bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of mixed boundary conditions and nonsmooth data on layer‐originated nonpremixed combustion problems: Higher‐order convergence analysis
Authors: Kumar Shridhar , R Ishwariya , Das Pratibhamoy
Published: September 2024

This work explores the theoretical and computational impacts of mixed‐type flux conditions and nonsmooth data on boundary/interior layer‐originated singularly perturbed semilinear reaction–diffusion problems. Such problems are prevalent in nonpremixed combustion models and catalytic reaction models. The inclusion of arbitrarily small diffusion terms results in boundary layers influenced by specific flux conditions normalized by perturbation parameters. We have demonstrated theoretically that the sharpness of the boundary layer is significantly reduced when this normalization is independent of the diffusion parameter. In addition, the presence of a nonsmooth source function gives rise to an interior layer in the current problem. We show that using upwind discretizations for mixed boundary fluxes achieves nearly second‐order accuracy if the first derivatives are not normalized concerning perturbation parameters. This outcome arises from the bounds of a prior derivative of the continuous solution. Furthermore, it is theoretically shown that nearly second‐order uniform accuracy can be attained for reaction‐dominated semilinear problems using a hybrid scheme at the discontinuity point. To ensure the uniform stability of the discrete solution, a transformation is necessary for the corresponding discrete problem. Theoretical results are supported by various experiments on nonlinear problems, illustrating the pointwise rates and highlighting both linear and higher‐order accuracy at specific points.
The unseen pillar of behavior: A review of maintenance goals
Authors: Ecker Yael
Published: September 2024

Maintenance goals have a fundamental albeit understudied role in human motivation. From health to relationships, to personal possessions and the environment, the things people value require regular care. When maintaining a friendship, for instance, one may need to catch‐up regularly, share life updates and offer support, and occasionally make time to meet and spend time together. Distinct from the more commonly studied approach and avoidance goals, maintenance goals focus on sustaining current states over time, a process that has recently begun to attract increasing scholarly attention. This paper explores the construct of maintenance goals; It provides a comprehensive review of key findings and offers a novel perspective on the potential role of maintenance in individual and collective behavior, centering on topics such as well‐being, leadership, and group perceptions across different cultural contexts. By integrating theory with empirical evidence, this review underscores the necessity of incorporating maintenance goals into a broader psychological framework and recognizes their potential to inform interventions aimed at fostering resilience and stability in an ever‐changing world.
Assembly, comparative analysis, and utilization of a single haplotype reference genome for soybean
Authors: Espina Mary Jane C. , Lovell John T. , Jenkins Jerry , Shu Shengqiang , Sreedasyam Avinash , Jordan Brandon D. , Webber Jenell , Boston LoriBeth , Brůna Tomáš , Talag Jayson , Goodstein David , Grimwood Jane , Stacey Gary , Cannon Steven B. , Lorenz Aaron J. , Schmutz Jeremy , Stupar Robert M.
Published: September 2024

Cultivar Williams 82 has served as the reference genome for the soybean research community since 2008, but is known to have areas of genomic heterogeneity among different sub‐lines. This work provides an updated assembly (version Wm82.a6) derived from a specific sub‐line known as Wm82‐ISU‐01 (seeds available under USDA accession PI 704477). The genome was assembled using Pacific BioSciences HiFi reads and integrated into chromosomes using HiC. The 20 soybean chromosomes assembled into a genome of 1.01Gb, consisting of 36 contigs. The genome annotation identified 48 387 gene models, named in accordance with previous assembly versions Wm82.a2 and Wm82.a4. Comparisons of Wm82.a6 with other near‐gapless assemblies of Williams 82 reveal large regions of genomic heterogeneity, including regions of differential introgression from the cultivar Kingwa within approximately 30 Mb and 25 Mb segments on chromosomes 03 and 07, respectively. Additionally, our analysis revealed a previously unknown large (>20 Mb) heterogeneous region in the pericentromeric region of chromosome 12, where Wm82.a6 matches the ‘Williams’ haplotype while the other two near‐gapless assemblies do not match the haplotype of either parent of Williams 82. In addition to the Wm82.a6 assembly, we also assembled the genome of ‘Fiskeby III,’ a rich resource for abiotic stress resistance genes. A genome comparison of Wm82.a6 with Fiskeby III revealed the nucleotide and structural polymorphisms between the two genomes within a QTL region for iron deficiency chlorosis resistance. The Wm82.a6 and Fiskeby III genomes described here will enhance comparative and functional genomics capacities and applications in the soybean community.
Genome editing in angiosperm chloroplasts: targeted DNA double‐strand break and base editing
Authors: Nakazato Issei , Arimura Shin‐ichi
Published: September 2024

