bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rectourethral fistula after perirectal spacer placement requiring pelvic exenteration
Authors: Shah Yash B , Lokeshwar Soum D , Brutus Nicholas , Sterling Joshua
Published: December 2024

Despite the widespread use of perirectal spacers to reduce radiation-induced rectal toxicity during prostate cancer treatment, postmarketing data reveal rare but significant complications. This case report details a severe complication of rectourethral fistula necessitating robotic pelvic exenteration with urinary and faecal diversion following perirectal spacer placement. Although SpaceOAR has been shown to reduce rectal radiation dose, the ensuing clinical benefit remains inconclusive in real-world data. Our findings underscore the need for thorough patient counselling regarding the risks and benefits of spacer use, particularly given the lack of evidence for improved cancer control or gastrointestinal toxicity. We further review the literature to highlight the importance of physician technique during placement and the potential avenues for early identification and management of complications. Future research must aim to better characterise real-world risks and develop strategies for mitigating severe outcomes.
Risk for exertional heat illness among US army enlistees: climate indexes, intrinsic factors and their interactions
Authors: Kazman Josh B , Nelson D Alan , Ahmed Anwar E , Deuster Patricia A , O'Connor Francis G , Mancuso James D , Lewandowski Stephen A
Published: December 2024

Objectives

To characterise intrinsic and extrinsic (climatic) risks for mild and severe exertional heat illness (EHI) among first-year army enlistees.

Methods

We examined 337 786 soldiers who enlisted between 2012 and 2019. Survival models were used to predict incident EHI from intrinsic factors (demographics, healthcare utilisation, chronic conditions, body mass index (BMI), Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), upper/lower respiratory tract infections (URTI and LRTI), skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTI), extrinsic factors (geographical region, daily mean Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT)) and interactions.

Results

There were 1390 cases of mild and 359 cases of severe EHI. Females had a higher risk for mild (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.78; 95% CI 1.57 to 2.02) but a lower risk for severe (aOR 0.61; 95% CI 0.38 to 0.87) EHI. Obesity was associated with severe EHI (aOR: 1.76; 95% CI 1.09 to 2.84) but not mild EHI (aOR: 1.03; 95% CI 0.76 to 1.39). URTI was associated with severe (aOR: 2.44; 95% CI 1.12 to 5.30) and mild (aOR 3.72, 95% CI 2.84 to 4.87) EHI, as were LRTI (severe, aOR: 11.40; 95% CI 6.09 to 21.32; mild, aOR 2.06; 95% CI 1.22 to 3.46), but not SSTI. UTCI outperformed WBGT in predicting EHI. Outside the Southern USA, EHI risk was elevated at lower UTCI. Associations varied over climate conditions and generally did not increase with climatic heat stress.

Conclusions

Respiratory infections were associated with the highest risk for EHI in soldiers. Risk mitigation strategies may include monitoring prevention and recovery from respiratory infections. Female sex and obesity may have different associated risks over climate conditions.
Bilateral femoral neck fractures and fixation failure due to stiff-person syndrome
Authors: Whittam Daniel , Helm Anthony , Tucker Harry
Published: December 2024

We describe a woman with stiff-person syndrome (SPS), whose muscle spasms resulted in sequential bilateral femoral neck fractures. Orthopaedic fixation of the first fracture was complicated by increased muscle spasm, fracture nonunion and ultimately metalwork fracture. SPS was diagnosed following the fracture of the contralateral femoral neck, neurology assessment and detection of high-titre antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase. Multidisciplinary management with high-dose benzodiazepines, intravenous immunoglobulin infusions, and bilateral total hip replacements achieved a good functional outcome. Spasms associated with SPS are a rare cause of pathological fractures and may cause orthopaedic fixation to fail. Early recognition and multidisciplinary care are essential to prevent additional morbidity.
The Community-Based Monitoring System of Philippine Statistics Authori-ty in North Cotabato: Basis for A Pre-Deployment Training Program
Authors: Cagasan Kareen Calibayan
Published: December 2024

