bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peripheral Prosthetic Vascular Graft Infection. A 5-Years Retrospective Study
Authors: De Caridi Giovanni , Massara Mafalda , Barilla Chiara , Benedetto Filippo
Published: January 2025

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral prosthetic vascular graft infection represents a very serious complication after lower limb revascularization, with amputation and mortality rates up to 70% and 30%, respectively. The study was designed to determine the incidence of prosthetic graft infection, amputation and mortality rate in our Institution, analyzing different types of treatment.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort single institution review of peripheral prosthetic bypass grafts evaluated patient demographics, comorbidities, indications, location of bypass, type of prosthetic material, case urgency and evaluated the incidence of graft infections, amputations, and mortality.
RESULTS: Between January 2016 and December 2021, a total of 516 bypass were recorded: 320 bypass in venous material and 196 prosthetic bypass using Dacron or PTFE.Among patients with a prosthetic bypass, 16 (8.2%) presented a graft infection at a mean follow-up of 39 months. Other 13 patients submitted to prosthetic peripheral bypass in other centres occurred to our Institution with a graft infection, so a total of 29 infected grafts were treated. Infected grafts were removed in 20 patients (68.9%), while a conservative treatment was helpful in 9 cases (31.1%). The germs involved were gram-negative in 27.6% and gram-positive in 41.4%. During follow-up we recorded 5 deaths (17.2%) and 6 amputations (20.7%) directly after bypass excision; another 2 amputations (6.9%) occurred after failure of the new bypass replacing the prosthesis removed.
CONCLUSIONS: Redo-bypass, active infection at the time of bypass and advanced gangrene were associated with a higher risk for prosthetic graft infection and major extremity amputation. Complete graft removal and replacement by venous material or Omniflow II represents the typical treatment. However, aggressive local treatment including drainage, debridement, vacuum assisted closure therapy application and muscle transposition seems to be a better solution in selected patients without the need for graft removal and with rates of limb salvage superior to those obtained with excisional therapy.
Adaptive Transformer with Sequence-Guided Decoders for Enhanced Vision Captioning
Authors: Mitchell Chloe , Hsu Lobry , Fernández Diego
Published: January 2025

In recent years, Transformer architectures have been extensively applied to image captioning, achieving remarkable performance. The spatial and positional relationships between visual objects play a pivotal role in crafting meaningful and accurate captions. To further enhance image captioning with Transformers, this paper introduces the \textit{Adaptive Geometry-Integrated Transformer} (AGIT). This novel model incorporates advanced geometry-aware mechanisms into both its encoder and decoder, enabling superior representation and utilization of spatial information. Specifically, the proposed framework comprises two key components: \romannumeral1) a geometry-enhanced self-attention module, termed the \textit{Geometry Attention Refiner} (GAR), which explicitly integrates relative spatial relationships into the visual feature representations during encoding; and \romannumeral2) a sequence-guided decoding mechanism powered by \textit{Position-Sensitive LSTMs} (PS-LSTMs) to accurately model and maintain word-order semantics while generating captions. Experimental evaluations on the MS COCO and Flickr30k datasets demonstrate that AGIT outperforms state-of-the-art models in both accuracy and computational efficiency, setting a new benchmark in image captioning.
Environmental Policy Implementation and Communication in ASEAN Manufacturing: A Comparative Document Analysis of Indonesian, Malaysian, and Thai Companies (2020–2025)
Authors: Sinaga Obsatar , HI Abdul Rahman , Pawirosumarto Suharno
Published: January 2025

The manufacturing sector in ASEAN plays a critical role in economic development but poses significant environmental challenges, including rising carbon emissions, waste generation, and resource depletion. This study investigates how environmental policies are implemented by leading manufacturing firms in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, focusing on their alignment with ASEAN’s regional guidelines. Using document analysis, sustainability reports, annual reports, and corporate policy statements were examined to identify patterns and gaps in environmental strategies. The findings reveal that Sime Darby (Malaysia) and PTT Global Chemical (Thailand) demonstrate stronger alignment with ASEAN guidelines, particularly in renewable energy adoption and biodiversity conservation. In contrast, PT Astra International (Indonesia) focuses more on emissions reduction and waste management, with limited biodiversity initiatives. These variations underscore the influence of national policies and institutional frameworks on corporate environmental strategies and highlight gaps that hinder regional harmonization. This research provides valuable insights into corporate environmental practices within ASEAN, offering practical recommendations for standardizing Key Performance Indicators, fostering regional collaboration, and encouraging green innovation. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for integrated policy frameworks to advance environmental sustainability in the ASEAN manufacturing sector.
Refined Deformable-DETR for SAR Target Detection and Radio Signal Detection
Authors: Li Zhenghao , Zhou Xin
Published: January 2025