Chloroplasts are organelles that are derived from a photosynthetic bacterium and have their own genome. Genome editing is a recently developing technology that allows for specific modifications of target sequences. The first successful application of genome editing in chloroplasts was reported in 2021, and since then, this research field has been expanding. Although the chloroplast genome of several dicot species can be stably modified by a conventional method, which involves inserting foreign DNAs into the chloroplast genome via homologous recombination, genome editing offers several advantages over this method. In this review, we introduce genome editing methods targeting the chloroplast genome and describe their advantages and limitations. So far, CRISPR/Cas systems are inapplicable for editing the chloroplast genome because guide RNAs, unlike proteins, cannot be efficiently delivered into chloroplasts. Therefore, protein‐based enzymes are used to edit the chloroplast genome. These enzymes contain a chloroplast‐transit peptide, the DNA‐binding domain of transcription activator‐like effector nuclease (TALEN), or a catalytic domain that induces DNA modifications. To date, genome editing methods can cause DNA double‐strand break or introduce C:G‐to‐T:A and A:T‐to‐G:C base edits at or near the target sequence. These methods are expected to contribute to basic research on the chloroplast genome in many species and to be fundamental methods of plant breeding utilizing the chloroplast genome.
Xenotransplantation Literature Update December 2023–June 2024
Authors: Kamberi Shani , Meier Raphael P. H.
Published: September 2024

This updated report highlights significant developments in the field of xenotransplantation since December 2023. Over the past 6 months, there has been a notable increase in discussions regarding the feasibility of clinical trials, with particular emphasis on their progression and associated ethical considerations. This review presents the most pertinent findings from December 2023 to June 2024.
Adjoint Brascamp–Lieb inequalities
Authors: Bennett Jonathan , Tao Terence
Published: September 2024

The Brascamp–Lieb inequalities are a generalization of the Hölder, Loomis–Whitney, Young, and Finner inequalities that have found many applications in harmonic analysis and elsewhere. In this paper, we introduce an “adjoint” version of these inequalities, which can be viewed as an version of the entropic Brascamp–Lieb inequalities of Carlen and Cordero–Erausquin. As applications, we reprove a log‐convexity property of the Gowers uniformity norms, and establish some reverse inequalities for various tomographic transforms. We conclude with some open questions.
An Improved Model for Predicting Affected Region of Flashing Jet
Authors: Yuasa Tomohisa , Watanabe Shun , Morita Ryo
Published: September 2024

When a water piping system operating under high temperatures and pressures is damaged and water is expelled into the atmosphere, a phenomenon known as depressurization boiling or flashing occurs. This flashing jet poses a risk to human safety and can damage safety equipment through impingement. Consequently, evaluating the region affected by the flashing jet impinging on the surrounding equipment and people is necessary. In this study, we conducted experiments to verify the affected region of the jet involving both saturated and subcooled water under low-pressure conditions at the jet inlet, up to 2 MPaA, and extended our investigation to high-pressure conditions up to 7 MPaA using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The findings revealed that the mass flux predictions, according to the homogeneous equilibrium model (HEM) outlined in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard, align with both experimental and CFD analysis results. However, the evaluations of both the asymptotic plane width and distance—parameters delineating the jet's affected region—were found to be underestimated in the ANSI standard compared with the experimental and CFD analysis results. To address this difference from real phenomena, we developed an improved model that incorporates mass flux and enthalpy as variables. This improved model more accurately predict the asymptotic plane width and distance than the ANSI standard. Utilizing this improved model enables precise prediction of the flashing jet's affected region, spanning conditions from saturated to subcooled water across various pipe diameters.
Examining the Effects of a 24-Week Exercise Program on Functional Capacity, Cognitive Capacity, and Quality of Life in Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Jacinto Miguel , Antunes Raul , Monteiro Diogo , Rodrigues Filipe , Amaro Nuno , Campos Maria João , Ferreira José Pedro , Matos Rui
Published: September 2024

This study investigated the effects of two physical exercise programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Twenty-one participants were assigned to an indoor group (IG, n = 7; 24-week gym intervention with machine), an outdoor group (OG, n = 7; 24-week outdoor intervention with low-cost materials) or a control group. The outcomes assessed included quality of life, dementia, and functional capacity. The IG significantly improved physical well-being compared with the control group (p = .017). There were no significant differences in dementia score between groups and moments. Postintervention, the IG showed improvements compared with the control group for the 30-s sit-to-stand test (p = .03), timed up-and-go (p = .00), and 6-min-walk test (p = .033) and between moments in the IG for 30-s sit-to-stand test (pre ≠ post; p = .007) and 6-min-walk test (pre ≠ post; p = .007). Outdoor interventions appeared effective for physical well-being, while indoor interventions using weight-training machines benefited functional capacity. No significant effects were observed for dementia/cognitive decline.
Instructional Alignment in Physical Education Student Teachers’ Lesson Plans for Individual Sports
Authors: Iserbyt Peter , Lund Jackie , Lux Fien
Published: September 2024

