bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effectiveness of educational workshops in improving the knowledge and attitude of attendees in laboratory animal science: A pre- and post-intervention design in Iran
Authors: Ahmadi-Noorbakhsh Siavash , Sadighi Jila , Hatami Zahra , Shamsi Gooshki Ehsan
Published: December 2024

The knowledge and attitude of researchers can affect the validity of laboratory animal (LAN) research. However, studies show that not all researchers possess the required knowledge and appropriate attitude for performing valid research on animals. This may have several reasons, such as high heterogeneity in the educational backgrounds of researchers in animal trials. In this study, we hypothesized that properly designed intensive educational intervention could improve the knowledge and attitude of a mixed population of researchers, regardless of their heterogeneity. We delivered 10 country-wide two-day LAN workshops for academic members, postgraduate students and members of the ethics committees of the medical universities in Iran. Using pre-/post-intervention design, we found that the intervention highly significantly ( p < 0.001) improved the knowledge score (from 2.96 ± 1.483 to 4.63 ± 1.548 mean ± SD; range: 0–8; n = 236) and attitude score (from 62.65 ± 5.160 to 65.57 ± 4.716; range: 14–70; N = 229). We also found that the educational intervention was significantly ( p = 0.035) more effective to improve the knowledge of participants with more years of experience in LAN science. Unexpectedly, our younger participants (overall age range: 19–67 years old; mean ± SD: 37.96 ± 9.55) had lower initial attitude score. However, education was significantly ( p = 0.002) more effective to improve the attitude score of younger participants. The knowledge and attitude improvements were not related to educational background, gender, history of prior attendance in LAN courses and amount of animal use. Attendees’ performance in the final assessment showed that they require more education on the ‘anesthesia/analgesia’ topic. They also declared a high interest in learning more on the design of LAN studies.
Collaborative Peer Mentoring in a Practicum: An Innovative Strategy to Cope with Teaching Anxiety
Authors: Nguyen Hoa TM , Tran Anh , Grassick Laura
Published: December 2024

The practicum, a common form of school–university partnership, plays a critical role in developing future teachers’ practice; however, it is often regarded as a source of considerable anxiety and stress. Despite a significant body of studies investigating pre-service teachers’ anxiety, strategies to help them cope with anxiety during the practicum are still under-researched and there are few studies examining this issue outside the Anglosphere. This study examines the impact of a peer-mentoring programme on the teaching anxiety of English as a Foreign Language pre-service teachers in a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages practicum in the context of a school–university partnership in Vietnam. The study employed a quasi-experimental design in which 32 pre-service teachers were placed in a treatment group and experienced a peer-mentoring programme, and 33 were organized in a control group and followed the traditional model of the practicum. The study collected data from a pre-teaching and post-teaching anxiety survey and focus-group interviews with participants from both groups during and after the practicum. The findings show the effectiveness of the peer-mentoring relationship in reducing teaching anxiety during the teaching practicum. It is found that peer mentoring provided pre-service teachers with emotional support, workload reduction and instruction improvement, as a way to reduce teaching anxiety. Implications for teacher educators on how to support pre-service teachers during the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages practicum in the school–university partnership are highlighted.
Development of Women’s Shirt Style Recognition Model (WSSRM) based on a ResNet and Transformer integrated method
Authors: Zhang Yawen , Wang Boya , Hong Yan , Zhang Shuo
Published: December 2024

The rise of e-commerce has brought women’s shirt images to the forefront, showcasing complex styles and diverse features. This presents a challenge for consumers in finding their preferred styles. Deep learning, known for its speed and superior retrieval performance, offers a solution by learning image features through multi-layer neural networks and extracting high-level semantic information, making it highly effective for recognizing and classifying clothing styles. The ResNet model excels in extracting detailed pixel information, but has limitations: (1) Jump connections in ResNet, which add input directly to the output in the residual block, can cause feature distortion, especially when input and output sizes do not match; (2) Despite many network layers, the effective receptive field of ResNet is smaller than theoretically expected. To address these limitations, this paper introduces the Transformer model into ResNet, proposing a new method for recognizing and classifying women’s shirt styles based on local detail feature extraction. The Transformer’s attention mechanism enhances the model’s ability to focus on important features and suppress less relevant ones, improving the accuracy of local detail feature extraction. This study examines six typical women’s shirt style features, applying the improved ResNet to their recognition and classification, resulting in a highly accurate and reliable model. This theoretical and practical advancement enhances the recognition of detailed features in women’s shirts, significantly contributing to the development of intelligent clothing design.
Effectiveness of an mHealth Application for Physical Activity Promotion Among Thai Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Pomkai Nanthawan , Potharin Danusorn , Widyastari Dyah Anantalia , Kaewpikul Piyakrita , Nilwatta Nattaporn , Chamsukhee Vanapol , Khanawapee Aunyarat , Yousomboon Chutima , Katewongsa Piyawat
Published: December 2024

