, exhibit superior long-term stability (453 mAh g−1 after 550 cycles at 0.5 A g−1) and rate-capability (210 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1).
Design of the Particle Size and Morphology of Hard Carbon Anode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries Through Hydrothermal Carbonization
Authors: Lakienko Grigorii P. , Bobyleva Zoya V. , Gorshkov Vladislav S. , Zybina Aleksandra I. , Drozhzhin Oleg A. , Abakumov Artem M. , Antipov Evgeny V.
Published: May 2024

With sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) finding widespread application, the demand grows for hard carbon, the most popular anode material for SIBs. Hydrothermal carbonization facilitates the production of hard carbon with desired characteristics from various sources. Despite the considerable volume of literature addressing this subject, there is a notable absence of investigations elucidating the relationship between synthesis conditions and the electrochemical characteristics of the product. Here we study systematically the influence of hydrothermal carbonization parameters on hard carbon characteristics and emphasize the potential of hard carbon as an anode material for SIBs. The initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) is significantly affected by the particle size of the glucose-derived hard carbon, which, in turn, depends on glucose concentration in the initial solution, pH, and stirring regime. By optimizing the hydrothermal carbonization parameters, the ICE up to 91% and a good reversible capacity of ∼300 mAh g−1 in a half cell are achieved. Full cells with Na3(VO)2(PO4)2F cathode material demonstrate ICE of about 80% and reversible capacity of up to 100 mAh g−1
cath. Considering the effective performance of pouch-cell SIB prototypes based on Na3(VO)2(PO4)2F and hard carbon, hydrothermal carbonization of glucose yields hard carbon with the necessary characteristics required for its successful application in SIBs.
Psychological and Biological Aspects of “Without‐Body Bereavement”: Reflections at COVID‐19 Pandemic Time
Authors: Franza Francesco , Cervone Alba , Solomita Barbara , Di Napoli Wilma , Tavormina Maurilio , Tavormina Giuseppe
Published: May 2024

Grief is an individual, family, and social psychological process following the death of a loved one, during which the pain caused by loss follows several stages that will lead to the reorganization and acceptance of the mourning event. In this article, we will examine some elaboration processes that can allow for an analysis of the cultural, social, and religious processes and structures as a consequence of the “grief without a body,” namely, the mourning by the relatives who have experienced the loss of a loved one without being able to ritualize the social function of the funeral because of the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, some biological and neurological processes that modulate and allow for the mourning process will be synthesized.
Drying Kinetics and Quality Attributes of Solar-Dried Red Peppers: A Comparative Study with Traditional and Industrial Methods
Authors: Chaji Hossein , Sharayei Parvin , Hedayatizadeh Mahdi , Sabeghi Yeganeh , Gandomzadeh Danial
Published: May 2024

Red pepper is a valuable ingredient known for its abundance of vitamins and antioxidants. But, it usually needs to be dried for longer preservation. Hence, this research is aimed at examining the drying kinetics and quality attributes of dried red peppers utilizing various solar drying methods, in comparison with traditional open sun drying (OSD) and industrial laboratory thin layer dryers (LTLD). Analysis parameters employed include determining moisture content, measuring color properties, evaluating antioxidant capacity, analyzing capsaicinoid content, and assessing microbial presence. The drying process took place in a sunny environment with fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity as evidence of the dynamic conditions experienced within the solar dryers. It was observed that the logarithmic model was the most accurate in predicting moisture ratio over time, estimating a drying time of 25 hours to achieve 10% moisture content. The result demonstrated that direct solar dryers (DSD), indirect solar dryers (ISD), and mix mode solar dryers (MMSD) methods showed moderate changes in color parameters, with average ΔL∗, Δa∗, and Δb∗ values of -5.08, -23.71, and -13.62, respectively. The average overall color difference (ΔE) for these methods was 27.96. In addition, after comparing it to the LTLD method, which showed the highest content of phenolic compounds at 47.89%, MMSD displayed a slightly lower content of 44.71%. Similarly, MMSD exhibited higher levels of DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing power, measuring at 44.22% and 1163.75 μmol Fe2+/L, respectively. The capsaicin content remained relatively consistent across all drying methods, with MMSD, DSD, and LTLD demonstrating similar levels of approximately 31 mg/g. Although MMSD had slightly higher mold and yeast counts compared to LTLD, ISD, and DSD, it remained lower than OSD (less than 0.56 log10cfu/g). Furthermore, MMSD showed a lower total microbial count in comparison to other drying methods. These findings suggest that MMSD shows promise as a drying technique for preserving the phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of the dried product.
Uncommon Presentation of a Perforated Appendicitis Leading to Duodenal Fistula: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: El Bitar Jad , Maalouf Hani , Ghattas Souad , Hadeer Ribal Aby , Younes Ahmad , Rahban Hind , El Rassi Ziad
Published: May 2024