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the instructional alignment of unit and lesson plans in physical education. Methods: Unit and lesson plans of 31 student teachers from one Physical Education Teacher Education program were analyzed. Trained coders assessed the quality and alignment of unit goals and lesson outcomes, assessments, and tasks. Interobserver reliability was 93% based on the full sample. Results/Discussion: Only 7% of unit goals (n = 145) were assessable and feasible. There was strong alignment between unit goals and assessment in 61% of the sample. Only 26% of unit goals were assessed. For lesson outcomes (n = 476), only 8% were assessable and feasible. For tasks (n = 1,806), 51% of the sample were strongly aligned with lesson outcomes and 50% with unit goals. Conclusion: There was limited instructional alignment in unit and lesson plans. Providing more support for student teachers to improve their instructional alignment is needed.
Light-Intensity Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Are Associated With Blood Pressure Levels in Adolescents
Authors: Vieira Vanessa de Souza , Aguiar Susana da Costa , Campos Maria Cristine , Fontanela Laís Coan , Canever Jaquelini Betta , Hauck Melina , do Amaral Lívia Arcêncio , Cáceres Viviane de Menezes , Schneider Ione Jayce Ceola , Vieira Danielle Soares Rocha
Published: September 2024

Purpose: To investigate the associations between physical activity (PA) intensities, sedentary behavior (SB), and blood pressure (BP) in adolescents, according to sex. Method: This cross-sectional study involved 95 male and female adolescents aged 15–18 years. Accelerometry was used to measure time spent in light-intensity PA (LPA), moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), and vigorous PA, and SB. The BP was determined using an automated sphygmomanometer. Statistical analyses included multiple linear regression and command margins. Results: Significant associations were found between systolic BP (SBP) and time spent in LPA (B = −0.08; 95% CI, −0.15 to −0.01) and SB (B = 0.071; 95% CI, 0.004–0.138), albeit only in boys. Furthermore, an interaction was observed between time spent in SB and MVPA for SBP in boys (B = −0.002; 95% CI, −0.004 to −0.0008). The main interaction effect of increasing SBP was a combination of <75 minutes per day of MVPA and up to 600 minutes per day of SB. Conclusions: Increased time in LPA and reduced time spent in SB during the day are associated with lower SBP in male adolescents. Additionally, the relation between SB and SBP was attenuated by MVPA. These findings provide crucial insights for PA recommendations to promote cardiovascular health in adolescents.
Secular Trends in Gross Motor Coordination: A Study of Peruvian Children Living at High Altitude
Authors: Bustamante Alcibíades , Maia José , Santos Carla , Garbeloto Fernando , Vasconcelos Olga , Tani Go , Hedeker Donald , Katzmarzyk Peter T. , Pereira Sara
Published: September 2024

Purpose: To (1) describe secular trends in gross motor coordination (GMC) scores by sex and age; (2) investigate GMC trends adjusted for concomitant secular trends in height, weight, and overall physical fitness; and (3) examine trends in children’s frequencies within different GMC categories. Method: The sample comprises 1562 Peruvian children (690 in 2009 and 872 in 2019), aged 6–11 years, from Junín (a high-altitude region). GMC was assessed with the KörperkoordinationsTest für Kinder. Physical fitness was assessed with handgrip strength, standing long jump, and shuttle-run test. Height and weight were measured with standardized protocols. Analysis of variance, covariance, and logistic regression were used. Results: A negative secular trend in GMC (based on raw scores) for boys and girls aged 6–8 years was observed. However, a positive trend was observed at 11 years of age but only in boys. Finally, there were no significant changes in the likelihood of children having below-normal GMC from 2009 to 2019. Conclusions: Secular trends in GMC were negative in Peruvian children, especially at 6–8 years of age. Further, body size and physical fitness trends did not affect the negative secular trend. A high prevalence of children had below-normal GMC in both 2009 and 2019.
Controlling the flavour changing neutral couplings of multi-Higgs doublets models through unitary matrices
Authors: Alves João M.
Published: September 2024

In this paper, we introduce unitary flavour violation to produce multi-Higgs doublets models where all flavour par ameters are contained within three unitary matrices. After that, we identify two of its subclasses, the left and right models, which have naturally suppressed tree-lev el flavour changing neutral couplings that easily avoid the experimental constraints derived from neutral meson mi xing. Then, we show that left models can accomodate spontaneous CP violation when all quarks have flavour changing neutr al couplings. Finally, we illustrate these concepts by considering a specific implementation with three Higgs doublets.
Searching for exotic Higgs bosons from top quark decays at the HL-LHC
Authors: Bhattacharyya Gautam , Chakraborty Indrani , Ghosh Dilip Kumar , Jha Tapoja , Saha Gourab
Published: September 2024

Exotic spin-0 states with unusual couplings with the gauge and matter fields of the Standard Model are worth exploring at the CERN LHC. Though our approach is largely model independent, we take inspiration from flavor models based on some discrete symmetries which predict a set of a scalar and a pseudoscalar having purely off-diagonal Yukawa interactions with quarks and leptons. In a previous paper, some of us explored how to decipher such exotic scalar and pseudoscalar states whose off-diagonal Yukawa couplings involve light quarks. In this work we follow a complementary path and focus on the Yukawa couplings that necessarily involve a top quark. If one such spin-0 state is lighter than the top quark, then the rare decay of the latter, on account of the high yield of the $$t\bar{t}$$

t

t

¯

events, could provide a potential hunting ground of those exotic states particularly during the high luminosity phase of the LHC run. We carry out an exhaustive collider analysis of some promising signatures of those exotic states using sophisticated Machine Learning techniques and obtain considerable signal significance.
Data Synthesis Is Going Mobile—On Community-Driven Dataset Generation for Android Devices
Authors: Demmel Markus , Göbel Thomas , Gonçalves Patrik , Baier Harald
Published: September 2024