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of mHealth delivered through LINE application in improving physical activity of older adults. This was a parallel, two-arm, randomized controlled trial, single-blind allocation to experimental and control groups. The sample consisted of 91 individuals (46 experimental and 45 control groups) aged 45 years or older, and had internet access. Intervention group received customized activities focused on raising awareness and knowledge provision for 8 weeks. Out of 91 participants, 82 completed the study (41 in each group). Comparison of Mean Difference values within groups found a significant difference at P < .05 (t = 2.294). The experimental group increased their PA by 7.2 min on average, while the control group decreased to 44.1 min. Subgroup that fully complied with the activity process had a significantly higher percentage of adequate PA at P = .01 level ( χ2 = 7.853**). Tailoring activity content to older adults’ diverse lifestyles via a Mobile Health application can effectively boost PA levels by meeting their needs conveniently and quickly.

Clinical trial registration: Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR) TCTR20240422004.
The efficiency of an explicit approach to improve complex syntax in French-speaking children with developmental language disorder: A pilot study
Authors: Delage Hélène , Stanford Emily , Garnier Pauline , Oriol Emilie , Morin Eléonore
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) have persistent language difficulties in complex syntax. To date, few studies have examined the effectiveness of syntactic training focusing on complex grammar, with no existing studies having been done in French. In English, the SHAPE CODING (SC) system, which combines shapes and colors to identify the nature and function of words and sentence types, has been shown to be effective with children and adolescents with DLD. Our study assesses the effectiveness of a French adaptation of the SC methodology on the mastery of three syntactically complex structures: object relatives, accusative clitics and passives.

Method

We developed a training protocol, inspired by the SC principles, comprised of 13 sessions of 30 minutes, and compared the ability of 18 children with DLD aged 7 to 11 to produce the target structures before and after syntactic training. Three lists of 12 trained sentences were directly trained whereas three untrained (matched) lists were used as a measure of generalization. An untrained structure was used as a control measure.

Results

Comparison of scores, as measured by dedicated baselines, shows that training results in improved performance for all target structures, whereas no progression is observed on control items (verbal inflexions), which are not trained. More specifically, results show an improvement on sentences directly trained during the protocol, but also on new sentences that contain the same target structures, reflecting the generalization of the production of these structures.

Conclusion

Findings confirm the effectiveness of an explicit approach in grammar interventions and they provide new perspectives on language therapy dedicated to children with DLD. The implications of the results are also discussed at the individual level.
Mentoring: A catalyst for career growth of librarians in Nigeria?
Authors: Sulyman Abdulakeem Sodeeq , Eiriemiokhale Kennedy A , Olarongbe Shuaib Agboola
Published: December 2024

Studies have revealed that libraries and related information institutions have not actually imbibed the culture of mentoring. This study investigates mentoring as a catalyst for career growth of librarians in Nigeria. This study adopts a convergent parallel method to combine the survey and narrative designs. The populations of this study are thirty (30) PhD holders in LIS in Nigeria and two (2) eminent professors of LIS in Nigeria. Network sampling was used to select five (5) respondents from each of the six (6) Nigeria’s geo-political zones, while convenience sampling was used to select the professors. Questionnaire and structured interviews were used to gather data from the respondents. Out of the 30 responses expected, only 29 were duly filled, submitted and appropriate for analysis. Findings revealed that the types of mentoring contributing to career growth of librarians in Nigeria are mentoring, making the roles of mentoring crucial to the career growth of the respondents.
Characteristics and outcomes of patients with Guillain–Barré syndrome who were admitted to the intensive care unit: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Alqahtani Samah , Al-Dorzi Hasan M , Arishi Hatim , Peeran Ahmad , Bin Humaid Felwa , Alenezi Farhan Zayed , Jose Jesna , Sadat Musharaf , Alotaibi Naser , Arabi Yaseen M
Published: December 2024

Objective

To evaluate characteristics and outcomes in critically ill patients with Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS).

Methods

Consecutive adults with GBS who required intensive care unit (ICU) admission at a tertiary-care hospital between 1999 and 2020 were enrolled into this retrospective cohort study. Demographics, clinical data and patient outcomes were compared between patients who did or did not receive mechanical ventilation (MV).

Results

During the study period, the number of ICU admissions gradually rose from approximately 900 to 3000 annually. Forty-three patients had GBS and were included, of whom, 27 (62.8%) received MV for a median of 13 days. The MV group stayed longer in the ICU (median, 26 versus 6 days) and in the hospital (median, 120 versus 39 days) than the non-MV group. Most patients in the MV group (22 [81.5%]) required tracheostomy. At maximum follow-up, Hughes Functional Grading scores were 0 (full recovery) in 11 patients (25.5%), 1–3 in 18 (41.8%), 4–5 in 12 (27.9%), and 6 (death) in two (4.6%, both in the MV group), with higher median Hughes score in the MV group (3 versus 0.5). Complications during ICU and hospital stay included: veinous thromboembolism in five (11.6%), gastrointestinal bleeding in three (7.0%), bacteremia in five (11.6%), bedsore in one (2.3%), and GBS-treatment side effects in four (9.4%) patients; all of these complications occurred within the MV group.