SAR target detection and signal detection are critical tasks in electromagnetic signal processing, with wide-ranging applications in remote sensing and communication monitoring. However, these tasks are challenged by complex backgrounds, multi-scale target variations, and the limited integration of domain-specific priors into existing deep learning models. To address these challenges, we propose Refined Deformable-DETR, a novel Transformer-based method designed to enhance detection performance in SAR and signal processing scenarios. Our approach integrates three key components, including the Half-Window Filter (HWF) to leverage SAR and signal priors, the Multi-Scale Adapter to ensure robust multi-level feature representation, and Auxiliary Feature Extractors to enhance feature learning. Together, these innovations significantly enhance detection precision and robustness. The Refined Deformable-DETR achieves a mAP of 0.682 on the HRSID dataset and 0.540 on the Spectrograms dataset, demonstrating remarkable performance compared to other methods.
Possible Redox Homeostasis Break-Down in Beals-Hecht Syndrome. Preliminary Findings
Authors: Soto María Elena , Manzano-Pech Linaloe , Guarner-Lans Verónica , Pérez-Torres Israel
Published: January 2025

Beals-Hecht (BH) syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disorder caused by a mutation of the FBN2 gene that codifies for fibrillin-2 (FBN-2) and part of its nosology is congenital contractural arachnodactyly. There is no information in the literature on whether there is increased oxidative stress (OS) in these patients that could lead to a break-down in the redox balance. Therefore, the aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the possible breakdown of redox homeostasis in the thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) in BH. We determinate OS markers such as malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), carbonyl groups, glutathione (GSH), thiols and the nitrate/nitrite ratio (NO3−/NO2−) by spectrophotometry in homogenized TAA from controls subjects (CS) and BH. We also measured the activities of some of antioxidant enzymes such as GST, GPx, GR and TrxR. The super oxide dismutase (SOD) isoforms, catalase and peroxidase activities were evaluated by native polyacrylamide gels. The activities of the antioxidant enzymes GPx and TrxR were decreased (p≤0.04) and the OS markers NO3−/NO2−, TAC and thiols groups were decreased (p≤0.04). The results suggest an intricate system in the loss of redox homeostasis in BH syndrome patients that could contribute to the FBN2 instability.
Lagrangian for Real Systems Instead of Entropy for Ideal Isolated Systems
Authors: Kocherginsky Nikolai
Published: January 2025

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that entropy S increases in a spontaneous process in an ideal isothermal and isolated system, which characterizes the direction of evolution. Real systems are not isolated. They are influenced by external forces and fields. One of these fields is the temperature field. Here we suggest the description of progress in non-isolated and influenced by external fields system. In this case, only entropy is not enough, and we suggest using a new function Ls, which is analogous to the Lagrangian in classical mechanics. As before, it includes total potential energy but instead of mechanical kinetic energy, Ls includes the product ST, and the system always evolves towards increasing this modified Lagrangian. It reaches an equilibrium when the gradient of a total potential force is balanced by both the gradients of entropic and thermal forces. For isolated systems the description is reduced to Second Law and Clausius inequality. Our approach does not need a gradient of chemical potential, and it has several advantages compared to Onsager’s non-equilibrium thermodynamics. It easily explains the basic aspects of diffusion, Dufour effect and Soret thermodiffusion. The combination of electric, thermal, and entropic forces explains thermoelectric phenomena in non-isothermal and non-isolated systems, including Peltier-Seebeck and Thomson (Lord Kelvin) effects. Gravitational and entropic forces together inside a black hole may lead to a steady state or the black hole evaporation. They are also involved in influenced by Sun atmospheric processes.
Higgs Physics at Muon Collider
Authors: Castelli Luca
Published: January 2025

A multi-TeV Muon Collider produces a significant amount of Higgs bosons allowing precise measurements of its couplings to Standard Model fundamental particles. Moreover, Higgs boson pairs are produced with a relevant cross-section, allowing the determination of the second term of the Higgs potential by measuring the double Higgs production cross section and therefore the trilinear self-coupling term. This contribution aims to give an overview of the Higgs measurements accuracies expected for the initial stage of the Muon Collider at s=3TeV with an integrated luminosity of 1ab−1 and for the target center-of-mass energy at 10TeV with 10ab−1 integrated luminosity. The results are obtained using the full detector simulations which include both physical and machine backgrounds.
Instability of a Moving Bogie: Analysis of Vibrations and Possibility of Instability in Subcritical Velocity Range
Authors: Dimitrovová Zuzana
Published: January 2025

This paper deals with the analysis of vibrations induced by a moving bogie passing through a single-layer model of a railway track. The emphasis is placed on the possibility of unstable behavior in the subcritical velocity range. All results are presented in dimensionless form to cover a wide range of possible scenarios. The results are obtained semi-analytically, however the only “numerical” step is related to solving the roots of polynomial expressions. No numerical integration is used, and therefore even completely undamped scenarios can be easily solved, as damping is not necessary for numerical stability. The vibration shapes are presented in the time domain in closed form. It is concluded that increased foundation damping aggravates the situation, but in general the danger of instability in the subcritical velocity range of moving bogie is less than two moving masses, especially for higher mass moments of inertia of the bogie bar and primary suspension damping. It is also tested how the obtained results were changed by considering a Timoshenko-Rayleigh beam instead of Euler-Bernoulli. Although some cases may seem academic, it has been shown that instability in the supercritical velocity range cannot be assumed as guaranteed.
Insights Into Intimate Partner Violence: Exploring Predictive Factors in Ghana MICS 2018
Authors: Atta George Prince , Newton Paul , Shah Tayyab Ikram
Published: January 2025