Personal electronic devices such as smartphones and smartwatches have become indispensable daily companions, collecting a multitude of personal and sensitive data. As a result, they are of paramount importance in digital forensic examinations. However, there is a lack of publicly available and ready-to-use digital forensic datasets, especially in mobile forensics. This work presents a concept and an open-source proof-of-concept implementation, which simplifies and automates the creation of mobile forensic datasets within the scope of the Android operating system. In contrast to previous approaches, which populate the most common databases of an Android device, our concept is based on community-driven playbooks and makes use of interaction with the actual smartphone GUI. Hence, we are able to generate coherent and realistic traces as they occur in real-world human usage. Our proof-of-concept implementation is based on the standard Android emulation environment and borrows tools from the user interface testing community. Our evaluation shows that our approach actually generates realistic Android datasets. For instance, we can generate traces that cannot be simulated by gestures (e.g., changing the GPS position or triggering incoming phone calls). Recording the actual data synthesis process allows users to either create and share their own playbooks (i.e., the exact instructions for the data synthesis process rather than having to share the full image) or reproduce Android images with different scenarios using playbooks previously created and shared by the community.
MCMCF-Router: Multi-capacity Ordered Escape Routing Algorithms for Grid/Staggered Pin Array
Authors: Gao Zhenyi , Dong Sheqin , Tang Zhicong , Yu Wenjian
Published: September 2024

Ordered escape routing (OER), which means that the pins need to be routed to the boundary of a pin array in a given order, is an important research topic in PCB design. Although OER has been widely investigated, most works assume that the routing capacity between two adjacent pins is just 1 and the structure of the pin array is a grid pin array. In this article, we focus on multi-capacity ordered escape routing (MC-OER) both in grid pin arrays and staggered pin arrays, which means that multiple wires are allowed to pass through between two adjacent pins. We first propose a multi-capacity multi-commodity flow (MC-MCF) model for the MC-OER problem. To accelerate the routing process, MCMCF-Router is proposed. In MCMCF-Router, a wiring resources driven partition strategy is proposed to reduce the problem size, followed by the approach based on routing conflicts. These approaches largely accelerate the MC-MCF model based method and increase the routability with minimal sacrifice on wire length. Experiments on various cases (with up to 525 pins) show that the proposed method achieves 100% routability within reasonable time (<810 seconds). Compared to the state-of-the-art works for single-capacity OER problems, MCMCF-Router performs similarly well or better.
Alert Prioritisation in Security Operations Centres: A Systematic Survey on Criteria and Methods
Authors: Jalalvand Fatemeh , Baruwal Chhetri Mohan , Nepal Surya , Paris Cecile
Published: September 2024

Security Operations Centres (SOCs) are specialised facilities where security analysts leverage advanced technologies to monitor, detect and respond to cyber incidents. However, the increasing volume of security incidents has overwhelmed security analysts, leading to alert fatigue. Effective alert prioritisation (AP) becomes crucial to address this problem through the utilisation of proper criteria and methods. Human–AI teaming (HAT) has the potential to significantly enhance AP by combining the complementary strengths of humans and AI. AI excels in processing large volumes of alert data, identifying anomalies, uncovering hidden patterns, and prioritising alerts at scale, all at machine speed. Human analysts can leverage their expertise to investigate prioritised alerts, re-prioritise them based on additional context and provide valuable feedback to the AI system, reducing false positives and ensuring critical alerts are prioritised. This work provides a comprehensive review of the criteria and methods for AP in SOC. We analyse the advantages and disadvantages of the different categories of AP criteria and methods based on HAT, specifically considering automation, augmentation and collaboration. We also identify several areas for future research. We anticipate that our findings will contribute to the advancement of AP techniques, fostering more effective security incident response in SOCs.
Survey on Quality Assurance of Smart Contracts
Authors: Wei Zhiyuan , Sun Jing , Zhang Zijian , Zhang Xianhao , Yang Xiaoxuan , Zhu Liehuang
Published: September 2024

As blockchain technology continues to advance, the secure deployment of smart contracts has become increasingly prevalent, underscoring the critical need for robust security measures. This surge in usage has led to a rise in security breaches, often resulting in substantial financial losses for users. This article presents a comprehensive survey of smart contract quality assurance, from understanding vulnerabilities to evaluating the effectiveness of detection tools. Our work is notable for its innovative classification of 40 smart contract vulnerabilities, mapping them to established attack patterns. We further examine nine defense mechanisms, assessing their efficacy in mitigating smart contract attacks. Furthermore, we develop a labeled dataset as a benchmark encompassing 10 common vulnerability types, which serves as a critical resource for future research. We also conduct comprehensive experiments to evaluate 14 vulnerability detection tools, providing a comparative analysis that highlights their strengths and limitations. In summary, this survey synthesizes state-of-the-art knowledge in smart contract security, offering practical recommendations to guide future research and foster the development of robust security practices in the field.
Fine-Tuning Large Language Models to Improve Accuracy and Comprehensibility of Automated Code Review
Authors: Yu Yongda , Rong Guoping , Shen Haifeng , Zhang He , Shao Dong , Wang Min , Wei Zhao , Xu Yong , Wang Juhong
Published: September 2024