Conclusions

GBS was an uncommon reason for ICU admission. The findings highlight significant morbidity with GBS, particularly among patients who need MV.
Implications and mechanisms of O-GlcNAcylation in cancer therapy resistance
Authors: Gao Hongwei , Ma Binyuan , Zhao Youli , Pan Yunyan , Zhang Anan
Published: December 2024

O-linked-N-acetylglucosaminylation (O-GlcNAcylation), one of the protein post-translational modifications, is the process of adding O-linked-β-D-N-acetylglucosaminylation (O-GlcNAc) to serine and threonine residues of proteins. O-GlcNAcylation regulates various fundamental cell biological processes, including gene transcription, signal transduction, and cellular metabolism. The role of dysregulated O-GlcNAcylation in tumorigenesis has been recognized, but its role in cancer therapy tolerance has not been elucidated. Therefore, this paper provides the latest evidence on the role of O-GlcNAcylation in cancer therapy responsiveness to understand the impact of O-GlcNAcylation on cancer therapy outcomes, as well as analyzing several possible mechanisms by which O-GlcNAcylation dysregulation affects cancer therapy efficacy, and discusses the possibility of O-GlcNAcylation as a cancer therapy sensitizer.
A novel method for fault detection and diagnosis in DFIG coupled grid connected wind energy systems using spiking deep residual network
Authors: Stallon Samuel Raj Daison , Rajkumar Manokaran Newlin , Muthusamy Suresh , Jeyaraj Kohila , Thangamuthu Logeswaran , Khan Baseem
Published: December 2024

This paper presents a novel technique for the optimal detection of faults in doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs), which are widely used in wind turbines. The proposed method leverages a spiking deep residual network (SDRN), a type of spiking neural network (SNN), to accurately detect and classify the operational conditions of the DFIG, distinguishing between healthy and faulty states. The primary goal of the proposed approach is to minimize errors in both fault detection and classification, improving the reliability of the protection system. The present study analyzes the effects of faults on key electrical parameters, including stator phase current, the d-component of stator current, and reactive power. These effects are quantitatively compared using a sensitivity factor, with fault indices assessed under varying fault severities, rotor speeds, and power reference levels. To evaluate the performance of the SDRN-based fault detection method, the results are benchmarked against existing fault detection techniques such as singular spectrum analysis (SSA), artificial neural networks (ANNs), and bee colony optimization (BCO). The proposed method is implemented in MATLAB/Simulink, and its performance is quantitatively evaluated. The results demonstrate that the SDRN approach significantly outperforms the existing techniques in terms of fault detection accuracy, with a reduction in both classification errors and detection errors. The proposed spiking deep residual network (SDRN) achieves an accuracy of 96.2% in fault detection for doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs), outperforming traditional methods like artificial neural networks (ANNs) and singular spectrum analysis (SSA) by 5.5% and 7.2%, respectively, in terms of classification accuracy. The error rate is reduced by 3% compared to existing approaches, demonstrating the effectiveness and robustness of SDRN in fault classification. The results highlight the advantages of using spiking neural networks over traditional methods, particularly in minimizing errors and improving fault classification performance.
Investigating Factor Associations in Barrier Crashes through Cluster Correspondence Analysis
Authors: Chakraborty Rohit , Das Subasish , Mimi Mahmuda Sultana , Kutela Boniphace
Published: December 2024

Roadside and median barriers have proven effective in preventing crashes; however, a significant number of crashes still occur that involve road barriers across United States. This study focuses on analyzing the factors related to barrier crashes across Texas. The dataset includes 63,475 crashes involving road barriers and covering six years of crash data (2017–2022). Using cluster correspondence analysis (CCA) data mining approach, the study identifies six different clusters of crashes. Each cluster identifies factors contributing to barrier-related crashes. Before implying the CCA, variable importance analysis is also performed to identify the significance of the variables. The analysis highlighted that dry road surface conditions and clear weather are highly associated with high-speed crashes. Driver distraction and absence of traffic control devices can attribute to the crashes on roads with lower speed limits. Moreover, along with other factors, adverse weather conditions are also found to be a contributing factor that can influence the crash frequency and type of crashes. The analysis also implies that non-complex crash type related to a single vehicle are highly correlated with barrier crashes. The study concludes by making several policy-making implications to assist the transportation planners in reducing the frequency and severity of barrier-related crashes.
Identifying Key Technologies and Cluster Patterns in Intelligent Transportation Systems
Authors: Huang Ke , Cai Ming , Xiao Yao
Published: December 2024

