bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beneficial Effect of a Nutraceutical, Containing Red Yeast Rice and Polycosanols, on Lipid Profile in Children with Moderate and Severe Hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Garoufi Anastasia , Papadaki Maria , Kalogiannis Michalis , Zerva Urania , Charakida Marietta , Marmarinos Antonios , Attilakos Achilleas
Published: October 2024

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the long-term use of a dietary supplement containing red yeast rice (RYR), combined with other natural compounds, in children and adolescents with primary hypercholesterolemia. A nutraceutical, containing RYR, polycosanols, coenzyme Q10, astaxanthin and folic acid (commercial name: Armolipid), was administered once-daily in 84 children/adolescents with moderate or severe primary hypercholesterolemia. Moreover, 19 of the participants consumed 1.5-2.5g of phytosterols daily until the initiation of dietary supplementation with Armolipid. Clinical and laboratory evaluation took place before and 6 and 16 months after treatment. Nutraceutical consumption resulted in a significant decrease in total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein - cholesterol, non-high density lipoprotein – cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels, that remained at the long-term administration (p
Numerical Investigation and Design Curves for Thinned Planar Antenna Arrays for 5G and 6G
Authors: Pinchera Daniele , Schettino Fulvio , Lucido Mario , Chirico Gaetano , Migliore Marco Donald
Published: October 2024

We numerically investigate the relationship between the main parameters of thinned antenna arrays using a specifically designed evolutionary algorithm, the Multi-Objective Pareto Evolution for Thinning (MOPET). We provide some useful results that allow assessing the achievable performance of antenna arrays and help researchers and practitioners design radar, 5G, and 6G systems.
Protein Biochips with Three-Dimensional Hydrogel or Polymer Brush Elements for the Detection of Human Serum IgE Specific to Inhalation Allergens
Authors: Miftakhov Rinat A. , Shtylev Georgiy F. , Kachulyak Daria A. , Shishkin Ivan Yu. , Vasiliskov Vadim A. , Butvilovskaya Veronika I. , Kuznetsova Viktoriya E. , Shershov Valeriy E. , Barsky Victor E. , Polyakov Sergey A. , Zasedateleva Olga A. , Chudinov Alexander V.
Published: October 2024

The development of rapid analysis of human serum for the presence of allergen-specific IgE is currently important. Consequently, we developed two types of 3D protein biochips. The first one is a 3D hydrogel biochip containing hydrogel droplets with protein molecules (allergens, immunoglobulins and others). These droplets are disposed on elements consisting of short polymer brushes grafting from a surface of polybutylene terephthalate polymer. The immobilization of proteins was induced by short-wave UV radiation. On such a biochip, the kinetics of allergen-sIgE complex formation reached 70% of saturation for 6 hours. Also we developed a 3D brush microchip containing on the surface of a polyethylene terephthalate polymer the brush elements with protein molecules covalently immobilized by opening oxirane cycles by amino and thiol nucleophilic groups contained in proteins. In the case of 3D brush microchip the kinetics of allergen-sIgE complex formation reached 100% of saturation for 3 hours, and fluorescent signals were 2-3 times higher than those of the 3D hydrogel biochip. Thus, the comparative analysis revealed that 3D brush biochips are more useful for further studies of protein-protein interactions than 3D hydrogel ones.
Optimizing Carbon Emissions in Electricity Markets: A System Engineering and Machine Learning Approach
Authors: An Zhiyu , Whitcomb Clifford Alan
Published: October 2024

This study addresses the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions in the power sector, a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, by employing system engineering principles coupled with machine learning techniques. It focuses on analyzing the interplay between regional marginal prices (LMP) and carbon emissions within electricity markets. Leveraging a dataset that encompasses hourly LMP and carbon emissions data across various regions of New York State, the paper explores how market designs and operational strategies influence carbon output. The analysis utilizes neural networks to simulate and predict the effects of different market scenarios on carbon emissions, highlighting the role of LMP, loss costs, and congestion costs in environmental policy effectiveness. The results underscore the potential of system engineering to provide a holistic framework that integrates market dynamics, policy adjustments, and environmental impacts, thereby offering actionable insights into optimizing market designs for reduced carbon footprints. This approach not only enhances the understanding of the complex interactions within electricity markets but also supports the development of targeted strategies for achieving sustainable energy transitions.
A New General Correlation for the Influence Parameter in Density Gradient Theory and Peng-Robinson Equation of State for N-Alkanes
Authors: Cachadiña Isidro , Hernández Ariel , Mulero Ángel
Published: October 2024

A new analytical expression is proposed for the reduced influence parameter in Density Gradient Theory when combined with the Peng-Robinson equation of state for 32 n-alkanes. It contains the critical and triple point temperature values for each fluid as input and three adjustable coefficients. The new analytical expression contains the two-coefficients Zuo and Stenby and Miqueu et al.correlations as particular cases, and it is a modification of the previously published Cachadiña et al. correlation.