Multiple types of fistulas associated with the appendix have been reported; however, duodenal fistula resulting from perforated acute appendicitis has only been documented in one previous case. In this report, we present the case of an 18‐year‐old male patient who was diagnosed to have a complicated appendicitis in its normal position with abscess formation. He was started on IV antibiotics and underwent a CT‐guided drainage of the abscess with drain placement. Two days later due to biliary output from the drain, CT fistulography and diagnostic laparoscopy were performed that revealed the presence of a duodenal fistula. The potential for duodenal fistula formation in patients with complicated appendicitis must always be taken into consideration. Consequently, it is crucial to establish an appropriate management plan aimed at preventing additional serious complications arising from duodenal perforation.
Comparative Study and Airspeed Sensitivity Analysis of Full-Wing Solar-Powered UAVs Using Rigid-Body, Multibody, and Rigid-Flexible Combo Models
Authors: Guo An , Mu Shanshan , Zhou Zhou , Tang Jiwei
Published: May 2024

Solar-powered UAVs are characterized by large-scale, lightweight, and low airspeed, and changes in airspeed lead to wing deformation or stalling, which can easily induce serious flight accidents. A single dynamic model cannot accurately describe this feature, and this airspeed sensitivity can only be analyzed by integrating rigid-body, multirigid-body, and rigid-flexible combo models. This paper proposes a dynamic analysis method for a mixture of rigid-body, multirigid-body, and rigid-flexible combo models, considering the applicable airspeed ranges, computational costs, and structural deformation assumptions of the three models and comparing the differences of modes and responses at different airspeeds, and quantitatively analyzes the effects of airspeed on the motion, deformation, and coupling. The results show that appropriate increase of airspeed is beneficial to the stability of large-scale lightweight platforms, but when it is increased to more than two times the cruise speed, the structural deformation is coupled with the flight dynamic modes, leading to the deterioration of the overall dynamic response. Finally, a mixture of the three models at different airspeeds is proposed, which is necessary for future ultralarge-scale solar-powered UAVs.
Research on Fuzzy Evaluation of Village Officials Based on Triangular Multiplication Preference Relationship Theory
Authors: Zhao Xuanze , Lin Liwei , Zhang Xia , Liu Yujia
Published: May 2024

Our research objective is to establish a fuzzy evaluation mechanism for rural village officials in China using the theory of triangular multiplication preference relationships. Our survey targets villagers in rural areas of China where village autonomy is implemented. The research methods include a questionnaire survey, Delphi, and fuzzy evaluation methods. After research analysis and comparison of results, it is shown that for the evaluation index system of village officials constructed using the Delphi method, practical evaluation of village officials can be achieved through fuzzy comprehensive evaluation based on triangular multiplication preference relationships. Using the Delphi technique, this article first created a village official assessment index system. It then performed validity tests based on the Kaiser‐Meyer‐Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett index system, as well as reliability testing using the Cronbach coefficient. Then, the preference relationship of triangular multiplication and the root product square method were used to determine the weight of the questionnaire indicators, and consistency was judged. Then, based on the membership function, the fuzzy boundaries of various indicators are displayed to construct a fuzzy evaluation matrix. Finally, the evaluation matrix is subjected to the Zadeh operation to obtain a fuzzy, comprehensive evaluation result of the work performance of village officials. Our main contribution is establishing an evaluation index system for village officials through the Delphi method and achieving a practical evaluation of village officials using triangular multiplication preference relationships and fuzzy evaluation theory.
FDA Approval Summary: Fruquintinib for the Treatment of Refractory Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Fusco Michael J. , Casak Sandra J. , Mushti Sirisha L. , Cheng Joyce , Christmas Brian J. , Thompson Matthew D. , Fu Wentao , Wang Hezhen , Yoon Miyoung , Yang Yuching , Moore Jason N. , Bi Youwei , Nan Yang , Long Craig E. , Auth Doris , Rahman Nam A. , Tang Shenghui , Pazdur Richard , Fashoyin-Aje Lola A. , Kluetz Paul G. , Lemery Steven J.
Published: May 2024

On November 8, 2023, the FDA approved fruquintinib, an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-1, -2, and -3, for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who have been previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, an anti-VEGF therapy, and if RAS wild-type and medically appropriate, an anti-EGFR therapy. Approval was based on Study FRESCO-2, a globally conducted, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). The key secondary endpoint was progression-free survival. A total of 691 patients were randomly assigned (461 and 230 into the fruquintinib and placebo arms, respectively). Fruquintinib provided a statistically significant improvement in OS with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.66 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.55, 0.80; P < 0.001]. The median OS was 7.4 months (95% CI, 6.7, 8.2) in the fruquintinib arm and 4.8 months (95% CI, 4.0, 5.8) for the placebo arm. Adverse events observed were generally consistent with the known safety profile associated with the inhibition of VEGFR. The results of FRESCO-2 were supported by the FRESCO study, a double-blind, single-country, placebo-controlled, randomized trial in patients with refractory mCRC who have been previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy. In FRESCO, the OS HR was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.51, 0.83; P < 0.001). FDA concluded that the totality of the evidence from FRESCO-2 and FRESCO supported an indication for patients with mCRC with prior treatment with fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, an anti-VEGF biological therapy, and if RAS wild-type and medically appropriate, an anti-EGFR therapy.