bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Bubbles Behavior and Flow Pattern Transition of Open Micro-Channel and Jet Impingement Hybrid Cooling Scheme by Separating Liquid-Vapour Pathways
Authors: Li Yifei , Guo Yuming , Zhao Liang
Published: September 2024

Four new bubble behaviors and their flow patterns were observed in the visualization experiments, different from the bubbly flow, slug flow, stratified flow and annular flow in the existing research of open micro-channel. In the scheme of separating liquid-vapor pathways, small bubbles are generated from the bottom of the micro-channel, migrate to the top of the channel fins and continue to grow at the top of the channel fins under the condensation and fragmentation effect of the jet impingement, and then the channel flow pushes them away from the test module. From bubble flow to annular flow, there is never any formation of large bubble embolism covering multiple channels. The new flow pattern effectively suppressed the flow instability, allowing the bubbles to disengage in time with the liquid to replenish the drying point. The critical heat flux reached 342 W·cm−2, realizing enhanced heat transfer. A prediction model of critical heat flux and critical bubbles motion diameter were proposed based on the force balance of a bubble on the sidewall of micro-channel, and bubbles on the fins top. And the maximum errors were 11.3% and 20%, respectively. These findings have an impact on the further development of efficient cooling technology.
Experimental Investigation of Two-Phase Flows in Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers
Authors: Zhang Liangliang , Zhang Jingzhi , Lei Li , Li Wei
Published: September 2024

As a highly efficient and compact heat exchanger, printed circuit heat exchangers have been successfully used in various industrial applications, including electric energy, petrochemicals, and aerospace. They also have broad development potential. This paper builds a visual experimental platform for a single-layer PCHE microchannels heat exchanger with a structure of rectangular and semi-circular flow channels. It uses a high-speed camera to observe the two-phase flow pattern, interface, and bubble behavior in the single-layer PCHE microchannels. By combining MATLAB image processing technology to analyze the evolution of the gas-liquid flow pattern, bubble shape, and void fraction distribution characteristics in the flow channels, we can also analyze the impact of different PCHE flow channel structures and experimental working conditions parameters on the gas-liquid two-phase flow pattern and pressure drop in the PCHE microchannels.

Experimental results show that the flow patterns in rectangular and semicircular cross-section flow channels are mainly bubble flow and slug flow with different lengths. Wave flow will appear when the gas-liquid phase flow rate is relatively large, and bubble merging behavior occurs in the flow channel that causes wave flow. The void fraction distribution in the flow channels of the rectangular and semicircular structures is high in the middle and low on both sides. With an increase in the gas phase flow rate, large-sized bubbles are generated and small-sized bubbles accumulate at the inlet head, leading to partial blockage of the flow channels. This results in a more pronounced difference in the distribution of void fraction. Within the range of experimental flow parameters, different gas phase flow rates are fixed, as the liquid phase flow rate increases, the pressure drop of the flow channels also increases. The pressure drop of the semicircular structure flow channels are smaller under the condition of small gas phase flow, while under big gas phase flow conditions, the pressure drop of the rectangular structure flow channels are small.
Developing Code_Saturne for Advanced Micro-Scale Gas Transport
Authors: Gu Xiao-Jun , Greenbank Adam , Moulinec Charles , Emerson David R.
Published: September 2024

Non-equilibrium gas flows represent a fundamental modelling challenge and exist in many industrial applications and scientific research facilities, including mass spectrometry, low-pressure environments, vacuum pumps, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), high-altitude vehicles, and porous media. The extent of the non-equilibrium state is usually measured by the Knudsen number, Kn, which is the ratio of the gas molecular mean free path to the characteristic macroscopic length scale of the flow. In the early transition regime, (0.1 < Kn < 1), the Navier-Stokes-Fourier (NSF) equations are no longer able to predict the flow field with any degree of accuracy. Kinetic theory approaches, such as the Boltzmann equation or direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC), can be used in this regime. For the Boltzmann equation, the complexity of the collision term makes it difficult to use in all but simple problems. In the case of DSMC, the computational cost is prohibitive. The moment method offers the best approach for capturing rarefied phenomena. More physics is embedded in the moment equations than in the NSF equations, with only a modest increase in computational cost.

The development of the moment method in the well-established open-source software, Code_Saturne, is presented. Detailed computed results for Poiseuille flow, lid-driven cavity flow, thermally induced flow, and flow past a square cylinder are given to validate the implementation.
Heat Transfer Effects of Sintered Particle Monolayers on Steam Flow Condensation in Mini-Channels With Flow Visualization
Authors: Riley Gennifer A. , Mendez David E. , Egbo Munonyedi K. , Hwang Gisuk , Derby Melanie M.
Published: September 2024