As code review is a tedious and costly software quality practice, researchers have proposed several machine learning-based methods to automate the process. The primary focus has been on accuracy, that is, how accurately the algorithms are able to detect issues in the code under review. However, human intervention still remains inevitable since results produced by automated code review are not 100% correct. To assist human reviewers in making their final decisions on automatically generated review comments, the comprehensibility of the comments underpinned by accurate localization and relevant explanations for the detected issues with repair suggestions is paramount. However, this has largely been neglected in the existing research. Large language models (LLMs) have the potential to generate code review comments that are more readable and comprehensible by humans, thanks to their remarkable processing and reasoning capabilities. However, even mainstream LLMs perform poorly in detecting the presence of code issues because they have not been specifically trained for this binary classification task required in code review. In this article, we contribute Comprehensibility of Automated Code Review using Large Language Models (
Carllm
), a novel fine-tuned LLM that has the ability to improve not only the accuracy but, more importantly, the comprehensibility of automated code review, as compared to state-of-the-art pre-trained models and general LLMs.
Effects of Temperature on the Gastric Evacuation Rate and Maintenance Ration of Adult Pointhead Flounder Cleisthenes pinetorum
Authors: Nishio Sango , Yamamura Orio
Published: September 2024

We investigated the gastric evacuation rate (GER) and maintenance ration (MR) for the adult pointhead flounder Cleisthenes pinetorum (77–421 g) at 4°C, 9°C, and 14°C which reflect the bottom, middle, and surface temperatures of their habitat in early summer. GERs were obtained from gravimetric experiments with 34 flounders fed juvenile walleye pollock Gadus chalcogrammus as prey. A 169‐day feeding experiment for 67 pointhead flounders fed krill Thysanoessa inermis was undertaken to measure MR. The effects of a 10°C temperature increase (Q10) on the GER and the MR were 6.55 and 2.04, respectively, indicating that the effect of temperature was greater on GER than on MR. As a result, the differences between the GER and MR, indicating the maximum amount of food ingestible for growth, were 2.8 and 30.7 cal·g−1 day−1 at 4 and 14°C, respectively. The water temperature on the sea floor generally remained at <4°C from winter through summer, but exceeded 10°C in the surface layer of Funka Bay, where pointhead flounders were sampled. Therefore, their growth rate should be considerably limited if they remain in the bottom layer. The unique ecology of this species among the flatfishes of floating from sea floor and feeding at pelagic zones may represent a strategy to compensate for the physiological limitation of growth at low temperatures.
Feasibility of Clients of Community Health Workers from Minority Low‐Income Communities as Research Participants
Authors: Obasanjo Iyabo , Jackson Shanteny , Carrington Stephanie , Akkaladevi Somasheker
Published: September 2024

The increased funding provided for Community Health Worker (CHW) hiring and training as part of the COVID‐19 pandemic response was to increase their impact in alleviating the effects of negative social determinants of health in the lives of the most vulnerable individuals and communities. This enhanced use of CHW in vulnerable populations can also be used to improve access to such populations for applied research to study ways to improve health outcomes for low‐income minority populations. We carried out a feasibility study using the State CHW association as partners to reach CHWs working with low‐income minority population. Three hundred and three (303) clients of CHWs were interviewed on various demographic, health access, and employment information and both univariate and multivariate analyses was used to determine factors associated with being unvaccinated against COVID‐19 and chi‐squared used to determine if employment was associated with having health insurance. About half of the clients self‐identified as Black/African American and half as Hispanic. Two‐thirds were women and 52.1% were unemployed and 55.1% had no health insurance. There was no association between employment status and having health insurance. Majority (71.6%) had received one dose of a type of COVID‐19 vaccine and being younger and being African American were associated with not getting a dose of COVID‐19 vaccine, as well as being unemployed and not having health insurance. Most of the clients came to see the CHW about a Health/Healthcare issue of the five social determinants of health (SDOH). There were 38 different job titles provided by the clients and the job titles were mainly blue collar jobs and jobs in health and personal care. Our results indicate that CHWs reach the most vulnerable population who have limited health access and high unemployment and that CHWs can effectively be used for linkage to low‐income minority population for applied research. Our analyses found that in this low‐income population, being younger, being African American, being unemployed, and not having health insurance are each associated with not getting vaccinated against COVID‐19, and employment is not associated with having health insurance. We have shown that partnership with CHWs to access their clients as research subjects leads to elucidating new information on the population that can be used in addressing public health programming.
Combining Deterministic and Probabilistic Approaches in an Improved Volumetric Model With the Aim to Reduce Geological Uncertainties for Accurate Hydrocarbon Reserve Estimation: Case Study in the Rio Del Rey Basin, Cameroon
Authors: Justine Bawane Godwe , Leroy Mambou Ngueyep Luc , Theodore Tchotang , Jordan Eze Eze
Published: September 2024