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) have made considerable progress along with the rapid development of technologies in recent decades. Nonetheless, a comprehensive understanding of the key technologies in the ITS domain remains elusive, and current studies have yet to systematically examine correlation patterns. To address the gap, an integrated methodology combining topic modeling and co-occurrence analysis is employed. By calculating the key index integrating with the frequency, betweenness centrality, and co-occurrence intensity, the key technologies and their basic correlations are found and analyzed. Moreover, a correlation pattern identification approach is proposed, leading to the recognition of three technology cluster patterns, namely chain clusters, cycle clusters, and star clusters. According to the service packages in the Architecture Reference for Cooperative and Intelligent Transportation, the 85 ITS-related key technologies and their cluster patterns are obtained from patent data. As a result, several primary technology clusters are uncovered, such as the chain cluster for electronic toll collection, the cycle cluster containing the person, vehicle, and road elements, and the star cluster used in the traffic state measurement and warning. The proposed methodology facilitates the recognition of ITS technologies’ relevance and structure pattern and holds potential for future applications in other technological domains.
Role of Speed Humps in Urban Road Safety: Perceptions, Health Risks, and Experimental Fuel Consumption Effects in a Secondary City in Ghana
Authors: Sumbo Dennis Kamaanaa , Wulifan Joseph Kwame , Bagson Ernest
Published: December 2024

Speed humps (are becoming pervasive on urban roads of Africa and have become a subject matter of enquiry. This study contributes to this literature through the case of Wa, Ghana. Underpinned by the sustainable safety vision, the study utilized data in the form of qualitative texts, descriptive statistics, and fuel consumption data. Speed humps in Wa were enumerated and mapped, and the lived experiences of purposively selected vehicle users and pedestrians were recorded to understand their perceptions of speed humps in the realm of urban mobility. The study enumerated 148 speed humps that were unevenly distributed on different roads in Wa. A significant difference (−63%) in fuel economy in miles per gallon (mpg) between the hump-free sections and hump/post-hump sections of a 10-km trail was found, with an average consumption of 48.4 mpg (standard deviation [SD] = 10.4) in hump-free sections and 17.9 mpg (SD = 7.1) for hump/post-hump sections. On this basis, the average vehicle consumes 0.00166L due to a speed hump or 6L (GHS85) in a year, with 1000 vehicles consuming extra 6059L (GHS85, 000) and emit 15,147 kg of extra CO2 in a year due to the speed humps. Vehicle users and pedestrians, in particular, positively perceived the speed humps as offsetting the disregard for traffic regulations and frequent road crashes. However, pedestrians and vehicle users agreed that poorly designed and constructed speed humps in Wa posed a high risk to road users. The study concludes that most speed humps in Wa fall short of the sustainable safety vision principles. It is recommended that speed humps be standardized to improve safety, user friendliness, and general efficiency, and they should be viewed as a short- to medium-term measure to be subsequently replaced by more sustainable options, including a change in driving behavior and technology-based solutions that meet the criteria of the sustainable safety vision model.
Influence Mechanism Study on Smoke Temperature Characteristics under Low-Pressure Tunnel Environment with Spatial Blockage Effects
Authors: Sun Jianchun , Yang Shiyong , Zhang Min , Lu Xiaogang , Yang Keqing
Published: December 2024

This study focuses on the unique low-pressure environment of traffic tunnels in plateau regions, taking the scenario of severe damage caused by burning tanker trucks as the study starting point. By combining the Fluent simulation software with experimental data, the study thoroughly explores the impact of different traffic vehicle blockage effects on smoke diffusion and temperature field in tunnels during fires. The study emphasizes the blockage effects generated by traffic vehicles in both lateral and longitudinal spatial dimensions within the tunnel, aiming to investigate the temperature and smoke flow patterns in tunnel fires. The results indicate that the blockage ratio significantly affects smoke diffusion, whereas the influence of blockage length is relatively minor. At the characteristic height of the human eye on evacuation platforms, the impact of vehicle blockage effects is relatively limited, especially under the control of longitudinal mechanical ventilation airflow. Furthermore, both the blockage ratio and length have a significant impact on the maximum ceiling temperature. Based on the study of blockage ratio and length, a prediction model for the maximum ceiling temperature rise based on blockage ratio is proposed. This model fully considers the extreme fire burning and vehicle blockage effects in fire scenarios, providing strong data support for improving the level of fire safety and control in traffic tunnels.
Acute pyelonephritis in adults. Should we adopt the pediatric guidelines?
Authors: Neeman Binyamin B , Kafka Ilan , Mamber Ariel , Natsheh Ala Eldin , Koulikov Dmitry , Jaber Jawdat , Chertin Boris
Published: December 2024

Purpose:

There are no guidelines, what recommend pro or against cystography for identification of VUR for adults who suffer from first episode of pyelonephritis. The aim of this study was to look at incidence of VUR in adults with first episode of pyelonephritis, and to highlight recommendations for possible reflux investigation in these patients.