In this study, the enhancement of filmwise condensation heat transfer is explored for forced flow steam condensation in mini-channels, where the condensing surface has been modified with the addition of monolayer of sintered spherical particles. Filmwise condensation enhancement is the emphasis of this study as this is the most prevalent condensation mode in heat exchangers. Two copper test coupons were constructed with a monolayer of 100 μm or 200 μm diameter copper particles and compared against a plain coupon with no monolayer. All coupons have a hydraulic diameter of 1.9 mm and heat transfer coefficients were measured for steam mass fluxes of 50 kg/m2s and 125 kg/m2s. For a mass flux of 50 kg/m2s, both monolayer coupons displayed roughly parabolic trends in for heat transfer coefficient enhancement with the greatest enhancements, up to 52.8%, occurring at low (x ∼ 0.2) quality, up to 22.1%, occurring at a high (x ∼ 0.9) quality, but a decrease in heat transfer coefficient mid-range qualities (0.4 < x < 0.8) high as 11.4%. For the steam mass flux of 125 kg/m2s, there was far less quality dependence and the heat transfer coefficients were enhanced for all qualities with the enhancement ranging from 9.9% to 16.2%. Visualization confirmed that the monolayers could disrupt the fluid flow. However, flooding occurred for lower qualities where the film was thickest and for a mass flux of 50 kg/m2s where shear forces at the vapor-liquid interface were weakest.
Turbulent Flow Control in Composite Porous-Fluid Systems Through Graded Porosity
Authors: Jadidi Mohammad , Revell Alistair , Mahmoudi Yasser
Published: September 2024

This paper presents our preliminary findings on the influence of graded porosity on the momentum exchange and heat transfer in a composite porous fluid system, utilizing pore-scale large eddy simulation. We examine two composite porous-fluid systems with identical overall porosity (Φ_Global) of 50%, differing only in local porosity (Φ_Local) configurations — bottom-up grading (20% to 80%) and top-down grading (80% to 20%). Through flow visualization, we observe fluid leakage from porous to non-porous regions across the porous-fluid interface in both cases. Graded porosity proves effective in regulating this phenomenon, introducing geometric constraints on the flow leakage — the primary mechanism governing momentum exchange and heat transfer across the porous-fluid interface. Additionally, distinct characteristics in the development of the turbulent boundary layer on the porous-fluid interface and the turbulent flow structures for the two examined cases, highlight the efficacy of graded porosity as a passive flow control strategy within porous-fluid systems. In conclusion, our research contributes valuable insights into the application of graded porosity for passive flow control in porous-fluid systems.
Thermoelectric Properties of Stressed P-Doped Polycrystalline Silicon Hollow Nanotubes
Authors: Sojo-Gordillo Jose Manuel , Kaur Yashpreet , Pacios-Pujadó Mercè , de Vito Giulio , Tachikawa Saeko , Morata Alex , Zardo Ilaria
Published: September 2024

Thermoelectric generators have the potential to efficiently convert waste heat into valuable electrical power. Nanoengineering techniques have emerged as a promising solution to enhance the thermoelectric properties of abundant and inexpensive materials like silicon, in contrast with the scarce, toxic, and expensive conventional bulk materials. Recently, a novel class of nanostructured materials in the form of extensive, paper-like fabrics composed of nanotubes has been developed, offering a cost-effective and scalable approach to thermoelectric power generation. In this study, the fundamental properties of these individual nanotubes have been investigated and correlated with the nanostructure’s intrinsic strain for the first time. Transmission electron microscope analysis was used to morphologically characterize the thickness of the polycrystalline silicon and the SiO2 layers. Raman spectroscopy revealed the partially amorphous nature of the film and showed an intrinsic tensile stress of ∼500 MPa in the polycrystalline layer. Finally, electrothermal measurements using microfabricated suspended nitride membranes were carried out to characterize the thermoelectric properties of these nanotubes, namely: their thermal and electrical conductivities. Thermal conductivities ranging from 2.5 to 6.8 W/m·K and electrical conductivities of 21–219 S/cm were obtained.
Investigation of Liquid Cooling for Lithium-Based Batteries: A Numerical Analysis With Nano Enhanced Phase Change Materials and Metal Foam
Authors: Arumugam Aanandsundar , Buonomo Bernardo , Nardini Sergio , Manca Oronzio
Published: September 2024

This study focuses on the essential aspects of thermal management in electric vehicles, concentrating on the significant challenges associated with the regulation of temperature of rechargeable electric batteries. Utilizing a three-dimensional cylindrical model of a lithium-polymer single battery module, this numerical investigation explores the thermal control mechanisms. The control strategy involves the utilization of phase change materials with metal foam. The cooling of the battery is further achieved through convective flow of a nanofluid mixture of Al2O3 in water utilizing various tube arrangements. The implementation of the model is carried out using the finite volume method. The study concerns the estimation of Nusselt’s number and heat transfer coefficient of the nanofluid mixture for different Reynolds numbers. The study involves the simulation of various cases involving two different phase change materials (PCM’s) namely RT25HC and RT35 which are embedded with metal foam having a porosity of 20 PPI using different nanofluid mass flow rates and concentrations for a C-rate of 1C. The study includes a detailed analysis of maximum surface temperature of the battery, average temperature recorded by the PCM materials and the liquid fraction of the chosen nano enhanced PCM’s.
Multiscale Simulation on Heat and Mass Transfer in Porous Electrodes for Electrolytic Air Dehumidification
Authors: Zhixian Tang , Ronghui Qi
Published: September 2024