Intimate partner violence (IPV) continues to be a serious public health issue, particularly in Ghana. It is crucial to create evidence-based, preventative measures to stop this practice. The study empirically investigated the factors related to married women's perceptions of wife-beating or IPV. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Goal 5.2) advocate for its elimination by governments, hence the study to monitor the progress being made. The study employed cross-sectional secondary data from Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) conducted in 2018 with a sample of 14237 women aged 15-49. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions, and results were presented in odds ratios (OR) with a confidence interval (CI) of 95%. Women's justification for IPV was correlated with socio-demographic factors such as education level, marital status, age of the woman, area of residence (rural), ethnic background, and economic disadvantage (wealth status). Higher educated women (OR 0.248 [95% CI 0.185-0.332, p 0.001]) were less likely to justify IPV than women with no/less formal education. Women who were in the richest quintile (OR 0.766 [95% CI 0.634-0.926, p = 0.006]) were less likely than those in the poorest/lowest quintile to rationalize/justify intimate partner violence. In terms of ethnicity of the household head, the Ga/Dangme (OR 0.86 [95% CI 0.714-1.036, p= 0.112]) had lower odds of justifying IPV compared to the Akan. The government, through the Ministry of Gender and Child Protection and women’s advocacy groups, should devise strategies, programs, and policies to empower women through formal education and economically through job training and employment support for women and victims to help them achieve financial independence and reduce negative attitudes and prevalence.
Development of Language and Pragmatic Communication Skills in Preschool Children with Developmental Language Disorder in a Speech Therapy Kindergarten – a Real World Study
Authors: Ullrich Dieter , Marten Magret
Published: January 2025

Background: Several studies document the importance of communicative abilities for children’s development. Especially in recent years verbal communication in preschool children with developmental language disorder (DLD) is studied and relies so far heavily on statistical analysis, outcome measures or/ and parents’ reports. Purpose: This explorative study investigates the effects of speech therapy on the development of language and verbal communication skills in preschool children with DLD within their peer-group in a day-to-day setting using objective video-documentation. Hypothesis: Speech therapy leads to improvement of language, communication and possibly to concurrent development of both language and verbal communication skills in preschool children. Methods: Preliminary prospective study to assess language and verbal communications skills of 9 preschool children (7 boys, 2 girls, 4-6 y) with DLD in a speech therapy kindergarten using video recordings over a one-year therapy period. The communicative participation of the members of the peer group were assessed and included the verbal address (Av) and the ratio of “verbal address/ verbal reaction” (Av/Rv). Results: The investigation results in evidence for 2 outcome groups: One group with suspected preferential verbal communication disorder (n = 4) was characterized by a high Av/Rv value, meaning, they were scored to have a normal or high verbal address (Av) and a low verbal response (Rv) (predominantly interpersonal communication related disorder). This group showed minimal changes in the short term, but demonstrated improvement after 5 years of schooling, thus pedagogical activities seemed to be particularly effective for these children. The second group showed a balanced Av/Rv ratio (predominantly language related disorder) (n = 5); but after five years they demonstrated a partial need for special school support measures. This group may therefore particularly benefit from speech therapy. Conclusion: The investigation provides evidence for two groups of preschool children with DLD and communication disorder: One group demonstrated a predominantly verbal communication related disorder, where pedagogical intervention might be the more important treatment. The second group showed a predominantly DLD, therefore making speech therapy the more effective intervention. In this study, all children expressed their desire to communicate with their peers. To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first study determining the ability to communicate in a preschool cohort with DLD using characterisation with video documentation in a follow-up for 1 year.
Centrifugal Differential Mobility Analyzer - Validation and First Two-Dimensional Measurements
Authors: Rüther Torben Norbert , Schmid Hans-Joachim , Gröne Sebasitan , Dechert Christopher
Published: January 2025

To gain a more detailed understanding of the specific properties of complex shaped technical aerosols, it is necessary to measure more than one equivalent quantity. This paper presents a new method to determine the two-dimensional distribution of two distinct particle properties: the Centrifugal Differential Mobility Analyzer (CDMA). It is capable of measuring both, the mobility and the Stokes equivalent diameters as a comprehensive two-dimensional distribution. To achieve this, the techniques of the Aerodynamic Aerosol Classifier and the Differential Mobility Analyzer are combined in a single device. The inversion of the data is conducted using the projection onto convex sets approach. For a valid interpretation of the results, it is essential to comprehend the operational mode of the CDMA including a profound knowledge about particle transport in the classifying section as well as in the inlet and outlet regions. Consequently, this paper presents some flow simulations of the measuring device and detailed experimental investigations of the transfer functions to evaluate a first prototype of this device. The resulting findings serve as a foundation for the calculation of a fully two-dimensional distribution with regard to the mobility and Stokes equivalent diameter. This is demonstrated with some exemplary measurements, e.g. of aggregates at different sintering stages.
University Sport, Means of Integration for the Foreign Students: Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of Migration
Authors: Leșco Victoria , Onoi Mihail , Razmireț Victoria , Volcu Irina , Alexe Dan Iulian , Lungu Ecaterina
Published: January 2025