Initially, the correlation coefficients for each fluid were obtained by fitting selected values for surface tension, and the results were comparable to other specific correlations reported in the literature. The overall mean absolute percentage deviation (OMAPD) between the selected and calculated data is just 0.79%

Then, a general correlation including six adjustable coefficients valid for all the considered n-alkanes is proposed. It includes the radius of gyration as a new input parameter for each fluid. In this case, the OMAPD is 1.78\%. The use of other fluid properties as inputs is also briefly discussed.
Physics-Informed Neural Networks for UAV System Estimation
Authors: Bianchi Domenico , Epicoco Nicola , Di Ferdinando Mario , Di Gennaro Stefano , Pepe Pierdomenico
Published: October 2024

The dynamic nature of quadrotor flight introduces significant uncertainty in system parameters, such as thrust and drag factor. Consequently, operators grapple with escalating challenges in implementing real-time control actions.
This study delves into an approach for estimating the model of quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles using Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) when you have a limited amount of data available. PINNs offer the potential to tackle issues like heightened non-linearities in low-inertia systems, elevated measurement noise, and constraints on data availability. The effectiveness of the estimator is showcased in a simulation environment with real data and juxtaposed with a state-of-the-art technique, such as the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF).
A Systematic Literary Review on Community Resilience Indicators: Adaptation and Application of the BRIC Method for Measuring Disasters Resilience
Authors: Milenković Dalibor , Cvetković Vladimir M. , Renner Renate
Published: October 2024

Community resilience represents an important concept in the comprehensive approach to disaster management. It is assumed that optimal community resilience can mitigate negative impacts and enable adaptation, thereby reducing the negative consequences of future disasters. The measurement of community resilience to disasters has advanced over the past two decades, primarily through the use of indicators that measure community resilience indices. The Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities (BRIC) represent an increasingly popular and frequently used quantitative method for measuring community resilience indices to disasters. This literature review was conducted to examine and assess the use and adaptation of the BRIC method in measuring community resilience. The review comprehensively analyzes relevant scientific papers, extracting and synthesizing the most important findings from the studies, which provided the necessary data to meet the objectives of the literature review. A total of 37 relevant studies were identified for analysis in the review. The indicators used were examined, including their selection, grouping, and evaluation procedures, as well as the calculation of the appropriate index. The review also covered the method of data collection needed to measure the impact of indicators on resilience, as well as the shortcomings of this process. The measurement of community resilience to disasters is a contemporary issue, with several detected shortcomings in the process itself. The need to adapt the BRIC method to the local context has been established. Improving the process of determining indicators and measuring indices would lead to broader use of the method in efforts to reduce disaster risk and enhance resilience to disasters.
A Chaos Synchronization Diagnostic: Difference Time Series Peak Complexity (DTSPC)
Authors: Lin Zhe , Pattanayak Arjendu K.
Published: October 2024

Chaotic systems can exhibit completely different behaviors given only slightly different initial conditions, yet it is possible to synchronize them through appropriate coupling. A wide variety of behaviors – complete chaos, complete synchronization, phase synchronization, etc – across a variety of systems have been identified but rely on systems’ phase space portraits, which suppress important distinctions between very different behaviors and require access to the differential equations or the full time-series. In this paper, we introduce the Difference Time Series Peaks Complexity (DTSPC) algorithm. This uses ordinal patterns created from sampled time-series, focusing on the the behavior of ringing patterns in the difference time series to quantitatively distinguish a variety of synchronization behaviors based on the entropic complexity of the populations of various patterns. We present results from the paradigmatic case of coupled Lorenz systems, both identical and non-identical and across a range of parameters and show that this technique captures the diversity of possible synchronization, including non-monotonicity as a function of parameter as well as complicated boundaries between different regimes. Thus this ordinal pattern entropy analysis algorithm reveals and quantifies the complexity of chaos synchronization dynamics, and in particular captures transitional behaviors between different regimes.
Clinical and Ct Features, Clinical Management and Decision on Sport Eligibility of Professional Athletes with Congenital Coronary Anomalies: A Case Series Study
Authors: Guarnieri Gianluca , Conte Edoardo , Marchetti Davide , Schillaci Matteo , Melotti Eleonora , Provera Andrea , Doldi Marco , Squeo Maria Rosaria , Pelliccia Antonio , Maestrini Viviana , Andreini Daniele
Published: October 2024

Background: Congenital coronary artery anomalies (CAAs) are a significant cause of sudden cardiac death and a key factor in determining athletes’ eligibility for competitive sports. Their prevalence varies with diagnostic modalities and may present as asymptomatic or with life-threatening ischemic or arrhythmic events. This case series highlights the diverse manifestations of CAAs and the clinical approaches used to determine sports eligibility.