As a new type of electrochemical method, air dehumidification based on PEM electrolyte membrane has the advantages of compact structure, no noise, and no polluting products. It has broad application prospects in the storage of products that require high humidity accuracy, and even in deep-sea exploration, aerospace, and other fields. In this paper, the transport and electrochemical reaction in porous electrodes was simulated. The dehumidification process of the catalyst layer with micro-structures and the macro-components were respectively simulated by lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) and one-dimensional finite volume method (FVM). Based on the Nernst equation and the Butler-Volmer equation, the instantaneous reaction rates at different interfaces were calculated which controlled by the concentration of water vapor and impedance. The predicted dehumidification rate closely matched the experimental results with an average error of relative humidity of 0.53%. It visualizes transfer and dehumidification reactions inside components during operation, and has capabilities such as evaluating component performance and tracking performance obstacles in the catalytic layer (CL).
Accessing bands with extended quantum metric in kagome Cs
2
Ni
3
S
4
through soft chemical processing
Authors: Villalpando Graciela , Jovanovic Milena , Hoff Brianna , Jiang Yi , Singha Ratnadwip , Yuan Fang , Hu Haoyu , Călugăru Dumitru , Mathur Nitish , Khoury Jason F. , Dulovic Stephanie , Singh Birender , Plisson Vincent M. , Pollak Connor J. , Moya Jaime M. , Burch Kenneth S. , Bernevig B. Andrei , Schoop Leslie M.
Published: September 2024

Flat bands that do not merely arise from weak interactions can produce exotic physical properties, such as superconductivity or correlated many-body effects. The quantum metric can differentiate whether flat bands will result in correlated physics or are merely dangling bonds. A potential avenue for achieving correlated flat bands involves leveraging geometrical constraints within specific lattice structures, such as the kagome lattice; however, materials are often more complex. In these cases, quantum geometry becomes a powerful indicator of the nature of bands with small dispersions. We present a simple, soft-chemical processing route to access a flat band with an extended quantum metric below the Fermi level. By oxidizing Ni-kagome material Cs
2
Ni
3
S
4
to CsNi
3
S
4
, we see a two orders of magnitude drop in the room temperature resistance. However, CsNi
3
S
4
is still insulating, with no evidence of a phase transition. Using experimental data, density functional theory calculations, and symmetry analysis, our results suggest the emergence of a correlated insulating state of unknown origin.
Cancer-associated SF3B1-K700E mutation controls immune responses by regulating T
reg
function via aberrant
Anapc13
splicing
Authors: Shi Yun , Zhang Wencan , Jia Qiong , Zhong Xiancai , Iyer Prajish , Wu Hongmin , Yuan Yate-Ching , Zhao Yuqi , Zhang Lianjun , Wang Lili , Jia Zhenyu , Kuo Ya-Huei , Sun Zuoming
Published: September 2024

Recurrent somatic mutations in spliceosome factor 3b subunit 1 (SF3B1) are identified in hematopoietic malignancies, with SF3B1-K700E being the most common one. Here, we show that regulatory T cell (T
reg
)–specific expression of SF3B1-K700E (

Sf3b1
K700Efl/+
/Foxp3
YFP-Cre

) results in spontaneous autoimmune phenotypes. CD4
+
T cells from

Sf3b1
K700Efl/+
/Foxp3
YFP-Cre

mice display defective T
reg
differentiation and inhibitory function, which is demonstrated by failed prevention of adoptive transfer colitis by

Sf3b1
K700Efl/+
/Foxp3
YFP-Cre

T
regs
. Mechanically, SF3B1-K700E induces an aberrant splicing event that results in reduced expression of a cell proliferation regulator
Anapc13
due to the insertion of a 231–base pair DNA fragment to the 5′ untranslated region. Forced expression of the
Anapc13
gene restores the differentiation and ability of

Sf3b1
K700Efl/+
/Foxp3
YFP-Cre

T
regs
to prevent adoptive transfer colitis. In addition, acute myeloid leukemia grows faster in aged, but not young,

Sf3b1
K700Efl/+
/Foxp3
YFP-Cre

mice compared to

Foxp3
YFP-Cre

mice. Our results highlight the impact of cancer-associated
SF3B1
mutation on immune responses, which affect cancer development.
Transposon-mediated genic rearrangements underlie variation in small RNA pathways
Authors: Zhang Gaotian , Félix Marie-Anne , Andersen Erik C.
Published: September 2024

Transposable elements (TEs) can alter host gene structure and expression, whereas host organisms develop mechanisms to repress TE activities. In the nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans
, a small interfering RNA pathway dependent on the helicase ERI-6/7 primarily silences retrotransposons and recent genes of likely viral origin. By studying gene expression variation among wild
C. elegans
strains, we found that structural variants and transposon remnants likely underlie expression variation in
eri-6/7
and the pathway targets. We further found that multiple insertions of the DNA transposons,
Polintons,
reshuffled the
eri-6/7
locus and induced inversion of
eri-6
in some wild strains. In the inverted configuration, gene function was previously shown to be repaired by unusual trans-splicing mediated by direct repeats. We identified that these direct repeats originated from terminal inverted repeats of
Polintons
. Our findings highlight the role of host-transposon interactions in driving rapid host genome diversification among natural populations and shed light on evolutionary novelty in genes and splicing mechanisms.
Fifteen-minute consultation: considering greener asthma treatments for children and young people
Authors: Falconer Olivia , Knight Katie , Gray Sebastian Jason
Published: September 2024