Methods:

We have performed retrospective review of all patients who admitted at our department over the last decade with the working diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis. Following discharge from the department, individuals with no pre-existing urological history were advised to undergo a VCUG or CEVUS.

Results:

We have identified 76 patients (62 females and 14 males) with an average age of 31.73 years who were hospitalized in our departments between 2006 and 2022. Forty-eight (63%) presented with right pyelonephritis, 26(34%) with left, and 2(3%) had bilateral disease. Of those, 23(30%) patients returned for clinical follow-up after completion of VCUG/CEVUS. Reflux was demonstrated in 14(60%) patients comprising 18 renal refluxing units (RRU). Six had grade IV reflux, 4 grade III, 4 grade II, and 4 grade I respectively. DMSA demonstrated 27.2 ± 11.9% relative function of the reflux kidney. Of those VUR patients, 9(64%) underwent endoscopic correction, 1(7%) refused surgery, and 4(29%) are under clinical follow-up.

Conclusions:

Our data demonstrate high incidence of VUR in adult patients with acute pyelonephritis patients, therefore VUR investigation at least should be considered in adult patients even after first episode of pyelonephritis, especially in cases where there is evidence of nephronia, abscess, kidney scars, atrophic kidney, or hydronephrosis.
COVID-19: A threat to the respiratory system
Authors: Rasool Ghulam , Khan Waqas Ahmed , Khan Arif Muhammad , Riaz Muhammad , Abbas Mazhar , Rehman Aziz ur , Irshad Saba , Ahmad Saeed
Published: December 2024

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), causes acute coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) that has emerged on a pandemic level. Coronaviruses are well-known to have a negative impact on the lungs and cardiovascular system. SARS-CoV-2 induces a cytokine storm that primarily targets the lungs, causing widespread clinical disorders, including COVID-19. Although, SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals often show no or mild upper respiratory tract symptoms, severe cases can progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Novel CoV-2 infection in 2019 resulted in viral pneumonia as well as other complications and extrapulmonary manifestation. ARDS is also linked to a higher risk of death. Now, it is essential to develop our perception of the long term sequelae coronavirus infection for the identification of COVID-19 survivors who are at higher risk of developing the chronic lung fibrosis. This review study was planned to provide an overview of the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on various parts of the respiratory system such as airways, pulmonary vascular, lung parenchymal and respiratory neuromuscular system as well as the potential mechanism of the ARDS related respiratory complications including the lung fibrosis in patients with severe COVID-19.
A Dual-Role Trust Model for Social Media Influencers: The Paradox of Perceived Friendship
Authors: Chen Shang , Xu Xuefei , Min Qingfei , Liu Lin
Published: December 2024

As companies come to appreciate social media’s economic advantages, it has transformed into a dichotomous social-commercial landscape. In this specific situation, followers evaluate social media influencers that play both the friend and marketer roles in the decision-making process. This study creates a dual-role trust model based on the role theory to investigate trust processes across different roles. More importantly, this study goes deeper into examining the potential paradoxical positive and negative moderating roles of perceived friendship in the dual-role trust mechanism. The structural equation model approach is first conducted to test our hypotheses using a survey of 465 TikTok respondents. Next, the study model’s hypotheses are further tested using a post hoc analysis to see if they change based on followers’ regulatory focus. The findings support perceived friendship’s complementary and replacement functions in a dual role-based trust mechanism, as well as the transfer of trust between dual roles. There is a discussion of the implications for theory and practice.
Effect of ammonium iodide on the structure and ionic conductivity of carboxymethyl cellulose-based gel polymer electrolytes for electrochemical devices
Authors: Singh Shubham , Singh CP , Shukla Pushpendra K , Singh Lovely , Bin Yahya Muhd Zu Azhan , Agrawal SL
Published: December 2024

Gel polymer electrolytes show great potential for use in electrochemical devices. In this work, free standing Gel Polymer Electrolytes (GPEs) based on a non-hazardous and environment friendly material carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is successfully developed. The effect of doping ammonium iodide (NH4I) into carboxymethyl cellulose based polymer gel matrix has been examined for its structural, thermal, electrical, and electrochemical stability properties with the aim of prospective applications in electrochemical devices. Gel polymers films have been fabricated using the widely recognized solution casting method. The characterization of these (GPEs) has been performed employing X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). An increase in the amorphous nature of the gel electrolyte films has been observed in the X-ray diffraction when the NH4I salt content increases. DSC studies also confirmed the formation of gel electrolyte system with an increased degree of amorphousness. The potentiostatic polarization studies reveal the electrolyte system to be ionic. The room-temperature conductivity is found to reach an optimum of 4.4 × 10−3 S/cm for 25 wt% salt concentration. All of these findings have been appropriately explained.
Fatigue and fracture performance of sealing ring of hydraulic lifting system of dump truck under different working conditions
Authors: Luo Chenxu , Gao Junhao , Xue Jiawei , Zhang Zhongyu
Published: December 2024