Cases description: five competitive athletes with different CAAs are presented. These cases include anomalous coronary origins, intramyocardial bridges, and coronary fistulas. Diagnostic tools, including coronary CT angiography (CCTA), cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), and stress tests, were essential in evaluating these anomalies and determining treatment strategies. In some cases, such as intramyocardial bridges, surgical intervention was necessary, while others required conservative management or exclusion from competitive sports.

Conclusions: CAAs require individualized care based on risk stratification through advanced imaging techniques and functional assessment. Surgical interventions are reserved for high-risk anomalies, while others may be managed conservatively. Early detection and tailored management are crucial for ensuring athletes’ safety, and ongoing research is needed to optimize long-term outcomes.
Interpretable Conversation Routing with Latent Embeddings Approach
Authors: Maksymenko Daniil , Turuta Oleksii
Published: October 2024

Large language models (LLMs) get quickly implemented into question answering and support systems to automate customer experience across all domains even including medical use cases. Models in such environments should solve multiple problems like general knowledge questions, queries to external sources, function calling and many others. Some cases might not even require a full-on text generation. They possibly need different prompts or even models. All of it can be managed by a routing step. This paper focuses on interpretable few-shot approaches for conversation routing like latent embeddings retrieval. The work here presents a benchmark, a sorrow analysis, and a set of visualizations of the way latent embeddings routing works for long-context conversations in a multilingual, domain-specific environment. The results presented here show that latent embeddings router is able to achieve performance on the same level as LLM-based routers with additional interpretability and higher level of control over model decision making.
Promoting Sustainable Urban Mobility: Factors Influencing E-Bike Adoption in Henan Province, China
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyu , Lim Ee Shiang , Chen Maowei
Published: October 2024

This study examines the key factors influencing E-bike adoption and explores how advancing E-bike usage in Henan Province, China, can foster sustainable urban transportation and contrib-ute to urban environmental preservation. Utilizing data from an online survey, binary logistic re-gression analyzes the impact of socio-demographic characteristics, perceived advantages, neigh-borhood environmental attributes, and vehicle ownership on E-bike usage. Findings indicate that socio-demographic factors, such as family size and occupation, significantly influence adoption, with workmen more likely than office workers to choose E-bikes. Cost savings emerged as the primary motivator for E-bike use, overshadowing environmental concerns, which unexpectedly negatively affected usage patterns. However, the presence of supportive infrastruc-ture—particularly charging stations and dedicated lanes—proves crucial for promoting E-bike usage, highlighting the importance of accessible, environmentally supportive urban design. Vehi-cle ownership characteristics further illuminate how access to E-bikes correlates with regular us-age. These findings suggest that, beyond cost-efficiency, targeted awareness campaigns and stra-tegic infrastructure improvements are essential for embedding E-bikes into sustainable urban transport systems. By fostering adoption and supporting E-bike infrastructure, cities can signifi-cantly reduce urban pollution, improve air quality, and advance toward sustainable mobility goals in Henan Province and beyond.
The Effect of H+ Fluence Irradiation on the Optical, Structural, and Morphological Properties of ZnO Thin Films
Authors: Lopez-Suarez Alejandra , Cruz-Delgado Yaser D. , Acosta Dwight R. , López-Patiño Juan , Fuentes Beatriz E.
Published: October 2024

Polycrystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates using the chemical spray pyrolysis method at 450 ºC. The samples were irradiated with 8 keV H+ ions at three different fluences using a Colutron ion gun. The effects of the irradiation on the structural, morphological, and optical properties were studied with different techniques, including Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Ultraviolet and Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis). The results show that ion irradiation enhances crystallinity, narrowing the optical band gap. The changes in transmittance are related to defect formation within the material, which acts as light absorption and re-emission centers. A shifting of the film's preferred growth orientation to the c-axis and changing the grain morphology and size distribution was detected. We observed an increase in the lattice parameters observed after irradiation, suggesting an expansion of the crystalline structure due to ions incorporation and defects within the ZnO crystal lattice. The morphological study shows an increase in the average size of the large particles after irradiation. This change is attributed to the emergence of defects and nucleation centers during irradiation. The average size of small particles remained relatively constant after irradiation, suggesting that small particles are more stable and less susceptible to external influences, resulting in fewer changes due to irradiation.
Generalized Method of Moments and Percentile Method: Estimating Parameters of the Novel Median Based Unit Weibull Distribution
Authors: Attia Iman
Published: October 2024

The Median Based Unit Weibull is a new 2 parameter unit Weibull distribution defined on the unit interval (0,1). Estimation of the parameters using MLE encountered some problems like large variance. Using generalized method of moments (GMMs) and percentile method may ameliorate this condition. This paper introduces GMMs and the percentile methods for estimating the parameters of the new distribution with illustrative real data analysis.
Numerical Analysis of Knudsen Number of Helium Flow Through Gas-Focused Liquid Sheet Micro-Nozzle
Authors: Kovačič Krištof , Bajt Saša , Šarler Božidar
Published: October 2024