The aim of this study is to improve hydrocarbon reservoir estimation by combining the deterministic and probabilistic approaches in an improved volumetric model with the objective of reducing geological uncertainties and achieving better reserve estimations. The case study was made in the Rio Del Rey basin of Cameroon. To achieve this goal, a mathematical model was built using the volumetric expression of the stock tank original oil in place (STOIIP), the Raymer–Hunt expression of porosity and transit time, and the Simandoux model modified by the Schlumberger expression of water saturation. The application and validation of the proposed model were made through Interactive Petrophysics, Petrel software, and Monte Carlo simulation on Minitab Workspace. The results obtained by a deterministic approach on the investigated area of 2000 m2 give a total estimated quantity of oil in place of 11897.67 MMbbl, a total estimated quantity of gas in place of 27.79 Bcf, a total estimated quantity of recoverable oil of 3606.28 MMbbl, and a total estimated quantity of recoverable gas of 19.52 Bcf. The probabilistic approach permitted to obtain an estimated quantity of oil in place of 150194141.45 MMbbl. In this study, it appears that the net value added is $288,898,222. This therefore confirms the accuracy of the model and the profitability of the project.
Radix Astragali and Its Representative Extracts for Diabetic Nephropathy: Efficacy and Molecular Mechanism
Authors: Xue Hui-zhong , Chen Yu , Wang Shi-dong , Yang Yi-meng , Cai Lu-qi , Zhao Jin-xi , Huang Wei-jun , Xiao Yong-hua
Published: September 2024

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Radix Astragali (RA), a frequently used Chinese herbal medicine in the Leguminosae family, Astragalus genus, with its extracts, has been proven to be effective in DN treatment both in clinical practice and experimental studies. RA and its extracts can reduce proteinuria and improve renal function. They can improve histopathology changes including thickening of the glomerular basement membrane, mesangial cell proliferation, and injury of endothelial cells, podocytes, and renal tubule cells. The mechanisms mainly benefited from antioxidative stress which involves Nrf2/ARE signaling and the PPARγ‐Klotho‐FoxO1 axis; antiendoplasmic reticulum stress which involves PERK‐ATF4‐CHOP, PERK/eIF2α, and IRE1/XBP1 pathways; regulating autophagy which involves SIRT1/NF‐κB signaling and AMPK signaling; anti‐inflammation which involves IL33/ST2 and NF‐κB signaling; and antifibrosis which involves TGF‐β1/Smads, MAPK (ERK), p38/MAPK, JNK/MAPK, Wnt/β‐catenin, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways. This review focuses on the clinical efficacy and the pharmacological mechanism of RA and its representative extracts on DN, and we further document the traditional uses of RA and probe into the TCM theoretical basis for its application in DN.
Implementation of the Primary Nursing Care Model in a Hospital Service: A Quasi‐Experimental Study
Authors: Ventura-Silva J. M. , Martins M. M. , Trindade L. L. , Faria A. C. , Barros S. C. , Castro S. F. , Rocha C. G. , Mendes M. , Ribeiro O. M.
Published: September 2024

Background. In recent years, the healthcare landscape has seen a paradigm shift towards patient‐centeredness in the provision of nursing care. The Primary Nursing Care Model has aroused interest as an approach that prioritizes the individualization and continuity of care, as well as the involvement of the patient in decision‐making about their health, which may impact professional satisfaction, as well as the quality and safety of nursing care. Aim. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing the Primary Nursing Care Model in a hospital service. Methods. This study employed a quasi‐experimental, single‐group design with pre‐ and postintervention evaluations. It involved a convenience sample of 48 nurses from an internal medicine department. Data collection took place between June and November 2023. The intervention consisted of the implementation of the Primary Nursing Care Model. A questionnaire was used to characterize the sociodemographics of the participants, followed by instruments that made it possible to assess missed care, professional nursing practice environments, safety culture, job satisfaction for nurses, and the perception of activities that contribute to the quality of care. Results. The implementation of the Primary Nursing Care Model showed positive results compared to preimplementation. There were statistically significant differences when applying the Wilcoxon test, p < 0.005, with a reduction in missed care, an enhancement of the professional nursing practice environment and safety culture in nursing practice, as well as nurses’ job satisfaction and enhanced perception of the activities that contribute to the quality of care. Conclusion. The implementation of the Primary Nursing Care Model in a hospital setting has demonstrated valuable contributions, underscoring its potential to improve the quality of nursing care and promote patient‐centered care approaches. Further research is recommended to explore its application in diverse healthcare settings.
Phytochemical Analysis and Bioactive Properties of Opuntia dillenii Flower Extracts, Compound, and Essential Oil
Authors: Elouazkiti Mohammad , Zefzoufi Manal , Elyacoubi Houda , Gadhi Chemseddoha , Bouamama Hafida , Rochdi Atmane
Published: September 2024