This article aims at analyzing to what extent university sport can serve as an effective means of the foreign students’ integration and identifying the main challenges and opportunities they encounter in the integration process in the context of migration. The purpose of the study is to analyze the role of university sports activities in facilitating the foreign students’ integration. Within the research there was made a quantitative analysis, based on data collected through a survey applied to a sample of 134 foreign students enrolled at a university in Moldova. Of these, 25.4% come from Ukraine, 15.7% from Romania, 17.9% from Greece, 14.2% from Russia, and 26.9% from the regions of the Middle East and India. There were conducted 20 interviews with the foreign students to gain a more detailed understanding of their experience of participating in sports competitions. The results indicate that by participating in university sports competitions, the students have improved their perception of the local culture, overcome language barriers and at the same time there were identified integration challenges. Thus, university sport is not only a recreational activity, but also an essential framework for the foreign students’ integration, contributing to a unique academic and social experience.
Evaluation of a Natural Olive Extract as a Flavor Component in Dry and Wet Dog Foods
Authors: Guldenpfennig Ryan , Hsu Clare , Fries-Craft Krysten , Garber Adriana , Huang Xinhe , Wieneke Mark , Rutledge Kristen
Published: January 2025

Plant extracts, such as olive extract (OE), have been used in human and pet foods for their biological benefits; however, no available data have demonstrated OE’s effect on palatability. The current study aimed to evaluate acceptance of dry and canned dog foods with differing inclusions of OE as a flavor component. Flavor compounds in OE were analyzed by gas chromatography- mass spectrometry and high-pressure liquid chromatography, detecting 137 volatile compounds including acetic acid and hydroxytyrosol. Dog kibbles were coated with liquid commercial palatants containing OE that resulted in application rates of 0 (control), 120, 200, and 500 ppm of OE in the diets. OE was also added at 0 (control), 120, 200, and 500 ppm into a wet food formulation with a commercial palatant before retort. Kibble and canned foods were fed to adult beagles (n=5/ treatment and n=4/ treatment, respectively) in a 4×4 Latin square design to determine acceptance rates using monadic testing. Results showed that adding OE up to 500 ppm did not impact food acceptance (P > 0.05). In conclusion, OE as a flavor ingredient can be added into dry or wet dog food applications without deterring effects on palatability.
Attention-Based Temporal Convolutional Networks and Reinforcement Learning for Supply Chain Delay Prediction and Inventory Optimization
Authors: Jin Tian
Published: January 2025

Accurately predicting supply chain delays is crucial for maintaining resilience in inventory management systems. This paper presents a novel framework integrating an Attention-Based Temporal Convolutional Network (ATCN) and Reinforcement Learning (RL) to address the challenges of supply chain delay prediction and inventory optimization. The ATCN model leverages convolutional layers to capture long-term dependencies in time series data, while the attention mechanism enhances prediction accuracy under high demand volatility. Additionally, the RL component optimizes inventory decisions by minimizing holding and shortage costs through multi-agent collaboration. Our proposed approach outperforms baseline models in terms of Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Squared Error (MSE), R², and Area Under the Curve (AUC) metrics. Ablation studies confirm the importance of both the attention mechanism and RL in improving forecasting accuracy and inventory management. This work offers a robust solution for enhancing supply chain resilience and lays the groundwork for future exploration in multi-layered and real-time supply chain systems.
Relationship Between Body Composition, Somatotype and Physical Abilities in Young Selected Chilean Basketball Players
Authors: Hernández-Mosqueira Claudio , Machuca-Barria Claudia , Caamaño-Navarrete Felipe , Azócar-Gallardo Jairo , Delgado- Floody Pedro , Valdivia-Moral Pedro , Castillo Humberto , Cresp-Barria Mauricio
Published: January 2025

To analyze the relationship of sprinting and agility with body composition, adiposity, and so-matotype in young Chilean basketball players. Material and Method: The research design is non-experimental, descriptive transectional. 20 Chilean under-14 category basketball teams par-ticipated, and their anthropometric characteristics were evaluated using a scale and a stadiome-ter. Their speed and agility were measured through the use of photocells during field tests. The relationship between the variables was established with the Pearson correlation coefficient. In addition, a simple linear regression analysis was carried out, where R, R2, the standard error of estimation (SEE) and the unstandardized beta coefficient (β). All analyses were performed using SPSS statistical software IBM Corp. version 17.0, considering a significance level of p < .05. Re-sults: A direct and positive correlation is observed between the Illinois agility test and the an-thropometric indicators of body weight (r=0.75; p˂0.01) and height (r=0.48; p˂0.05). Likewise, a positive relationship was found between the agility test and the adiposity parameter, ∑ folds (r=0.71; p˂0.01), while an inverse and negative relationship was found with ectomorphism (r= -0.46; p˂ 0.05). Furthermore, a direct and positive correlation is observed between endomor-phism and the 5 m sprint (r=0.62; p˂0.01) and the 10 m sprint (r=0.60; p˂0.01). Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between body composition and the physical abilities of sprinting and agility in young Chilean basketball players.
The Enigma of Sponge-Derived Terpenoid Isothiocyanate-Thiocyanate Pairs. A Proposal for their Biosynthesis
Authors: Molinski Tadeusz F.
Published: January 2025