This work aims to verify whether the continuum mechanics assumption holds for the numerical simulation of a typical sample delivery system in Serial Femtosecond Crystallography (SFX). Knudsen numbers were calculated based on the numerical simulation results of helium flow through the gas-focused liquid sheet nozzle into the vacuum chamber, representing the upper limit of Knudsen number for such systems. The analysed flow is considered steady, compressible and laminar. The numerical results are mesh-independent, with a Grid Convergence Index significantly lower than 1 % for global and local analysis. The study is based on an improved definition of the numerical Knudsen number, a combination of cell Knudsen number and physical Knudsen number. In the analysis, no-slip boundary and low-pressure boundary slip conditions are compared. No significant differences are observed. The study justifies using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis for SFX sample delivery systems based on the assumption of continuum mechanics.
Expanding the Clinical Spectrum of CEP290 Variants: A Case Report on Non-Syndromic Retinal Dystrophy with Mild Phenotype
Authors: Esteve-Garcia Anna , Aguilera Cinthia , Sau Cristina , Padró-Miquel Ariadna , Català-Mora Jaume , Cobos Estefania
Published: October 2024

Background/Objectives: Biallelic pathogenic variants in the CEP290 gene are typically associated with severe, early-onset inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) in both syndromic and non-syndromic forms. This study highlights the phenotypic variability of CEP290-related non-syndromic IRDs, focusing on two siblings with biallelic CEP290 variants. One sibling presents with a milder phenotype, expanding the known spectrum of CEP290-related IRDs and emphasizing the importance of personalized clinical monitoring; Methods: Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was used to identify CEP290 pathogenic variants in the siblings. Comprehensive ophthalmologic evaluations were performed to assess the severity and progression of retinal degeneration; Results: Both siblings were found to carry compound heterozygous pathogenic variants in CEP290, inherited in trans. Clinical evaluations revealed significantly preserved retinal function in the sister, whereas the brother exhibited a more aggressive and progressive retinal dystrophy; Conclusions: This study expands the phenotypic spectrum of non-syndromic CEP290-related IRDs, demonstrating that biallelic CEP290 variants can result in a wide range of severity, from mild to severe. These findings highlight the need for personalized monitoring and tailored management strategies in CEP290-related IRDs.
Three-Dimensional Pulsating Flow Simulation in a Multi-Point Gas Admission Valve for Large Bore CNG Engines
Authors: Jeong Soo-Jin , Moon Seong-Joon
Published: October 2024

This study examines the dynamic fluid behavior of a PWM-controlled Solenoid-Operated Gas Admission Valve (SOGAV) for large-bore CNG engines using 3D CFD simulations with dynam-ic mesh techniques. The research focuses on the influence of orifice geometry variations in the multi-hole restrictor and pressure differentials between the inlet and outlet on flow stability, turbulence, and valve performance. Results demonstrate that multi-hole restrictors with differ-ent-sized orifices improve flow uniformity and reduce turbulence, thereby mitigating flow re-sistance. Transient simulations further reveal standing wave formation and pressure wave in-terference, emphasizing that steady-state models cannot capture critical transient phenomena, such as accelerated and decelerated jet-like flows and flow separation. These findings provide key insights into SOGAV optimization, contributing to enhanced fuel efficiency and engine re-sponsiveness, meeting the performance requirements of modern gas engines.
Relationship between Posterior Resting-State Electroencephalographic Alpha Rhythms and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers of Neuropathology in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Del Percio Claudio , Lizio Roberta , Lopez Susanna , Noce Giuseppe , Carpi Matteo , Jakhar Dharmendra , Soricelli Andrea , Salvatore Marco , Yener Gorsev , Massa Federico , Arnaldi Dario , Famà Francesco , Pardini Matteo , Ferri Raffaele , Carducci Filippo , Lanuzza Bartolo , Stocchi Fabrizio , Vacca Laura , Coletti Chiara , Marizzoni Moira , Taylor John Paul , Hanoğlu Lütfü , Yılmaz Nesrin Helvacı , Kıyı İlayda , Özbek-İşbitiren Yağmur , D’Anselmo Anita , Bonanni Laura , Biundo Roberta , D'Antonio Fabrizia , Bruno Giuseppe , Antonini Angelo , Giubilei Franco , Farotti Lucia , Parnetti Lucilla , Frisoni Giovanni B. , Babiloni Claudio
Published: October 2024