Mining dump truck is an important mining equipment. Hydraulic lifting system is important for the working efficiency and safety performance of mining dump truck. Seal ring is the key component in hydraulic lifting system, good sealing performance can better support the work of mining dump truck. ANSYS software was used to establish a finite-element analysis model of the bud-shaped seal, analyse the stress distribution of the seal under the actual working conditions without oil pressure and with oil pressure, and explore the influence of the working parameters such as the fit gap, friction coefficient and oil pressure on the sealing performance of the seal. The results show that the maximum Von-Mises stress and maximum shear stress of the seal increase linearly with the increase of the fit gap, and the maximum contact pressure decreases; when the fit gap is about 0.3 mm, the sealing performance is optimal. Increasing the friction coefficient, the seal contact pressure decreases, resulting in increased wear of the seal; when the friction coefficient is small, it is conducive to improving the sealing performance and reducing the risk of seal breakage. With the increase of oil pressure, the maximum contact pressure of the seal ring basically increases linearly, which is conducive to improving the sealing performance; the maximum Von-Mises stress and the maximum shear stress increase firstly and then remain stable. The orthogonal test method was used to optimise the combination of the structural parameters of the seal, and the optimal combination scheme was obtained; while ensuring the sealing performance, the risk of seal breakage was reduced and the reliability of the seal was improved. The results of the study can provide theoretical guidance for the design and optimisation of the combined bud-shaped seal.
Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis for preventing bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Are clinical providers supportive?
Authors: Imerlishvili Esma , Lake John , Todorovic Sara , Gonzalez Charles , Boos Elizabeth M , Hart-Malloy Rachel
Published: December 2024

Background

Bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to increase in the United States. Despite evidence of the effectiveness of doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (Doxy-PEP) to prevent STIs, little is known about providers’ attitudes and willingness to implement Doxy-PEP.

Methods

An online questionnaire was sent to 575 clinical providers in New York State in September 2022.

Results

Ninety-one eligible individuals responded. Most providers served men who have sex with men (MSM) (84%); reported willingness to recommend Doxy-PEP (98%, 77%, and 67% for chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea, respectively); preferred Doxy-PEP administration for MSM and transgender populations; believed recurring bacterial STIs (88%) and reported condomless sex (85%) were the most important characteristics to consider for recommending Doxy-PEP; and were concerned about antibiotic resistance (90%) (primarily for Neisseria gonorrhoeae). Insurance costs were the most perceived community-associated barriers (35%). There were no significant differences in providers’ recommendations towards Doxy-PEP use when comparing clinicians’ years of experience, regions, or professional titles.

Conclusions

Study results suggest high willingness and support for implementing Doxy-PEP. As this survey was administered prior to national guidelines on the use of Doxy-PEP, these data can be used as a baseline to compare to studies conducted after their release to formulate appropriate messages for providers to improve implementation.
Study on the effect of solar salt thermal decomposition reaction on internal and external characteristics of molten salt pump
Authors: Qian Chen , Liu Hui , Qi Zhipeng , Liu Wei , Zhang Renhui
Published: December 2024

Solar salt is the main heat storage medium for concentrated solar power plants. It will undergo thermal decomposition reactions to produce gas when the temperature is higher than 450°C. So that the thermal decomposition bubbles of solar salt are free in the molten salt pump flow channel, which have serious impacts on the internal and external characteristics of the molten salt pump. This paper takes the 16ENH-2 high-temperature molten salt pump as the research object. Based on the thermal decomposition mechanism of solar salt, we studied the influence of different thermal decomposition gas generation rates and different flow rates on the bubble coalescence and breakage phenomenon in the flow channel, and the influence mechanism on the internal and external characteristics of the molten salt pump. The research results show that the thermal decomposition gas generation rate is the key factor affecting the gas content in the first stage impeller and the bubble size distribution in the second stage impeller. The flow rate is the key factor affecting the gas phase distribution position in the first/second stage impeller and the bubble size distribution in the first stage impeller. The bubble coalescence within the first stage impeller is the main reason for the pump performance degradation. The research results can provide theoretical guidance for the efficient and stable operation of the molten salt pump.
Comparative evaluation of biochar produced from laboratory waste media using different thermochemical methods and its potential in plant growth promoting properties
Authors: Wagh Priyanka , Selvam S. Mari , Paramasivan Balasubramanian , Nawani Neelu , Vaidya Viniti
Published: December 2024