Inhalers are the mainstay of asthma treatment, but are responsible for a disproportionately high level of carbon emissions compared with other aspects of healthcare. There is a growing interest among CYP in discussing the environmental impact of their treatment with healthcare staff. In this article, we outline an individualised approach to modifying asthma treatment to be more sustainable. We explore options including prescribing dry powder inhalers over pressurised metered dose inhalers, choosing inhaler devices with lower carbon footprints, improving disposal and recycling of inhalers, and optimising basic asthma care through routine reviews, prescription management and during exacerbations.
Management of a rare case of lymphangioleiomyomatosis complicated by recurrent pneumothorax
Authors: Fletke Kyle Jordan , Taylor Nicole , Shah Nirev
Published: September 2024

A female of reproductive age presents to the emergency department with progressive dyspnoea due to pneumothorax. She has a history of lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) diagnosed by lung biopsy 15 years ago following incidental finding of pneumothorax. Despite various procedural and medicinal treatments, she continued to have recurrent pneumothorax, with three hospital admissions over the preceding 3 months. LAM is a rare cystic lung disease affecting the lymphatic system, which most commonly affects women of childbearing age. It can be diagnosed via imaging or tissue biopsy (gold standard). Treatment can be difficult, and it often requires highly specialised care by pulmonologists and often confers significant limitations to patients’ independence and quality of life. Family physicians are often part of multidisciplinary team to provide care to patients with rare chronic conditions.
N = 3−3 lines in the extreme ultraviolet spectrum of europium (Z = 63)
Authors: Träbert Elmar , Hell Natalie , Brown Gregory V. , Beiersdorfer Peter , Clementson Joel H.T.
Published: September 2024

Using high-resolution flat-field spectrographs at the LLNL SuperEBIT electron beam ion trap, we have observed extreme ultraviolet spectra (λ 32–43 Å) of highly charged ions of Eu ( Z = 63) under a range of production conditions suitable for Na- through Zn-like ions. Almost 30 lines were identified with the aid of Flexible Atomic Code computations and spectral modeling. While some of the wavelength measurements are among the most accurate in this wavelength range, some of the identifications are still tentative. We discuss how experimental conditions and spectral complexity interact in the analysis process.
NAVIGATING GREEN GROWTH STRATEGIES IN THE ART INDUSTRY’S SMALL BUSINESS LANDSCAPE
Authors: JIN GENG
Published: September 2024

This study examines the factors influencing environmental investment in Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) within the Chinese art industry, using data from 50 listed companies between 2015 and 2021. It analyzes the effects of carbon emissions, stock prices, workforce expansion and energy expenditure on environmental investment decisions. The results show a positive correlation between carbon emissions and environmental investment, where a 1% increase leads to short-term gains of 0.18% and long-term gains of 0.34%. Stock prices also have a significant impact, with a 1% increase resulting in short-term gains of 0.43% and long-term gains of 0.67%. In contrast, workforce expansion has a negative effect, with a 1% increase causing short-term reductions of 0.07% and long-term decreases of 0.12%. Higher energy expenditure encourages environmental investment, leading to short-term gains of 0.25% and long-term gains of 0.48%. Based on these findings, the study proposes practical policies for promoting green growth in China’s art industry SMEs, such as tax credits or subsidies for eco-friendly practices and technologies, and programs to raise awareness and provide training on sustainable practices.
Hardware Implementation of Montgomery Modular Multiplication Based on New Compressor-4:2 Design
Authors: Issad M. , Anane M. , Boudraa B.
Published: September 2024

Modular Multiplication (MM) plays a crucial role in public key cryptography and random numbers generation. Montgomery Modular Multiplication (MMM) Algorithm is the most popular method used for performing this operation. Currently, there are various Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)-based optimizations targeting the MMM implementation. However, many of these works suffer from complex critical path where multiplications and carry propagate additions are calculated at each clock cycle. This leads to a low computation throughput and limited frequency. This paper presents an efficient FPGA implementation of the MMM algorithm using compressors-4:2 (Comp-4:2s). Our objective is to realize a Hardware (HW) architecture which presents a best trade-off between computation throughput and occupied area. The execution performances of the MMM depend on both parameters: the radix-r and the modulus size. In fact, when the radix increases, the algorithm requires multiplications of form digits[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]operands. On the other hand, when a long modulus is used, the HW implementation of the MMM needs long carry propagation paths. In this work we propose an approach to circumvent the required multiplications by decomposing the digits into coefficients powers of 2. Then, the multiplications are carried out by simple shifts and additions. The Carry Save Adders (CSAs) are employed to avoid the use of long carry chains. However, the combination of CSAs and the used radixes requires four-input adders. Our implementation is based on using the Comp-4:2s for the realization of regular CSAs structures. The challenge consists in the development of an optimized Comp-4:2 which must be completely integrated in single FPGA Slice. Our implementation solution allows the achievement of high computation throughput. The obtained critical path delay is independent of the operand size. The implementation on Virtex-7 circuit using a modulus of 1024-bit size shows that the MMM run in 1.31 and requires 2342 Slices.
Calculation of α-decay half-lives of 186−218Po isotopes and actinide nuclei using a new phenomenological potential
Authors: Hisseine I. Ramat , Likéné A. A. Atangana , Djedouboum K. , Ateba J. F. Beyala , Ben-Bolie G. H.
Published: September 2024