The co-occurrence of rare terpenoid thiocyanates (R-C-SCN), structurally similar to their more common isothiocyanate isomers (R-NCS) remained an enigma that can now be rationalized by consideration of three integrated biosynthetic motifs: terpenoid carbocation capture by cyanoformate, NC-COOH (itself in equilibrium with NC– and CO2), a co-localized rhodanese (a dual-function enzyme that can both convert inorganic NC– to thiocyanate ion, NCS–, and alkyl isonitriles to alkyl isothiocyanate (R-NC –> R–NCS). This scenario explains the preponderance of isothiocyanates, R-NCS as products of a linear reaction path – a-addition of S0 to R-NC – over the minor, less stable thiocyanates, R-SCN, as products of adventitious capture of liberated NCS– by the penultimate terpenoid carbocation precursor. DFT calculations support the proposal and eliminate other possibilities, e.g. isomerization of R-NCS to R-SCN.
Lagrangian for Non-Isolated Systems instead of Entropy for Isolated Systems
Authors: Kocherginsky Nikolai
Published: January 2025

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that entropy increases in a spontaneous process in an isothermal and isolated system and characterizes the direction of evolution. Real systems are not isolated. Here we suggest the description of progress in non-isolated and influenced by external fields systems. One of these fields is temperature field. In this case only entropy is not enough, and we suggest using a new function Ls, which is analogous to the Lagrangian in classical mechanics. Instead of mechanical kinetic energy, Ls includes the product ST, and the system always evolves towards the increase of this modified Lagrangian Ls. The system reaches an equilibrium when the gradient of a total potential force is balanced by the gradients of entropic and thermal forces. For isolated systems the description is reduced to Second Law and Clausius inequality. It has several advantages in comparison to Onsager’s non-equilibrium thermodynamics. This approach does not need a gradient of chemical potential, and easily explains the basic aspects of Soret thermodiffusion and thermoelectric Peltier-Seebeck and Thomson (Lord Kelvin) phenomena in non-isothermal and non-isolated systems. Inside the black hole balance of gravitational and entropic forces may lead to a steady state or the black hole evaporation.
Validation of the Job Satisfaction-Nursing Italian Score and Comparison Between Freelance and Employed Nurses: A Psychometric and Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Cangelosi Giovanni , Mancin Stefano , Caggianelli Gabriele , Bei Diego , Pettinari Samanda , Beltrami Giampietro , Morales Palomares Sara , Biondini Federico , Parozzi Mauro , Sguanci Marco , Petrelli Fabio
Published: January 2025

Background: Freelance nurses (FNs) are independent healthcare professionals not tied to a specific healthcare facility. In Italy, FNs are relatively unknown to the public and many healthcare pro-fessionals, who traditionally view nurses as subordinate workers. This study aimed to validate the Job Satisfaction (JS)-Nursing Italian Score, a tool for assessing JS among nurses, and to compare JS levels between employed nurses and FNs. Methods: A two-phase study design was used: vali-dation and observational. In the validation phase, content validity was assessed using a content validity index, and reliability was evaluated with Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega. Construct validity was examined via exploratory factor analysis (EFA). In the observational phase, a cross-sectional analysis was conducted with 200 nurses assessing their JS using the JS-Nursing Italian Score. Multiple one-way Welch’s ANOVAs were performed to compare groups. Results: Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.827) and McDonald’s omega (ω = 0.829) indicated good reliability. Bart-lett’s Sphericity test (p < 0.001) and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure (0.74) supported the EFA, revealing four factors. Significant differences in JS were found between groups through ANOVA. Conclusion: The JS-Nursing Italian Score is a reliable tool for assessing JS. FNs reported signifi-cantly higher satisfaction compared to employed nurses. Future research should focus on further validating the JS-Nursing Italian Score, expanding its use across diverse settings to enhance nursing well-being.
Lossless and Near-Lossless L-Infinite Compression of Depth Video Data
Authors: Tahouri Mohammad Ali , Alecu Alin Adrian , Denis Leon , Munteanu Adrian
Published: January 2025