The disposal of laboratory waste, especially microbiology media, is a growing concern due to its potential environmental impact. In this study, the conversion of laboratory waste, specifically nutrient agar media, into biochar using three different pyrolysis methods: conventional tube pyrolysis, biomass gasification, and microwave-assisted pyrolysis has been explored. Microwave pyrolysis of biomass resulted in higher biochar yield (63.85%) than conventional pyrolysis (58.16%) and gasification (32.18%). The obtained biochar has been subjected to different analytical techniques to understand the comparative differences in characteristics. Conventional pyrolysis yields the most negative zeta potential (−27.5 mV), whereas biomass gasification results in −16.7 mV, and microwave-derived biochar produces −7.5 mV to −4.8 mV, indicating diverse colloidal stability, anionic character, and potential for tailored soil applications. In plant growth experiments, the application of conventionally pyrolyzed biochar demonstrated superior performance, with the highest germination percentage (84.62%) and significantly longer shoot lengths ( p < 0.001) revealing its potential environmental benefits. In summary, the research has broad implications, ranging from waste management and biochar production efficiency to potential applications in soil improvement and environmental remediation. Further, it contributes to the ongoing efforts to develop sustainable solutions for waste disposal and environmental conservation.
Robust adaptive nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode control for cable driven parallel robots
Authors: Lu Yingbo , Huang Ao , Li Pengfei , Wu Qing’e , Liu Ya
Published: December 2024

Cable-driven parallel robots are typical parallel robots with the end effectors are adjusted by lightweight cables. To acquire fast and high-precision trajectory tracking performances of the end effector, a robust adaptive nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode control law based on the radial basis function neural network is proposed, in which the priori model information of cable-driven parallel robots is not required. The proposed scheme combines the radial basis function neural network method with a nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode control structure, which contains three terms (the radial basis function neural network term, the hyperbolic tangent function term, and the robust control term), and it can not only weaken the chattering phenomenon but also increase the system robustness. Under the proposed scheme, the finite-time stability of the closed-loop system in the presence of external disturbances is demonstrated by the Lyapunov theorem. Finally, simulation comparisons are performed under three scenarios to validate the performance improvements of the proposed algorithm.
The effectiveness of telitacicept in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A retrospective, real-world study
Authors: Hu Yinxiu , Wang Pengyu , Cao Xue , Wu Zhenbiao , Feng Yuan
Published: December 2024

Objective

Despite some study demonstrated the effectiveness of telitacicept in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a noticeable gap exists in real-world data. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness and safety of telitacicept in patients with SLE in the real-world.

Method

This retrospective study enrolled patients with SLE at the Tangdu Hospital from January 2022 to January 2023. These patients were administered telitacicept at 80 mg or 160 mg dosage. The observed outcomes were changes in the SLE Responder Index 4 (SRI-4), disease activity, renal function, and immunological indicators.

Result

Sixty-one patients were enrolled, with 60 patients completed the 24-week follow-up, and 30 completed the 52-week. The SRI-4 response rates at 4, 12, 24, and 52 weeks were 52.5%, 67.2%, 75.4%, and 80.0%, respectively. No statistically differences were observed in the SRI-4 response rates between the 80 mg and 160 mg doses at any of the time points (all p > 0.05). By 52 weeks, the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment-SLE Disease Activity Index scores were significant decreased from baseline ( p < 0.001), and complement 3 and 4 levels ( p = 0.001), albumin levels ( p = 0.004), and the overall change in glucocorticoid dosage ( p < 0.001) were all significantly increased, with all showing significant changes over time ( p < 0.001). During the study, 3 (4.9%) patients experienced infection, and 1 (1.6%) developed an allergy at the injection site.

Conclusion

Telitacicept exhibited a highly effective and favorable safety in patients with SLE, with improved renal and hematological manifestations and facilitated a reduction in glucocorticoid medication usage.
Sustainability in Business Through the Lens of Bhagavad Gita
Authors: Agarwal Puja , Bhattacharjee Abhigyan
Published: December 2024

Humankind is at the threshold of a global crisis, confronting dire consequences. Worldwide economies are scuffling with anomalous threats traversing social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability. Global warming, climate change, financial crisis and mental traumas are engulfing mankind. Sustainability is the need of the hour. Sustainability has accumulated extensive discourse in the Indian scriptures. Classical Indian wisdom is also referred to as Sanaātana Dharma wherein Sanaātana means that its relevance transcends the boundaries of space and time and is omnipresent in its scope and application. Therefore, the ancient Indian ethos can assist modern businesses to fabricate a sustainable model of management. Conventional Indian wisdom puts forth a holistic approach wherein scriptures such as the Vedas, the Buddhist texts, and Kautilya’s Arthshashtra established the principles of sustainability centuries ago. Bhagavad Gita, which is regarded as the quintessence of the Vedas, highlights numerous lessons on sustainability that can help businesses tackle the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. This article is an attempt to delve into our rich heritage to discover the business sustainability lessons embedded in our age-old scriptures, particularly the Bhagavad Gita, so that businesses can refer to it and develop some authentic responses to the critical modern-day problems faced them.
Navigating the double bind – gendered attitudes towards appearance-based exercise in Finland
Authors: Grahn Anna
Published: December 2024