This paper is devoted to the calculations of alpha decay half-lives of [Formula: see text]Po [Formula: see text] isotopes and actinide nuclei between the atomic numbers Z = 90 and Z = 102, using an energy-dependent potential model. The [Formula: see text]-nucleus effective potential employed in this study includes a Coulomb potential, a centrifugal barrier potential, and a nuclear potential. The nuclear potential is chosen to be the energy-dependent singularized harmonic potential, typical of nuclear interactions. The role of the energy-dependent potential is very significant in this study. Indeed, when compared to the experimental data, our results are found to be improved when energy-dependent interaction potential is employed compared to when energy-independent interactions are used, especially for small values of the parameter [Formula: see text] as evidenced by the values of the root mean square deviation.
Designing of g-ZnO/HfZrCO2 vdW Heterostructure for Sunlight-Driven Water Splitting Photocatalyst
Authors: Wang Zheng , Zhang Zilong , Li Jun Yu , Cheng Xuerui , Xie Luogang , Yuan Chaosheng , Feng Shiquan
Published: September 2024

In this paper, we designed g-ZnO/HfZrCO2 van der Waals heterostructures (HS) by stacking g-ZnO and HfZrCO2 monolayers together to search sunlight-driven water-splitting photocatalyst. Then we selected the two most stable structures between them, AA-HS and AK-HS, for further study. The AK-HS shows a type-I band arrangement, which is not suitable as a photocatalyst for water splitting; while the AA-HS belongs to a type-II band alignment semiconductor. To regulate its band structure, different biaxial strains parallel to the stacking layers from −2% to 2% are applied on AA-HS. The results show AA-stacking HS under compressive strains exhibit typical type-II band arrangement with a staggered gap. Further investigations show that the band edges of AA-HS under a compressive strain of 0.5% meet the requirement of water redox potentials at PH 0. In addition, the absorption coefficients of AA-HS under the compressive strain of 0.5% were calculated, and the results it has good optical absorption of sunlight. The excellent photoelectric and catalytic properties make the AA-HS under compressive strain of 0.5% as a potential sunlight-driven catalyst for water splitting in a strong acid environment.
Unsteady Blood Bioconvective Flow of Carreau–Yasuda Nanofluids Through a Heat-Generating Porous Medium with Viscous Dissipation
Authors: Rashed Z. Z. , Ahmed Sameh E.
Published: September 2024

The study of the blood flow through arterial walls is an important subject due to different chemical reactions and magnetohydrodynamic having an impact on the arterial walls during the treatment of cancer, malignant tumors, drug targeting and endoscopy. So, this paper aims to present a comprehensive investigation of the blood bioconvective flow of Carreau–Yasuda (C–Y) nanofluids in an arterial. Variable velocity conditions near the walls are considered. The flow domain is filled by a porous medium and a time-dependent magnetic field is assumed. The impacts of an exponential chemical reaction are considered and the viscous dissipation in the case of the C–Y model is formulated and examined. The fully implicit finite difference method is applied to solve the dimensionless governing system. The case of the shear thinning [Formula: see text] and shear thickening [Formula: see text] are analyzed for the variations of the governing parameters such as Weissenberg [Formula: see text] and parameter of the porous medium [Formula: see text]. The major outcomes revealed that the friction coefficient is improved as the C–Y parameter is raised. Also, values of heat and mass transfer are higher in the case of the shear thinning compared to the shear thickening.
On a steady-state probability distribution for the bacterial population growth under the impact of antimicrobial resistance and its properties
Authors: Abd Allah El-Hadidy Mohamed , Alraddadi R.
Published: September 2024

In this study, we examine the statistical characteristics of a steady-state probability distribution of bacterial cells growth in the presence of antibiotic resistance, wherein the growth is subject to random fluctuations such as rapid changes in the environment. We estimate the parameters of the intrinsic rates of bacterial cells growth and antibiotic activity, as well as the intensity of intra-competitive forces that impact this distribution. Additionally, we investigate the characteristics of this distribution when deleting the period in which antibiotic resistance becomes apparent (i.e. when the rates of cell persistence and extinction are equal).
A fixed point theorem in T-partial b-metric spaces and an application in dynamic programming
Authors: Touail Youssef , Jaid Amine
Published: September 2024

Here, a fixed point theorem is proved in a new class of spaces called [Formula: see text]-partial [Formula: see text]-metric spaces without using the compactness. This class of spaces is a new generalization of [Formula: see text]-metric spaces such that the generated topology is a Hausdorff topology. Moreover, an application in dynamic programming is given to illustrate the usability of the obtained results.
Slowing Workforce Growth: Predicting Labour Trends and Investigating Perspectives of Mature Workers and Women With Caregiving Responsibilities
Authors: Chua Sheryl , Kang Soon-Hock , Sim Nicholas , Shan Wen Vivien , Fang Zheng , Han Sandra May Myo
Published: September 2024