New research is exploring the enhanced efficacy of antioxidant and antimicrobial compounds developed from Opuntia dillenii flowers, a multifaceted source with pharmacological effects such as antioxidant and microbicide activity indexes showing diverse medical capabilities. The purpose of this study was to determine the chemical composition, isolate the active compounds, and evaluate their antioxidant properties as well as antibacterial potential through HPLC‐MS in flower extract from Opuntia dillenii. The extracts were analyzed by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and essential oil compounds were identified by gas chromatography (GC). Antioxidant properties were assessed using DPPH and ferric‐reducing power (FRAP) assays. Antibacterial potential was evaluated using disk diffusion and microdilution methods. Nutritional studies of the flower indicated that it contained moderate levels of sugars (4.27% ± 0.240), proteins (1.913% ± 0.268), and microelements (potassium as a major element), sodium, and calcium, with concentration values of 2.267%, 0.55%, and 0.424%, respectively. Total phenolic content ranged from 1.61 ± 0.37 mg GAE/g (hexane extract) to 34.45 ± 0.42 mg GAE/g (ethanol extract). The study highlighted the richness of secondary metabolites, such as methylated flavonoids (quercetin 3‐O‐rutinoside, isorhamnetin‐3‐O‐rutinoside, and isorhamnetin‐3‐O‐glucoside), and identified essential oil compounds like trimethylsilyl hexadecenoate, squalene, gamma‐eudesmol, and citronellol. Antioxidant activities revealed stronger activity in the butanolic extract, while isorhamnetin‐3‐O‐rutinoside exhibited moderate antioxidant effects. These results provide the rationale for the potential incorporation of Opuntia dillenii flower extracts in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products as a sustainable natural alternative with broad implications for human health.
Nursing Deans’ Perspectives on Leading Educational Transformation towards Saudi Vision 2030: Exploratory‐Descriptive Qualitative Study
Authors: Alqahtani Friyal Mubarak
Published: September 2024

Aim. To explore the perceptions of the nursing deans towards the alignment of nursing education following the Saudi Vision 2030. Background. The Saudi Vision 2030 has been considered a bold move, attainable and realistic, to elevate its status worldwide as a thriving nation, exceptionally with its economy, education, health, recreation, and tourism. Educational transformation must be implemented to revolutionize the pathway of nursing education towards national and international recognition as a thriving and sustainable producer of high‐caliber nursing graduates. Methods. Exploratory‐descriptive qualitative study. A total of 18 nursing deans were selected purposively who met the set inclusion criteria. Semistructured interviews were conducted from April to December 2023. Colaizzi’s method was applied in analyzing the data. The COREQ checklist was employed in reporting the qualitative results. Results. Four main themes transpired from the narratives of the participants: (1) leadership and management capacities; (2) educational transformation; (3) support system; and (4) the future of nursing education in KSA. Conclusion. New developments in the nursing profession indicate that the College of Nursing deans in Saudi Arabia need to get involved in making creative and sustainable strategies and practical policies that can help improve nursing education across the country in partnership with various stakeholders to ensure that the nursing profession is brought into line with the kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Comparison of Real‐Time PM2.5 Between Rural and Urban Homes in Southwest China Based on Field Measurement: Insight Into the Cooking Activity Contribution
Authors: Du Wei , Hu Ruijing , Wang Jinze , Fu Nan , Li Ying , Lin Nan , Yang Ming , Zhang Bingyan , Chen Yuanchen , Huang Ye
Published: September 2024

People generally spend most of their time indoors; thus, household air pollution (HAP), especially indoor air pollution, is of paramount importance. In this study, real‐time particulate matter (PM2.5) monitors were used to collect high temporal resolution concentrations of fine PM2.5 in different microenvironments from 104 urban and rural households in Guizhou Province to investigate the urban–rural difference in HAP and the contribution of cooking activity to HAP. Results showed that PM2.5 concentrations among different rural microenvironments varied largely, ranging from 26.10 ± 33.27 (mean ± standard deviation) in the bedroom to 69.20 ± 72.50 μg/m3 in the kitchen while varying slightly across various urban microenvironments, ranging from 32.30 ± 17.5 in the living room to 34.65 ± 16.37 μg/m3 in the kitchen. Cooking activity can rapidly increase PM2.5 concentrations in the kitchen, whose peaks were at least five times higher than baseline levels. The contribution of cooking to the kitchen PM2.5 was 18.43 ± 12.17% and 5.39 ± 4.15% in rural and urban homes, respectively. Biomass burning affected indoor PM2.5 concentrations significantly, where rural households using biomass had the highest PM2.5 levels than households burning other fuels. This study identified the urban–rural disparities in household PM2.5 pollution and the contributions of cooking activities to HAP, illustrating the importance of cooking activities to indoor air pollution, which can assist in controlling indoor air pollution.
Condom Use among Youths in Sub‐Saharan Africa: A Narrative Review on the Myths, Misconceptions, and Challenges
Authors: Muhanga Mikidadi I. , Jesse Angela M. , Allan Tumaini T.
Published: September 2024