Depth information acquisition is critically important in medical applications, such as monitoring of elderly or human biometrics extraction. In such applications, compressing the stream of depth video data plays an important role due to bandwidth constraints on the transmission channels. This paper introduces a novel lightweight compression system that encodes the semantics of the input depth video and can operate in both lossless and L-infinite near-lossless compression modes. A quantization technique that targets the L-infinite norm for sparse distributions and a new L-infinite compression method that sets bounds on the quantization error are proposed. The proposed codec enables controlling the coding error on every pixel in the input video data, which is crucial in medical applications. Experimental results show an average improvement of 45% and 17% in lossless mode compared to standalone JPEG-LS and CALIC codecs, respectively. Furthermore, in near-lossless mode, the proposed codec achieves superior rate-distortion performance and reduced maximum error per frame compared to HEVC. Additionally, the proposed lightweight codec is designed to perform efficiently in real time when deployed on an embedded depth camera platform.
Design of Fe3S4@Lip Composite for pH-Selective and Magnetically Targeted Programmed Release of H2S
Authors: Wang Shenghua , Wei Hanlin , Li Jialian , Liu Ning , Deng Zhiming , Huang Junqing
Published: January 2025

The significance of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in vivo is multifaceted, functioning as a crucial gaseous signaling molecule with extensive physiological and pathological impacts within organisms. To create novel H₂S-releasing materials, we synthesized Fe₃S₄@Lip, a gas slow-release bioreactor, which exhibits stable and sustained H₂S release properties. Our gas releaser possesses selective H₂S release capabilities, and notably, it can achieve effective H₂S release under magnetic force with the assistance of a magnetic field. In conclusion, our findings suggest that Fe₃S₄@Lip can function as an H₂S slow-release bioreactor, offering a potentially innovative approach for programmed H₂S release in vivo.
Assessment of Heavy Metals in Mexican Dietary Supplements Using Total X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry and Health Risk Evaluation
Authors: Blanca G. Beltrán , Eduardo Santellano-Estrada , Octavio Acosta-Montes Jorge , Mariana Cardona-Mejía , Paulina Aguilar-Maldonado , Adriana Chávez-Calderón
Published: January 2025

This study employed Total X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (TXRF) to analyze toxic heavy metals specifically lead (Pb), arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) in 45 dietary sup-plement samples consumed by the Mexican population. A health risk assessment was conducted using the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ), Hazard Index (HI), and Cumula-tive Cancer Risk (CCR). The mean concentration of Pb, Cr, and As were found to be 1.99 ± 0.13, 26.88 ± 0.23, and 2.39 ± 0.11 mg/kg, respectively. The Estimated Daily In-take (EDI) of_Pb was below the reference levels established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for all dietary supplements analyzed. In contrast, some EDI values for Cr and As exceeded the recommended limits. The THQ for Pb was less than 1 for all supplements, indicating low noncarcinogenic health risk; however, THQ values greater than 1 were observed for Cr and As. The HI values ranged from 0.004 to 4.8, with individual assessments indicating significant noncarcinogenic health risks associated with certain products. Nevertheless, the Cumulative Cancer Risk (CCR) values exceeding 1 suggest potential carcinogenic hazards linked to these supplements. Effective communication of these risks to consumers is crucial for promoting informed choices regarding dietary supplements and enhancing public health.
Acceleration of Heavy Ions by Ultrafast High-Peak-Power Lasers: Advances, Challenges and Perspectives
Authors: Badziak Jan , Domański Jarosław Jakub
Published: January 2025

Laser-driven ion acceleration is a new, rapidly developing field of research and one of the important applications of ultrafast high-peak-power lasers. In this acceleration method, extremely strong electric fields, induced by an ultrafast laser in the plasma generated by the laser-target interaction, enable the acceleration of ions to relativistic velocities on pico-second time scales and at sub-millimetre distances. This opens the prospect of construct-ing a fundamentally new type of high-energy ion accelerator - less complex, more compact and cheaper than the ion accelerators operating today. This paper briefly discusses the basic mechanisms of heavy ion acceleration driven by an ultrafast high-peak-power laser and summarizes the advances in experimental and numerical studies of laser-driven heavy ion acceleration. The main challenges facing this research and the prospects for the application of laser-accelerated heavy ion beams are outlined.
Pengembangan Elektronik Modul (E-Modul) Interaktif Berbasis Web dengan Pendekatan Saintifik pada Materi Ikatan Kimia
Authors: Anisa Lailatul Azizah  , Ardhana Ivan Ashif
Published: January 2025

This purpose of this study is to (1) produce web-based interactive E-modules with a scientific approach to chemical bonding materials;(2) knowing the feasibility and effectiveness of web-based interactive E-modules with a scientific approach to chemical bonding materials. The subjects were 24 students of class X MIPA 2 at MAN 1 Trenggalek.. The method used in this study is a development research with a 4D development model from Thiagarajan which stages are define, design, develop, and disseminate. However, this study was limited to the third stage due to time and energy constraints. Validation is carried out by 1 chemistry lecturer and 1 chemistry teacher. The results of this study (1) E-module developed with 3 stages including define, design, and develop using canva software. This E-module uses the 5M of scientific approach syntax. (2) Eligibility of the E-Modules obtains of percentage of 80% in the appropriate category from material experts and 95.65% in the very feasible category from media experts. While the effectiveness of E-Modules obtained a percentage of 83.3% with a very effective category. Based on the results of expert validation tests and effectiveness tests, this E-module is declared feasible and effective to be used as a learning medium for students.
Influence of rheometer configurations on the rheological analysis of different types of concrete
Authors: Satapathy Ashirbad , Bishnoi Shashank
Published: January 2025