This study provides a comprehensive review and analysis of the vital role of enumerators in the Community-Based Monitoring Sys-tem (CBMS) in North Cotabato, Philippines. The research aims to shed light on the responsibilities, challenges, and impacts faced by enumerators during the data collection process, as well as to pro-pose evidence-based strategies for improving their performance and the accuracy of data collection. The CBMS is a crucial system for collecting disaggregated data necessary for evidence-based decision-making and targeted development programs. However, there needs to be more literature regarding the specific challenges and roles of enumerators in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the monitoring process. By addressing this gap, this study strives to enhance the effectiveness and reliability of the CBMS. Drawing from international, national, and local contexts, this research pro-vides insights into the importance of enumerators' roles based on experiences from other countries implementing similar systems. It discusses the potential biases and errors enumerators may en-counter during data collection. It emphasizes the need for commu-nity collaboration and support to ensure the accuracy and com-prehensiveness of the collected data. Furthermore, the study high-lights the significance of understanding enumerators' roles in identifying poverty hotspots, tracking changes in poverty levels, and devising targeted interventions to address the root causes of poverty. By bridging the gap in the literature, this research aims to contribute to a better understanding of the enumerator's role and offer valuable insights for future research and the development of strategies and training programs to improve the CBMS.
A Systematic Literature Review of Digital Transformation
Authors: Sarmiento Allen Grace M.
Published: December 2024

The introduction of information, technology, and innovation in goods and services is the cornerstone of success in the modern global economy. These significant digital revolution shifts have established new digitally related practices that enhance and add value to the way businesses and organizations operate. With this, it is more crucial than ever to comprehend the potential benefits digital transformation projects may offer businesses and the economy. This study contributes to the continuous research related to digital transformation by pondering the articles about its disposition. Furthermore, this may enlighten business stakeholders and policymakers on the substance of digital transformation in the business and economy. This study presents the 20 reviewed literature precisely their basis of the sources of data, geographical settings, statistical treatment employed, distribution of geographical settings of selected studies, the variable usage for digital transformation, its parameters, and the concepts or other variables it is being related with.
The Road to Self-Leadership: Teachers’ Mindful Awareness, Engaging Leadership, Commitment, Work Engagement, and Need Satisfaction
Authors: Valenzuela Victoria Pena , Daez Francisco DP.
Published: December 2024

The purpose of the study is to examine which of the following var-iables: mindful awareness, engaging leadership, and commitment of women teachers significantly influence work engagement and basic needs satisfaction. The study employed the descriptive-correlational research design and N=273 was purposively selected teachers enrolled in the Graduate School of Meycauayan College, Bulacan, Philippines. Mean, weighted mean, Pearson r, and multi-ple linear regression are the statistical tools used in analyzing and interpreting the data. Findings reveal a significant relationship between mindfulness awareness, engaging leadership, and com-mitment to work engagement and basic needs satisfaction of fe-male teachers, The study was able to determine that commitment predicts the teachers' work engagement and basic needs satisfac-tion. Implications for professional development that boost self-leadership and mindfulness training programs are integrated into teachers’ wellness policies to ensure their work engagement and satisfy their basic needs.
Groundwater availability for irrigation purposes: Case of Middle Cheliff aquifer Algeria
Authors: Nadjai Saci , Khammar Hichem , Bouchema Nadhir , Nabed Abdelkader Nadir , Bouderbala Abdelkader , Benaabidate Lahcen
Published: December 2024

The Middle Cheliff Plain faces persistent difficulties in manag-ing its limited groundwater reserves. This region, covering 321 km² in a semi-arid climate, is subjected to a detailed study of groundwater quality for irrigation purposes. In this context, twelve samples were carefully collected and analyzed. Nine es-sential parameters were evaluated, including physicochemical parameters and irrigation indices It is noted that the waters have an average conductivity of 4231 μs.cm-1 and a significant chloride content of 23.33 meq/l which has an unacceptable cat-egory for irrigation also the majority of the indices present fair-ly acceptable and permissible values for irrigation SAR and RSC (100%) of the samples respectively, also the PI 75% of the pie-zometers are suitable for irrigation These criteria were used to assess the suitability of groundwater for irrigation. In most of the plain, the Groundwater Quality Index for Irrigation (GWQII) indicates both acceptable and poor quality. These results show that most of these chemical constituents are above the FAO standards. Therefore, irrigation water poses a danger to the region's vast fields and its fragile crops. The proposed ap-proach has demonstrated efficacy in the assessment of groundwater quality for irrigation purposes, exhibiting versa-tility in application and adaptability across diverse geograph-ical regions, including humid, arid, and semi-arid settings worldwide.
Evaluation of indicators for improving the irrigation water use efficiency: Case of Guelma-Boucheggouf irrigated perimeter, Algeria
Authors: Kebieche Abdelhak , Mouhouche Brahim
Published: December 2024