Prior studies on physical appearance-related norms, particularly for women, have demonstrated that expectations and standards of the ideal body type – thin and slender – have converged with a normatively healthy and athletic body ideal. Various scholars have concluded that women face inconsistent expectations where they are often supposed to perform physical work and remain cautious about not being labelled as vain. Although considerable progress has been made in this field of research, studies regarding the normative acceptability of appearance-based exercises are limited. This study highlights the norms and attitudes towards appearance-based exercise and the extent to which these attitudes are gendered. It uses an experimental split-ballot design with a population-based survey conducted in Finland in 2016 ( N = 1600). The findings suggest that women are more critical than men when evaluating women practising appearance-based exercise. This study uncovers the group-level double standards of appearance-related norms between men and women, that is women are more critical of appearance-based exercise than men. Women face the ‘double bind’ of trying to submit to either feminine or fitness norms and condemning other women for performing the same actions. The study opens new perspectives to the literature on physical appearance as a precarious resource for women.
Intraoperative nociceptive and clinical comparisons between ventral midline and flank ovariectomy in feral and stray cats
Authors: Martins João , Grossinho Afonso , Martins Liege , Cabral Patrícia , dos-Santos José Diogo , Campos Sónia
Published: December 2024

Objectives

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the differences in intraoperative nociception, incision size and operative time between midline (OVE m) and flank ovariectomy (OVE f) in feral or stray cats.

Methods

Two groups of animals, the OVE m group (n = 19) and the OVE f group (n = 19), were evaluated at six intraoperative time points. Cats assigned to both groups were premedicated with dexmedetomidine (20 μg/kg IM) and methadone (0.2 mg/kg IM). General anaesthesia was induced with intravenous propofol to effect and maintained with isoflurane in 100% oxygen. The data collected included heart rate, non-invasive systolic and median blood pressure, respiratory rate, weight, body condition score, surgical time, incision size and rescue analgesia.

Results

Significant differences were observed between surgical approaches, with larger incision size ( P <0.001) and longer surgery time ( P = 0.04) in the OVE m group. No significant differences between surgical approaches were detected regarding intraoperative nociception ( P >0.05).

Conclusions and relevance

Based on intraoperative nociception, there is no strong reason to advocate a preferred surgical approach for feline OVE in sterilisation programmes; however, considering surgery time and incision size, the OVE f approach may contribute to the sterilisation of more animals and reduce the risk of wound dehiscence as it allows for smaller incisions to be made in animals where postoperative wound control is difficult or impossible.
Window entrapment trauma in cats: clinical, neurological and clinicopathological findings and outcome (70 cases)
Authors: Graciolli Tomazi Fabiana , Stein Veronika M , Hauer Julia , Peters Laureen M , Steffen Frank , Farra Dima , Vidondo Beatriz , Maiolini Arianna
Published: December 2024

Objectives

Window entrapment in cats can lead to reduced blood flow to the spinal cord, muscles and nerves, resulting in ischaemic neuromyelomyopathy. The severity and duration of entrapment greatly influence clinical and neurological outcomes, as well as prognosis. The aim of the present retrospective multicentric study (2005–2022) was to describe clinical, neurological and selected clinicopathological findings, as well as the outcome of cats trapped in bottom-hung windows, presented to both first-opinion and referral-only clinics.

Methods

The study included cats with detailed clinical and neurological evaluations at admission, along with at least one of the following biochemical parameters: creatine kinase (CK), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities, urea and/or creatinine. Clinical and neurological parameters evaluated in the study included rectal temperature, femoral pulse, gait, urinary bladder function, tail function and survival to discharge. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for survival and each clinical, neurological and biochemical variable.

Results

Of the 70 cats that met the inclusion criteria, only seven (10%) died or were euthanased during hospitalisation. Nevertheless, with the available data, we found evidence of an association between clinical and neurological status and survival, with tail function being the strongest association. Cats lacking tail sensation, motor function and/or tonus were more likely to die than cats with normal tail function or only mild abnormalities (OR = 24). Similarly, cats with severe hypothermia or an absent femoral pulse were less likely to survive (OR = 12.75 and 7.5, respectively). In this sample (with a relatively low number of deaths), we did not find evidence of an association between CK, AST and ALT activity with survival. However, the only two cats with severe increases in creatinine died.

Conclusions and relevance

Assessment of gait, urinary bladder function, femoral pulse, rectal temperature and particularly tail function is promising for predicting outcomes in cats with window entrapment trauma.