Concrete rheometry has been a topic of research for the last few decades in order to ensure objective and comprehensive evaluation of fresh concrete behaviour. However, a number of artefacts and the incompatibility with certain rheometer geometries reduce the accuracy of the rheological analysis of concrete. It is, therefore, essential to match the right kind of rheometer configuration for a given concrete type. This paper investigates the compatibility of three different types of concrete mixes – self-compacting concrete (SCC), pumpable concrete (PC), and mortar mix (M) – with three rheometer configurations. Out of the three rheometer geometries, two are coaxial cylinder based, viz. vane impeller with smooth-walled container (V), slotted-vane impeller with ribbed-walled container (SV), and the other one is an attritor impeller with a smooth-walled container (AP) rotating in a planetary motion. Flow curve tests are carried out at different time intervals and compared with the corresponding slump/slump spread value. Stress growth tests (SGT) are performed to study the evolution of the static yield stress with time. A unique approach – SB’s L-Box analysis – has been developed to assess the noise-to-signal (N/S) ratio and, thereby, estimate the quality of data obtained from the SGTs. It was observed that the SGT data for the SCC and PC mixes are not reliable due to large noise and scatter, probably caused by the inclusion of coarse aggregates. The slotted-vane impeller was found to be the best choice among all the geometries. Furthermore, it was emphasised that an SB’s L-Box analysis of the SGT data could give important information on the compatibility of a rheometer configuration with a given concrete type. An N/S ratio of less than 0.20 was recommended for obtaining reliable data.
Environmental Impact Measurement and Chromatic Performance Evaluation of Denim Washing: A Comparison to Conventional and Sustainable Approaches for Cleaner Production
Authors: Rahaman Md.Tareque , Hasan Md. Kamrul , Khan Md.Shakib Hossain
Published: January 2025

Over the past few decades, several developments and innovations have made denim a "classic" in today's fashion cycle. Modern consumers today are concerned with clothing comfort, environmental sustainability, and aesthetic appeal. Sustainability in denim washing is a pressing concern in the fashion industry, affecting consumers' purchasing decisions. Sustainable alternatives for denim enthusiasts now include eco-friendly alternative garments dry and wet processes through nontoxic chemicals, process optimization, and washing recipe optimization. Previous research focused solely on the physical properties of denim samples following the use of hazardous conventional denim washing techniques; yet those did not adequately represent empirical assessments of the environmental impact measurement, chromatic values, and visual uniformity of vintage effects on vat-dyed denim. This research compares the three conventional washing techniques such as dark, medium, and light washes with their sustainable counterparts, analyzing their environmental impacts and chromatic evaluation. Sustainable washing techniques tend to be more efficient, saving at least 15.5-21.5 minutes per wash. While medium and dark washing save 14.44 L/kg and 19.4 L/kg of water, respectively, sustainable light washing saves 3.9 L/kg. Sustainable washes are more economical and those techniques also consume less energy and have lower chemical and energy impact scores than conventional washes. The Environmental Impact Measurement (EIM) scoring system implies 0–33 for low impact, 34–66 for medium impact, and >66 for high impact. EIM score of conventional washing methods (42 for light, 51 for medium, and 57 for dark wash) is greater than that of sustainable washing methods (8 for light, 13 for medium, and 17 for dark wash). Evaluations indicate a decline in color strength (K/S), chromaticity (C*), and hue angle (h) for light-washed denim of conventional and sustainable types. Conversely, the light-washed samples show higher color difference (ΔE), and CIE L*a*b* values in comparison to medium and dark-washed denim samples of conventional and sustainable types. This research provides a comprehensive assessment using metrics like EIM score, color differences, color strength, chromaticity, and hue angle.
Optimizing EMS Response Times with Machine Learning: A Multivariate Analysis for Enhanced Resource Allocation
Authors: Hill Peter , Lederman Jakob , Jonsson Daniel , Bolin Peter , Vicente Veronica
Published: January 2025

Background
This study examines the multifaceted determinants of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response times through a machine learning approach. Using data from over one million EMS missions spanning 2017 to 2022, this research aims to understand and predict factors influencing response times, highlighting the role of machine learning in optimizing emergency services.
Methods
Advanced machine learning techniques, including Gradient Boosting models, were employed to analyze response times across various emergency scenarios. The data set was carefully curated to consider numerous factors such as urgency levels, call handling times, travel times, and geographical and temporal variables.
Results
The analysis confirms significant variability in response times influenced by factors such as the urgency of calls, weather conditions. Adverse weather and extreme temperatures were found to exacerbate response times significantly. Central urban areas showed faster response times compared to remote regions. The machine learning models effectively identified and quantified these impacts, offering a nuanced understanding that can inform more targeted EMS deployment strategies.
Conclusions
The findings advocate for the integration of real-time data on traffic, weather, and incident specifics into EMS resource allocation strategies to optimize response times dynamically. This approach underscores the importance of leveraging predictive analytics in emergency response planning, enhancing service delivery and patient outcomes. The study not only contributes to academic knowledge but also provides practical insights for emergency service administrators aiming to improve operational efficiency and response effectiveness.
Follow the Money: Are Severe Weather Events Value Relevant?
Authors: Liu Lisa , Agrawal Sonakshi , Rajgopal Shivaram
Published: January 2025