The labour force is experiencing an increased proportion of mature workers, alongside a slowdown in the number of young entrants joining the workforce. Many organisations will need to adapt their workforce management strategies to cushion the reduced labour supply in the workforce. This paper explores the implication of this demographic development by utilising a multimethod approach to examine current and future trends in the labour market as well as the key factors that can influence the decisions to remain in the labour market for mature workers and women with caregiving responsibilities. Forecasting methods were applied to explore how various demographic scenarios could impact specific industries. We found that the labour market is generally expected to recover based on the forecasted increase in the job vacancy-to-unemployment ratio and fall in the unemployment rate. At the industry level, however, the manufacturing industry is expected to experience some headwinds in employment growth, which is expected to be weak, while the construction industry is expected to see a decline in employment growth. Finally, job vacancies across all industries are expected to decline over time. From the qualitative study, we found mature workers and women with caregiving responsibilities face challenges such as having limited and unequal access to employment, facing skills gap barriers, and struggling to balance between their personal commitment and professional demands. By addressing the unique needs of mature workers and women with caregiving responsibilities, organisations can adopt successful workforce management strategies to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Five-Stage Framework of Technology Domestication in the Workplace: An Organisational Case Study of Implementing a Mobile Management Software
Authors: Wang Yang , Chng Samuel , Trenerry Brigid , Shah Suhaila , Lim Sun Sun
Published: September 2024

With the rise of remote working due to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, organisations today increasingly adopt mobile collaborative technologies such as instant messaging platforms, enterprise social media, and project management software to facilitate a variety of work and communication practices. While previous studies on workplace digital transformation have surfaced the wide-ranging implications of digital technologies for organisational functioning, the complicated process of integrating new technologies into an organisation’s workflow, especially in Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) settings, is hitherto understudied. Given the pressing need of digitalisation and the myriad challenges faced by SMEs, it is imperative to uncover the complexity of collective decision-making, interaction, and negotiation during the process of implementing digital technologies in the workplace environment of SMEs. As an effort to shed light on this missing link, we conducted an in-depth ethnographic case study on the dynamic process of implementing a self-developed mobile management software in a construction SME in Singapore. Drawing on technology domestication theory, a five-stage workplace technology domestication framework was developed in which various stakeholders, including the company’s CEO, office staff, shop floor workers, and the developer team, engaged in ongoing and multifaceted negotiations revolving around the application of the new technology and the changes it heralded. During the domestication process, the functionality and meanings of the software as well as employee acceptance and user experiences were continuously reconfigured by a constellation of technological, individual, organisational, and sociocultural conditions. This study uncovers the iterative and participatory nature of technology design and implementation in the workplace, thereby opening up a promising approach for SMEs to maximise benefits from digital transformation with limited resources available.
Analysis of Retrenchment Trends in Singapore
Authors: Seah Shawn , Tan Valerie
Published: September 2024

Between 2008 and 2023, there had been a fairly stable level of retrenchment of an average of 7.0 retrenched resident employees per 1,000 resident employees in Singapore. During times of crisis or rough economic conditions, the incidence rate rose, as seen in 2008–2009 during the Global Financial Crisis and 2020 during the onset of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with higher rates of 13.8 and 11.1 retrenched resident employees per 1,000 resident employees, respectively. Delving deeper into retrenchment figures in 2023, an upward trend was observed from a low of 3.4 per 1,000 resident employees in 2022, suggesting stronger economic headwinds and indicating softening labour market conditions. Examining retrenched employees who partnered with the National Trades Union Congress’ Employment and Employability Institute (NTUC’s e2i), we found retrenched employees took longer to be placed in 2023 compared to 2022. However, the situation was not entirely bleak as the proportion of placed retrenched employees with similar or better pay remained largely the same in 2022 and 2023. Evidence suggests that retrenched employees who take the first job that comes along and employees who lack relevant skills and as a result take more than 5 months to find their next job tend to receive lower wages. As such, the Singapore government’s suggested transition support scheme is timely, especially when taken in the context of other efforts by the Labour Movement, including engaging companies to transform to reduce eventual retrenchment numbers and strengthening the NTUC’s e2i’s career coaching capabilities to help employees better chart their career pathways.
Deep Shape-Texture Statistics for Completely Blind Image Quality Evaluation
Authors: Li Yixuan , Chen Peilin , Zhu Hanwei , Ding Keyan , Li Leida , Wang Shiqi
Published: September 2024

Opinion-Unaware Blind Image Quality Assessment (OU-BIQA) models aim to predict image quality without training on reference images and subjective quality scores. Thereinto, image statistical comparison is a classic paradigm, while the performance is limited by the representation ability of visual descriptors. Deep features as visual descriptors have advanced IQA in recent research, but they are discovered to be highly texture-biased and lack shape-bias. On this basis, we find out that image shape and texture cues respond differently toward distortions, and the absence of either one results in an incomplete image representation. Therefore, to formulate a well-rounded statistical description for images, we utilize the shape-biased and texture-biased deep features produced by Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) simultaneously. More specifically, we design a Shape-Texture Adaptive Fusion (STAF) module to merge shape and texture information, based on which we formulate quality-relevant image statistics. The perceptual quality is quantified by the variant Mahalanobis distance between the inner and outer Deep Shape-Texture Statistics (DSTS), wherein the inner and outer statistics respectively describe the quality fingerprints of the distorted image and natural images. The proposed DSTS delicately utilizes shape-texture statistical relations between different data scales in the deep domain and achieves state-of-the-art (SOTA) quality prediction performance on images with artificial and authentic distortions.
TSFormer: Tracking Structure Transformer for Image Inpainting
Authors: Lin Jiayu , Wang Yuan-Gen
Published: September 2024