The present study was developed based on the data of The PDWAVES Consortium (www.pdwaves.eu) and the PharmaCog project. The Partners and institutional affiliations are reported on the cover page of this manuscript.
In this study, the clinical, neuropsychological, and magnetic resonance imaging data collection and analysis in patients with ADMCI and healthy control participants were partially supported by the funds of “Ricerca Corrente 2022-2023” (Italian Ministry of Health) to the IRCCS Synlab SDN of Naples (Italy), IRCCS Ospedale San Martino of Genoa (Italy), Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina (Italy), IRCCS Fatebenefratelli of Brescia (Italy), and IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana of Rome (Italy).
Prof. Claudio Del Percio’s and Dr. Roberta Biundo’s work for this study was supported by funds of the “PRIN-2022” project entitled "AmyEEG” (Italian Ministry of University and Research, Prot. 2022FJAXY8). At the same time, Prof. Claudio Babiloni’s work was supported by funds of the “Horizon Marie S. Curie Doctoral Network ” project entitled "CombiDiag” (European Committee, Proposal: 101071485).
Quantifying the Impact and Policy Implications of Transitioning to Zonal and Nodal Pricing in the Electricity Market: A South Korean Case Study
Authors: Kwag Kyuhyeong , Shin Hansol , Oh Hyobin , Yun Hyeongseok , Yoon Hyojeong , Kim Wook
Published: October 2024

Electricity markets are transitioning to zonal and nodal pricing to maximize social welfare, improve price signals, and enhance congestion management. South Korea, traditionally reliant on uniform pricing, is evaluating this transition but lacks a detailed impact analysis. This study assessed the impacts of various zonal and nodal pricing schemes on power systems and provided policy implications for this transition. We (1) modeled the power system at various levels of granularity, obtaining a detailed 4,579-node representation; (2) constructed a set of zonal and nodal pricing schemes reflecting changes in market-clearing models and pricing mechanisms; and (3) performed quantitative analyses through simulations for each scheme. Under the current system marginal price (SMP)-based uniform pricing, the schemes with least market impact are SMP-based zonal pricing with two bidding zones and extended locational marginal pricing. These results can guide the development of an appropriate pricing transition pathway, although a market price reduction of 4.8–7.0% appears inevitable. Within the Korean electricity market, wherein Transco is a monopoly retailer, we identified potential conflicts of interest for Transco in zonal and nodal pricing. By focusing on South Korea, this study offers valuable insights into any electricity market considering the transition to zonal and nodal pricing.
Immobilization of Radioactive Waste into Composites Used in the Space Industry
Authors: Kizka Valeriy
Published: October 2024

In the aerospace industry, composites based on polymer or metal matrices and fillers made from granite, marble, lime and other rock powders are used. These fillers are similar in composition to cement and glass used for immobilization of radioactive waste (RW). In this paper, it is proposed to grind cemented or vitrified radioactive waste into micro or nanopowder and introduce this powder into a polymer or metal matrix to obtain a composite with improved physical characteristics, which can be used as a structural element or equipment element of automated space stations, satellites or rovers. In this way, it is possible to dispose of a huge amount of accumulated radioactive waste into space as a payload.
Pano-GAN: A Generative Model for Panoramic Dental Radiographs
Authors: Pedersen Søren , Jain Sanyam , Chavez Mikkel , Ladehoff Viktor , de Freitas Bruna Neves , Pauwels Ruben
Published: October 2024

This paper presents the development of a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) for the generation of synthetic dental panoramic radiographs to address the scarcity of data in dental research and education. A Deep Convolutional GAN (DCGAN) with Wasserstein Loss and Gradient Penalty (WGAN-GP) was trained on a dataset of 2322 radiographs of varying quality. The focus for this study was on the dentoalveolar part of the radiographs; other structures were cropped out. Significant data cleaning and preprocessing was conducted to standardize input formats while maintaining anatomical variability. Four candidate models were identified by varying the critic iterations, number of features and the use of denoising prior to training. To assess the quality of the generated images, a clinical expert evaluated generated synthetic radiographs using a ranking system based on visibility and realism from 1 (Very Poor) to 5 (Excellent). It was found that most generated radiographs showed moderate depictions of dentoalveolar anatomical structures, although they were considerably impaired by artifacts. After averaging evaluation scores, a trade-off was observed between the model trained on non-denoised data, which showed the highest subjective quality for finer structures such as the Mandibular Canal and Trabecular Bone, and one of the models trained on denoised data, which offered better overall image quality, especially for Clarity & Sharpness, and Overall Realism. The outcome serves as a foundation for further research into GAN architectures for dental applications. A GitHub repository containing the WGAN-GP model, source code, and synthetic data has been made publicly available at https://github.com/ViktorLaden/DataProjectGAN.
Interplay of Spin Nernst Effect and Entanglement Negativity in Layered Ferrimagnets: A Study via Exact Diagonalization
Authors: Lima Leonardo
Published: October 2024

In this paper, we analyzed the influence of spin Nernst effect on quantum correlation in the layered ferrimagnetic model. In the study of three-dimensional ferrimagnets, the focus is on materials with a specific arrangement of spins, where neighboring spins are parallel and other antiparallel. The anisotropic nature of these materials means that the interactions between spins depend on their relative orientations in different directions. We analyzed the effect of magnon bands induced by the coupling parameters on entanglement negativity. The influence of the coupling parameters of the topologic phase transition on quantum entanglement is investigated as well. Numerical simulations using Lanczos algorithm and exact diagonalization for different sizes lattice are compared with the results of the spin wave theory.
Polymeric Composites Reinforced with Amazonian Agro-Extractive and Timber Industry Residues: A Sustainable Approach to Enhancing Material Properties and Promoting Bioeconomy
Authors: Leite-Barbosa Odilon , Pinto Claúdia Carnaval de Oliveira , Leite-da-Silva Jôse Maria , De Aguiar Erick Max Mourão Monteiro , Veiga-Junior Valdir Florencio
Published: October 2024