If properly used, condoms can serve as an effective family planning method and preventive tool towards sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Despite its anticipated effectiveness, there are different myths and misconceptions which have been observed as hindrances to both its use and effectiveness. This review examines the myths and misconceptions of condom use among youths and explores challenges in condom usage in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). A narrative review was employed of which different journal articles were reviewed. The search words/phrases were “condom use in SSA, condom use among youths in SSA, myths and misconceptions on condom use among youths in SSA.” A total of 1074 studies were identified, 93 were relevant to the topic, and only 71 suited the review. The identified myths and misconceptions of condom use include that males were the ones to decide on the use of condoms during sexual intercourse, economic power determines the use of condoms, condom use reduces sexual pleasure, condom use relates to the spread of HIV/AIDS, and condom use is against God’s will. Other identified myths and misconceptions of condom use include that the use of condoms is a sign of lack of trust associated with fornication and adultery, also the use of condoms is only for family planning purposes. The challenges identified were breakage of condom during sexual intercourse, condom slippage, condom leakage, incorrect storage, and reuse of condoms. The identified myths and misconceptions lead to low knowledge of condom use within communities. There is a need for collaboration between governments, researchers, and NGOs to provide education on condom use to communities, particularly youths.
An Autopsy Case of Fulminant Systemic Infection of Clostridium perfringens With a Diverse Role of Toxins in a Healthy Patient
Authors: Osamura Ayano , Onizuka Hiromi , Masui Kenta , Murakami Kumiko , Yamamoto Tomoko , Nagashima Yoji , Takeda Munekazu , Kurata Atsushi
Published: September 2024

We herein report an autopsy case of a fulminant Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens or Welch bacilli) infection in a healthy adult. A 72‐year‐old, immunocompetent man visited the emergency department with lower back pain, and blood test revealed hemolytic attack. His condition rapidly worsened with severe acidosis and anemia, and he died despite symptomatic treatment. An autopsy examination demonstrated an abscess with necrosis and air spaces in the right lobe of his liver. Numerous Gram‐positive bacilli were seen in the liver and bone marrow, and C. perfringens was identified in culture of the antemortem blood sample. Of note, a mucosal epithelium of the ileum showed loss of tight junctions (claudin 4), suggesting the involvement of C. perfringens toxins with its systemic spreading. Welch toxins were suggested to be involved in serious pathological conditions such as hemolytic anemia and systemic infections, and it is necessary to raise Welch infection as one of the differential diagnoses for fulminant systemic infections even in healthy individuals.
Shared Risk Volatile Organic Compounds Among Chronic Respiratory Diseases: Mediation Effects of System Inflammation
Authors: Xu Mengya , Liu Wanlu , Zhu Xinyu , Lin Baihao , Zheng Yuyu , Bai Yansen
Published: September 2024

Background: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are indoor and outdoor air pollution, but the VOCs that were shared across chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) remained unknown. Meanwhile, the mediating roles of system inflammation need to be further explored.

Methods: This study included 9114 adults based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2006 and 2011–2018. Internal exposure levels of 14 urinary metabolites of VOC (mVOCs), blood cell count–derived inflammatory biomarkers, and prevalent CRDs, including asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema, were assessed and collected. Associations of single‐ and multiple‐mVOCs with CRDs were assessed by using logistic regression and quantile‐based g‐computation (QGcomp) methods to select the key and shared mVOCs among CRDs. Mediation effects of system inflammation on mVOC‐CRD associations were further evaluated by causal mediation analysis.

Results: Increased levels of total 14 mVOCs were associated with increased risk of chronic bronchitis (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.37–1.91), emphysema (OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.27–2.35), and both conditions combined (defined as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD) (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.37–1.88), but not for asthma (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.94–1.21). In both single‐ and multiple‐mVOC exposure models, 8 key mVOCs were COPD associated, including 6 mVOCs (34MHA, AMCC, CEMA, DHBMA, 3HPMA, and MHBMA3) and 5 mVOCs (34MHA, CYMA, 3HPMA, MA, and MHBMA3) that were associated with increased risk of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, respectively. Particularly, 34MHA, 3HPMA, and MHBMA3 were shared risk factors across chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and COPD. Neutrophils mediated the associations of three shared mVOCs with chronic bronchitis (by 5.20%, 7.80%, 6.30%), emphysema (by 6.90%, 9.30%, 9.70%), and COPD (by 5.80%, 8.90%, 7.70%).

Conclusions: These findings provide valuable insights into the shared risk mVOCs and mediating roles of neutrophils involved in the pathogenesis of CRDs, which can be useful in developing more effective prevention and intervention strategies for CRDs.
Optimized Heat Distributions for Laser‐Assisted Forming
Authors: Bammer Ferdinand
Published: September 2024

Forming is limited for many modern materials due to their brittleness. Recent publications propose therefore partial heating of the forming areas, e.g., with laser technology, however, without asking how to minimize the applied energy. This work discusses such an optimization of the temperature distribution to save energy, to avoid unnecessary changes of the material properties, and to minimize thermally induced deformations. The findings are demonstrated on a statically determined quasi 1D‐problem, namely, 3‐point‐bending, and showed for a certain material law (modelling a dual phase steel of type DP1000) that the concentration of heat on the central line of the forming area is counter‐productive and that the necessary energy can be significantly reduced with a well‐defined heating strategy. Furthermore, we discuss how to extend the analysis to more complex problems which can be treated only numerically.