Recent studies have shown that image structure can significantly facilitate image inpainting. However, current approaches mostly explore structure prior without considering its guidance to texture reconstruction, leading to performance degradation. To solve this issue, we propose a two-stream Tracking Structure Transformer (TSFormer), including structure target stream and image completion stream, to capture the synchronous and dynamic interplay between structure and texture. Specifically, we first design a structure enhancement module to restore the Histograms of Oriented Gradient (HOG) and the edge of an input image in a sketch space, which forms the input of the structure target stream. Meanwhile, in the image completion stream, we design a channel-space parallel-attention component to facilitate the efficient co-learning of channel and spatial visual cues. To build a bridge between the two streams, we further develop a structure-texture cross-attention module, wherein both structure and texture are synchronously extracted through self-attention, and texture extraction is implemented by dynamically tracking the structure in a cross-attention fashion, enabling the capture of the intricate interaction between structure and texture. Extensive experiments evaluated on three benchmark datasets, including CelebA, Places2, and Paris StreetView, demonstrate that the proposed TSFormer achieves state-of-the-art performance compared to its competitors. The code is available at
https://github.com/GZHU-DVL/TSFormer
.
Comparative Study of Alcoholic Extracts of Different Syrian Grapevine and Olive Leaf Cultivars for Their Antioxidant Activity and Photoprotective Effects
Authors: Alhakim Farah , Laham Antoun , Hasian Jameela
Published: September 2024

A safer alternative made of plant extracts is needed, as evidenced by the negative effects of using synthetic sunscreen. Antioxidant properties of plants with high phenolic content have been reported. The goal of this research was to ascertain the phenolic content and antioxidant characteristics of ethanolic extracts made from grape and olive leaves under various extraction settings. The extracts were subjected to both qualitative and quantitative analyses using HPLC. Soxhlet extraction with 80% ethanol (v/v) as the solvent produced a result that was satisfactory. Four components of grape leaf extract and one component of olive leaf extract were identified. Expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAEs), the total phenolic content (TPC) of the samples, as determined by using the Folin–Ciocalteu’s reagent, ranged from 38.39 to 72.78 mg/g dry extract of olive and 65.918–132.7 mg/g dry extract of grape. An ethanolic extract of Salmoni (grape leaves) had the highest TPC (132 mg GAE/g), while an ethanolic extract of Zaity (olive leaves) had the lowest (72.66 ± 0.46 GAE/g). The Folin–Ciocalteu method proved the existence of antioxidants in the plant. By scavenging free radicals such as DPPH (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl), the antioxidant capacity of the plant extracts was determined. Next, the ethanolic extracts of various cultivars of grape and olive leaves were analyzed to determine their sun protection factor (SPF) value. It was 28.8 and 29.96 for grape leaf extract and olive leaf extract, respectively.
Agitated Depression Associated With Flurazepam Discontinuation
Authors: Salih Mohamed , Osman Reem Mohamed , Alim Wala , Khalid Leena , Sosal Wafa , Ibrahim Danya , Mahgoub Yassir
Published: September 2024

Agitated depression, also known as melancholia agitata, is a variant of depression characterized by severe symptoms of psychomotor agitation, inner unrest, anxiety, restlessness, prominent vegetative symptoms, and a high risk of suicide. This form of depression is reported to worsen with antidepressants and potentially improve with the use of ECT, lithium, antiepileptics, antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines. We describe a case of a 73‐year‐old female with a prior history of depression and generalized anxiety disorder who was maintained on flurazepam for 44 years and was admitted for severe depression with psychomotor agitation, prominent vegetative symptoms, thought perseveration, indecisiveness, and psychotic features that emerged following the discontinuation of flurazepam. Symptoms did not resolve with the use of alternative benzodiazepines such as nitrazepam and temazepam and further worsened with the use of several antidepressants. She finally had a complete resolution of these symptoms with a combination of alprazolam, zopiclone, and olanzapine. This case provides insight into this unique variant of depression and the role of GABA agonists in its pathology and management.
Assessment of the Awareness of Public Health Officers on Food Safety Legislation Governing School Feeding Program and Quality of Maize From School Suppliers in Turkana County
Authors: Mannara Charles , Njue Lucy Gicuku , Abong’ George Ooko
Published: September 2024