The Amazon region, with its vast biodiversity and rich natural resources, presents a unique opportunity for the development of sustainable polymeric composites reinforced with residues from both the timber and agro-extractive industries. This article explores the potential of these Amazonian residues, such as sawdust, wood shavings, and agro-industrial by-products like açaí seeds and Brazil nut shells, to enhance the mechanical, thermal, and environmental properties of polymer composites. By integrating these natural materials into polymer matrices, significant improvements in composite performance have been achieved, including increased tensile strength, thermal stability, and biodegradability. The study also highlights the environmental and economic benefits of utilizing these residues, promoting waste reduction and supporting a circular economy in the region. Through case studies and detailed analyses, the article demonstrates the feasibility and advantages of incorporating Amazonian residues into composites for a wide range of applications, from construction materials to consumer goods. This approach not only adds value to the by-products of the Amazonian industries but also contributes to the global effort towards sustainable material development.
Urinary Tract Microbiome Association with Diseases and Autoimmunity: Plausible Potential for Therapeutics and Accompanying Challenges
Authors: Wei Calvin R. , Basharat Zarrin , Osama Muhammad , Mah Karmen , Waheed Yasir , Hassan Syed Shah
Published: October 2024

The urinary tract, once considered sterile, is now understood to host a diverse community of microorganisms known as the urinary microbiome. This microbiome, which is made up of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, is important for preserving urological health and has been linked to the pathogenesis of a number of urinary tract disorders. In this review, we offer a consolidated overview of the urinary tract bacterial population, including its composition, diversity, and factors influencing its dynamics. We explore its involvement in urinary tract infections, interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), urinary stone formation, and other urological diseases, highlighting the importance of understanding its correlation with disease pathology for the development of therapeutic strategies. Additionally, we explore its role in autoimmune diseases of the urinary tract and the potential of leveraging the urinary microbiome for targeted interventions in the treatment of urinary tract infections. Longitudinal studies are emphasized for their ability to elucidate microbial dynamics, establish causality, and ensure consistency and reproducibility across research endeavors. These efforts underscore the necessity for continued research and multidisciplinary collaborations in this rapidly evolving field to advance our understanding and therapeutic strategies for urinary tract disorders.
Thermal Comfort Analysis of HVAC Systems Using Full CFD Open-Source Software
Authors: Beghelli Júlio Modesto , Nascimento Andreia Aoyagui , Mariano Felipe Pamplona
Published: October 2024

Ventilation, cooling, and heating systems play a crucial role in providing thermal comfort within occupied environments, influencing productivity, well-being, health, and energy consumption. This research focuses on leveraging Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) as a tool for studying fluid flows and analyzing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to achieve ideal room temperatures efficiently. Initially, the thermal comfort study is conducted using the OpenFOAM software, aiming to compare and validate its algorithm against a reference article that utilized proprietary software. By demonstrating the capabilities of OpenFOAM as an open-source alternative, this research opens opportunities for analyzing HVAC systems using an accessible program, facilitating the optimization of climatization strategies. Subsequently, an analysis of ventilation systems is performed through a factorial design that involves altering the positions of air inlets and outlets, as well as adjusting the insufflation velocity. The findings reveal that superior positions of air inlets lead to improved thermal comfort results, as measured by the Air Diffusion Performance Index (ADPI). This research provides an insights in the configuration of ventilation and air conditioning systems to enhance occupant’s thermal comfort. By utilizing CFD simulations and exploring several parameters affecting thermal comfort, this research contributes to advancing HVAC system analysis.
Foster Grandparent Programs Impact on the Quality-of-Life of Older Adult Volunteers
Authors: Schulhoff Anastacia , Dukehart Alex
Published: October 2024

Volunteering among older adults in the United States is rising, with rates up by 65% since 1974. With this tremendous growth in volunteering among seniors, examining how it affects them is essential. One such volunteering program we look at in this research is the Foster Grandparents Program (FGP) of the High Country, which allows older adults to volunteer at local schools to help in-need children. Previous research has shown how volunteering as an older adult positively impacts people's quality of life. This paper will explore the quality-of-life changes for the FGP older adult volunteers, explicitly comparing the quality-of-life changes with demographics and program satisfaction. This study looked at 93 participants of the FGP and their survey responses. We used cross-tabulation and correlation to look for relationships between demographics, satisfaction with volunteer experience, and overall changes in the quality-of-life of volunteers. Age, gender, and years of service were not good predictors of quality-of-life changes. On the other hand, overall satisfaction with the program proved to be the best predictor for change in quality of life. When satisfaction with positive program experiences is high, volunteers are more likely to have less symptoms of depression, state they have a greater sense of belonging to a community and were able to build a positive identity for themselves, all of which impacted their overall quality-of-life.
Deep Retrofitting Study of Government Buildings in the UAE
Authors: Taleb Hanan M. , Chami Nada , Kayed Mays , Spanos Ioannis , Kamal Hassan , Hamdan Hanin , Deshpande Nilesh
Published: October 2024