An important contemporary policy debate relates to whether climate risk significantly impacts a firm’s financial performance. Our examination of this debate leads to three key findings. First, a severe weather event knocks off 1.3% of an affected public firm’s market capitalization. Second, specific industries and certain time periods drive statistically significant stock price reactions. Moreover, firms that disclose climate risks tend to experience slightly smaller stock price reactions. Third, private companies are particularly susceptible to the negative financial impact of natural disasters. However, private firms exhibit greater resilience when they receive financial assistance from government programs and when they are diversified across geographies. We caution policymakers on disclosures aimed at regulating public firms’ disclosure of climate risks while the disproportionate financial impact of severe weather events potentially affects private firms.
JEL: D03, G14, G18, G38, K22, K32, M41, M48.
Climate feedback of forest fires amplified by atmospheric chemistry
Authors: Chen Wei , Zhang Yuzhong , Zou Yufei , Zhang Zhen
Published: January 2025

Intensified forest wildfires, driven by climate change, release reactive gases that lead to reduced atmospheric oxidation capacity, hence increasing methane levels and amplifying warming. Our integrated analysis of fire and chemistry models projects that additional warming by this mechanism rivals that of wetland methane feedback and fire CO2 feedback by the 2050s under the intermediate climate pathway. Our finding highlights a critical role of atmospheric chemistry in regulating fire-climate feedback.
Longitudinal characterization of clinical, developmental, and behavioral phenotypes in 101 children and adults with FOXG1 syndrome
Authors: Brimble Elise , Ventola Pam , Blomenberg Elizabeth , Frahlich Kelsey , Kuhathaas Kopika , Hart Christopher E , Bahi-Buisson Nadia , Olson Heather E , Marsh Eric D , Ayalon Gai
Published: January 2025

Background
FOXG1 syndrome is a severe genetic neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by developmental and intellectual disabilities (DD/ID), postnatal microcephaly, epilepsy, and movement disorder. With the advent of molecular therapies, establishing the natural history of FOXG1 syndrome is critical to enable clinical trial readiness. However, traditional study designs are challenging to implement for rare disorders without significant burden to participants.
Methods
The study population included 101 children and adults with (likely) pathogenic variants in or involving FOXG1 (ages 0.4 - 34.8 years). Participant medical records underwent systematic annotation and harmonization of recorded clinical phenotypes, interventions, and outcomes through use of a patient-centric real-world data (RWD) platform. Retrospective medical record data were paired with prospective administration of validated measures of development and behavior, including the Vineland-3, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist, and the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to characterize longitudinal phenotypes and to explore genotype-phenotype correlations.
Results
Through systematic evaluation of 101 people with FOXG1 syndrome, we generated a robust dataset encompassing >40,000 annotated clinical terminology concepts that represent >770 cumulative patient data years. Core clinical phenotypes include DD/ID, gastrointestinal disorders, strabismus, epilepsy, movement disorders, and sleep problems. The FOXG1 syndrome behavioral phenotype is characterized by irritability, including aggressive behaviors, stereotypies, social withdrawal, and lethargy; in those with missense variants, features of autism spectrum disorders are also reported. Data derived from both medical records and validated measures confirm and expand upon previously described genotype-phenotype correlations, whereby truncating variants are associated with greater limitations across motor and communication domains, as well as increased frequency of core FOXG1 syndrome phenotypes. Further, individuals with truncating variants had higher scores on a composite measure of FOXG1 syndrome severity, which persists when modeled longitudinally. Employing the same composite measure, we demonstrate that FOXG1 syndrome is a static encephalopathy without evidence of neurodegeneration.
Conclusions
By combining retrospective RWD with prospective survey administration in a large sample population, we establish the natural history of FOXG1 syndrome and highlight candidate clinical endpoints for use in clinical trials, including quantitative evaluations of communication and movement disorders.
Interface-mediated dc electro-optic instability in lithium niobate nanophotonics
Authors: Yeh Matthew , Barton David , Smith Gavin , Day Aaron , Raun Alexander , Renaud Dylan , Assumpcao Daniel , Hu Evelyn , Loncar Marko
Published: January 2025

In certain materials, the linear electro-optic (Pockels) effect allows direct control of the refractive index with an applied electric field. In practice, material inhomogeneities and defects cause the field inside the material to drift over macroscopic time scales. Such phenomena degrade the reliability and stability of integrated electro-optic devices. Here, we combine systematic measurements of dc electro-optic response, electronic transport, and elemental composition to examine the microscopic origins of dc instability in nanofabricated thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) devices. We identify two key sources of instability: the metal-LN contact interface where Schottky barriers impede charge injection, and the oxide-LN cladding interface where lithium diffusion occurs. Our work provides an electronic understanding of a long-standing photonics issue, advancing a potential pathway toward high-performance integrated electro-optic devices through materials-motivated design.