Across the globe, millions of school children struggle with hunger, a significant detriment to their attendance and academic performance. Recognizing this, many countries including Kenya have implemented school meal programs to mitigate hunger, improve attendance and academic outcomes and enhance children’s growth through better nutrition. Despite the program’s success, concerns remain about the safety and quality of food provided to these children. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the awareness of public health officers (PHOs) in Turkana County, Kenya, regarding school meal guidelines, the challenges they face in enforcing food safety regulations and the quality and safety of maize supplied to the program. This study employed a cross‐sectional survey of PHOs (n = 35) conducted using a semi‐structured questionnaire and sampling of maize from suppliers (n = 22). Mycotoxin analysis and grading of the maize grains were done using recommended methods. The results indicate that only 8.6% of PHOs in Turkana county were aware of the ministry school meal safety guidelines, while 91.4% were unaware of local food safety laws or specific policies that exist for school food. 94.3% of the PHOs pointed out that they struggle to fulfil their duties due to resource limitations such as lack of funding and technical skills as well as logistical obstacles which were vast distances. Also, all the officers indicated that the county lacked a food safety testing facility. Aflatoxin contamination was 24 times higher than the recommended levels in Kenya. These findings clearly show that there is a need to establish food safety monitoring infrastructure as well as capacity building the PHOs in discharging their duties to ensure the health of school children under the program.
Physicochemical Characterization and Evaluation of the Suspending Properties of Boswellia papyrifera Gum in Metronidazole Benzoate Suspension
Authors: Woldu Gebremariam , Brhane Tsegay , Demoz Gebre Teklemariam
Published: September 2024

Background: Currently, many natural gums are extensively utilized as suspending agents in the formulation of pharmaceutical suspensions. They are easily available, nontoxic, biodegradable, and cost‐effective to be used as pharmaceutical excipients.

Objective: The present study was aimed at physicochemical characterization and evaluation of the suspending capacity of Boswellia papyrifera gum (BPG) in comparison with sodium carboxy methyl cellulose (SCMC) and tragacanth gum (TG).

Methods: The extracted and powdered BPG was subjected to physicochemical properties such as micromeritics, solubility, swelling power, ash value, moisture content, conductivity, pH, and apparent viscosity using standard methods. Metronidazole benzoate suspensions were formulated using various concentrations of BPG, SCMC, and TG (1%–5% w/v). The apparent viscosity, flow rate, sedimentation volume, redispersibility number, pH, and drug content were studied as assessment parameters.

Results: The micromeritic studies revealed that BPG exhibited good flow properties. There was also a significant increase in solubility and swelling power of the gum as a function of temperature. The gum had 2.78% ash value and 4.32% moisture content. Conductivity and apparent viscosity of the gum were found to be increased with concentration (p < 0.05). However, the apparent viscosity of BPG was decreased with shear rate (p < 0.05), rendering a pseudoplastic flow property of the gum, which is an ideal characteristic of suspending agents. The suspending capacity of the BPG was found to be comparable to SCMC, but higher than TG. Thus, it can be concluded that BPG could be used as the best alternative to natural and synthetic suspending agents.
International Variation in Health Status Benefits in Patients Undergoing Initial Invasive Versus Conservative Management for Chronic Coronary Disease: Insights From the ISCHEMIA Trial
Authors: Ikemura Nobuhiro , Spertus John A. , Nguyen Dan , Fu Zhuxuan , Jones Philip G. , Reynolds Harmony R. , Bangalore Sripal , Bhargava Balram , Senior Roxy , Elghamaz Ahmed , Goodman Shaun G. , Lopes Renato D. , Pracoń Radoslaw , López-Sendón José , Maggioni Aldo P. , Kohsaka Shun , Roth Gregory A. , White Harvey D. , Mavromatis Kreton , Boden William E. , Rodriguez Fatima , Hochman Judith S. , Maron David J. ,   on behalf of the ISCHEMIA Research Group
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

The ISCHEMIA trial (International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches) demonstrated greater health status benefits with an initial invasive strategy, as compared with a conservative one, for patients with chronic coronary disease and moderate or severe ischemia. Whether these benefits vary globally is important to understand to support global adoption of the results.

METHODS:

We analyzed participants’ disease-specific health status using the validated 7-item Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ: >5-point differences are clinically important) at baseline and over 1-year follow-up across 37 countries in 6 international regions. The average effect of initial invasive versus conservative strategies on 1-year SAQ scores was estimated using Bayesian proportional odds regression and compared across regions.

RESULTS:

Considerable regional variation in baseline health status was observed among 4617 participants (mean age=64.4±9.5 years, 24% women), with the mean SAQ summary scores of 67.4±19.5 in Eastern Europe participants (17% of the total), 71.4±15.4 in Asia-Pacific (18%), 74.9±16.7 in Central and South America (10%), 75.5±19.5 in Western Europe (26%), and 78.6±19.2 in North America (28%). One-year improvements in SAQ scores were greater in regions with lower baseline scores with initial invasive management (17.7±20.9 in Eastern Europe and 11.4±19.3 in North America), but similar in the conservative arm. Adjusting for baseline SAQ scores, similar health status benefits of an initial invasive strategy on 1-year SAQ scores were observed (ranging from 2.38 points [95% CI, 0.04–4.50] in North America to 4.66 points [95% CI, 2.46–6.94] in Eastern Europe), with an 88.3% probability that the difference in benefit across regions was <5 points.

CONCLUSIONS:

In patients with chronic coronary disease and moderate or severe ischemia, initial invasive management was associated with a consistent health status benefit across regions, with modest regional variability, supporting the international generalizability of health status benefits from invasive management of chronic coronary disease.

REGISTRATION:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT01471522