This report summarizes the findings of a deep retrofitting modelling study of four government buildings across the UAE. Buildings envelope assessment, HVAC, and electrical systems design, installed conditions, maintenance practices and operation methods, and rigorous engineering analysis has been performed for the four buildings to produce calibrated energy models that confirm a good correlation between actual annual energy consumption and advanced simulated energy modeling results. IES-VE software, ASHRAE Guideline 14, and IPMVP were the basis of the energy model calibration based on actual data. Energy retrofitting options were applied to the calibrated energy models of the four government buildings where advanced computational modeling studies have been utilized to analyze different thermal envelope components and external fabric energy efficiency measures in conjunction with the actual HVAC systems. The results have shown that it may be financially challenging to implement a single envelope retrofitting measure on any of the four buildings due to high payback periods. Nevertheless, when conducting an optimization through a holistic building approach targeting the overall envelope enhancements, the financial modeling results provide significantly improved and provide reduced payback periods of the solutions, making them more attractive to investors. Based on the energy modeling results and the cost of the various proposed building envelope solutions provided by Saint-Gobain, the payback period in all cases varies between 15 to 20 years. However, huge savings in terms of carbon emissions are achieved by implementing the deep retrofitting measures, crucial to achieving carbon neutrality within the UAE built environment. Deep retrofitting is a promising segment of the execution roadmap as part of the UAE's decarbonization journey; even though it is capital-intensive upfront, it has a major impact on long-term operational savings. Moreover, it is often more cost-effective than building new and energy-efficient structures from scratch. The findings indicate that deep retrofitting can be a techno-financially viable solution if it is well-planned during major refurbishment or as part of building maintenance. It has significant potential to reduce carbon emissions while also providing a range of benefits such as operational cost savings, improved thermal comfort – a feature which has a direct impact on perceived efficiency and productivity at work, indoor air quality, improved asset value, reputational enhancement, and better choice for environmentally-cautious tenants or buyers.
Aberrances of the Wound Healing Process: A Review
Authors: Fernandez-Guarino Montserrat , Naharro-Rodriguez Jorge , Bacci and Stefano
Published: October 2024

The type of review presented to the reader contains a reflection on the aberrations related to the wound healing process that often result in real pathologies or malformations. The reader is therefore invited through literature updates to reflect on the complex problem of wound healing and then gain knowledge on the problem of chronic wounds, keloids and hypertrophic scars. These problems are relevant in everyday life but still today they are not resolved and there is no knowledge of the cellular mechanisms present. Once again, as has been widely debated in recent years, knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these pathologies is fundamental for the treatment of these.
Time-Refraction and Spacetime Optics
Authors: Mendonça José Tito
Published: October 2024

A review of recent advances in spacetime optics is given, with special emphasis on time-refraction. This is a basic optical process, occurring at a temporal discontinuity ou temporal boundary, that is able to produce various different effects, such as frequency shifts, energy amplification, time-reflection and photon emission. If, instead of a single discontinuity, we have two reverse temporal boundaries, we can form a temporal beam-splitter, where temporal interferences can occur. It will also be shown that, in the presence of an axis of symmetry, such as a magnetic field, the temporal beam-splitter can induce a rotation of the initial polarization state, similar to a Faraday rotation. Recent work on time-crystals, superluminal fronts and superfluid light will be reviewed. Time-gates, based on spacetime optical effects will be discussed. We also mention recent work on optical metamaterials. Finally, the quantum properties of time-refraction, which imply the emission of photon from vacuum, are considered, while similar problems in high energy QED associated with electron-positron pairs are briefly mentioned.
A Scalable Fog Computing Solution for Industrial Predictive Maintenance and Customization
Authors: D’Agostino Pietro , Violante Massimo , Macario Gianpaolo
Published: October 2024

This paper explores developing and deploying a fog computing platform tailored for industrial environments, focusing on predictive maintenance and advanced data management. The research investigates the integration of custom sensors and algorithms to meet specific industrial requirements, emphasizing the application of Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models for predicting equipment failures. The study enhances proactive maintenance strategies and real-time decision-making by applying machine learning techniques within a fog computing architecture. The findings underscore the platform’s potential to advance industrial data processing, edge intelligence, and maintenance practices, contributing to improved efficiency and reduced downtime in industrial operations.
Left Ventricular and Atrial Function Analysis following Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair
Authors: Linder Timor , Sudarsky Doron , Grosman-Rimon Liza , Rimon Jordan , Shuvy Mony , Carasso Shemy
Published: October 2024

Background: Conventional echocardiography used to assess volumes of the left ventricle (LV) and left atrium (LA) along with mitral regurgitation grade is routine studies before and after transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (Mitral TEER). Previous studies focus on LV parameter changes and comparison of the functions before and a few months following Mitral TEER implantation, as well as LA reverse remodeling, by assessing LV volumes. However, less is known regarding LA strain changes in the early phase after the procedure. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of Mitral TEER on LA strain early after TEER procedure. Methods: The retrospective study included 44 patients who underwent Mitral TEER. LA strain and volumes were evaluated by speckle tracking echocardiography at baseline and 24-48 hours following the procedure. Demographic, echocardiographic, and clinical characteristics were obtained and statistically analyzed. Results: LA global longitudinal strain (GLS) reservoir improved significantly (from 12.2±7 to 14.7±6.4, p=0.0079) after Mitral TEER. Significant improvements were also seen in LA volumes (LA maximal and minimal volume), which reduced by 17% and 22.5% respectively. LV GLS was significantly changed (from -9.8% to -12.8%, p<0.0001) following Mitral TEER, whereas LV stroke volume was not significantly different between baseline and post Mitral TEER (p = 0.7798). Conclusion: After successful Mitral TEER, there was a very early improvement in LA function. Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography may contribute to our understanding of LA functional changes immediately post-procedure.
Ranking of MCDA Criteria and Methods Used for Selecting Landfill Sites: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Braga Risete maria Queiroz Leão , Brito Leticia Manuelle Couto de , França Samara Avelino de Souza
Published: October 2024

One of the most important requirements in the installation of landfills is the identification and evaluation of suitable areas, a complex decision due to the various factors and criteria involved. The aim of this work was to present the main criteria and methods of Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), with emphasis on the Hierarchical Analysis Process (AHP) method, used in the selection of landfill sites in Brazil and other countries. The methodology consisted of creating a ranking of the most used criteria for selecting areas suitable for landfill, based on a Systematic Literature Review, with data from a search strategy in the journals Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. The criteria selected were based on those established in standards, resolutions and laws in force in Brazil and criteria from other countries. Of the 89 studies selected, there was a recurrence among the main criteria used, namely: distance from water resources (96%), topographical characterization (90%), access (89%), distance from population centers and geology and existing soil types, both with 80%. As for the AHP method, studies have revealed other methods associated with it, such as the Geographic Information System (GIS), Weighted Linear Combination (WLC), Fuzzy, Fuzzy-AHP and Remote Sensing.
The Langmuir Monolayer as a Model Membrane System for Studying the Interactions of Poly(butyl Cyanoacrylate) Nanoparticles with Phospholipids at the Air/Water Interface
Authors: Yordanov Georgi , Minkov Ivan , Balashev Konstantin
Published: October 2024

Poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) (PBCA) nanoparticles have numerous applications, including drug and gene delivery, molecular imaging, and cancer therapy. To uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying their interactions with cell membranes, we utilized a Langmuir monolayer as a model membrane system. This approach enabled us to investigate the processes of penetration and reorganization of PBCA nanoparticles when deposited in a phospholipid monolayer subphase. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to visualize Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films of these nanoparticles. Additionally, we examined the state of a monolayer of Pluronic F68, a stabilizer of PBCA nanoparticles in suspension, by measuring changes in relative surface area and surface potential over time in the barostatic regime following PBCA suspension spreading. Based on these findings, we propose a molecular mechanism for nanoparticle reorganization at the air–water interface.
A Taxonomy for Supporting Industry- Academia Communication in Software Quality
Authors: Memon Imran Ali , Memon Rafia Naz , Lakho Shamshad , Soomro Saima Siraj , Soomro Sajida Parveen
Published: October 2024

Software quality is one of the most important components of software development. Software quality attracts the user's attention and produces reliable and error-free software. Poor approach strategies lead to less effective outcomes and a higher likelihood of failure. The gap between software quality research and practice is one of the main problems with software quality. The difference between the way software quality research is communicated and the way industry concerns related to software quality is the actual gap.software industries are unaware about rapid technological change, complexities of Modern software systems, security concerns, skill shortage impact on software quality, to overcome theses problems and gaps. Taxonomy is proposed to enhance industry-academia collaboration by facilitating better communication between software quality research and practice. Some of the best quality standards are outlined and authorized in this paper that yields the greatest out-comes. A methodical and goal-oriented strategy is used to develop the proposed taxonomy, with the help of literature review, blogs, articles, and interviews with researchers and practitioners. Twenty distinct questions regarding team co-ordination, dispersion, culture, behaviors and attitudes, experience, and other topics are included in the questionnaire. The taxonomy is evaluated through online survey by implementing it in an industry-academia collaboration project. Researchers and practitioners could use the proposed taxonomy to classify and identify quality concerns or obstacles.