This study contributes to the evaluation of irrigation performance in the irrigated perimeter of Guelma-Boucheggouf, located in the Wila-ya of Guelma in northeastern Algeria. The aim was to evaluate the irrigation water-use efficiency (WUEi) as a performance indicator of the irrigated system at the perimeter with regard to the existing distribution scheme. It is calculated according to the equation adopted within the framework of the Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development “Plan Bleu” (MSSD) in 2008. It is the prod-uct of the overall efficiency of the supply-distribution network (E1) and the plot irrigation efficiency (E2), and is subject to the irrigation methods used. The calculations yielded irrigation water-use effi-ciency (WUEi) of 46.1%. Examining the results for the 2019 to 2022 irrigation campaigns revealed significant losses between the pumped volumes and the ones released, which indicates a low ad-duction efficiency (Ea) of 54.22% and explains the inadequacy of the release system compared with the water saving strategies adopted by the national water plan in Algeria. The results also reveal the im-portance of the existing distribution system reflected by a distribu-tion efficiency (Ed) of 82.08%, which reduced the overall efficiency of the network (E1) calculated from the two efficiencies to 56.58%, indicating an average loss of 9.8 Hm3 between the released volumes and those distributed. The plot efficiency (E2), calculated at 82%, was acceptable due to its dependence on the irrigation methods used; however further improvement is needed.
Organizational Autonomy Beyond the Secretariat: Lessons from the Green Climate Fund
Authors: Gehring Thomas , Vizitiu Patrick
Published: December 2024

Can international organizations (IOs) like the Green Climate Fund (GCF) gain significant organizational autonomy, even if member states dominate the decision process? We identify policy-guiding organizational rules as a major source of organizational autonomy that is missed by both intergovernmental and bureaucracy-focused approaches to IOs. Theoretically, we develop a mechanism that demonstrates how organizational autonomy arises from intergovernmental institutional settings, if organizational rules provide clear policy guidance, a decision procedure generates strong incentives for actors to honor these policies, and member states are generally committed to the overall IO policy. Empirically, we show that the institutional setup of the GCF meets these prerequisites remarkably well. The analysis of two highly contentious funding applications demonstrates that the GCF actually produces organizationally preferred decisions, even if important board members advocate different solutions. We conclude that policy-guiding rules may be better predictors for funding decisions in IOs than member state preferences or bureaucratic self-interest.
Evaluation of Task Specific Productivity Improvements Using a Generative Artificial Intelligence Personal Assistant Tool
Authors: Freeman Brian , Arriola Kendall , Cottell Dan , Lawlor Emmett , Erdman Matt , Sutherland Trevor , Wells Brian
Published: December 2024

This study evaluates the productivity improvements achieved using a generative artificial intelligence personal assistant tool (PAT) developed by Trane Technologies. The PAT, based on OpenAI’s GPT 3.5 model, was deployed on Microsoft Azure to ensure secure access and protection of intellectual property. To assess the tool’s productivity effectiveness, an experiment was conducted comparing the completion times and content quality of four common office tasks: writing an email, summarizing an article, creating instructions for a simple task, and preparing a presentation outline. Sixty-three (63) participants were randomly divided into a test group using the PAT and a control group performing the tasks manually. Results indicated significant productivity enhancements, particularly for tasks involving summarization and instruction creation, with improvements ranging from 3.3% to 69%. The study further analyzed factors such as the age of users, response word counts, and quality of responses, revealing that the PAT users generated more verbose and higher-quality content. Writing email content improved by 3.3%, summarizing text improved by 69%, creating instructions improved by 45.9%, and preparing an outline improved by 24.8%. An ’LLM-as-a-judge’ method employing GPT-4 was used to grade the quality of responses, which effectively distinguished between high and low-quality outputs. The findings underscore the potential of PATs in enhancing workplace productivity and highlight areas for further research and optimization.
Novel Building Detection and Location Intelligence in Aerial Satellite Imagery
Authors: Singh Sandeep , Wiles Christian , Bilal Ahmed
Published: December 2024

The accurate detection and extraction of building information from aerial imagery is of paramount importance in urban planning, land use analysis, and disaster management. This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the development of a robust and efficient methodology for building detection in satellite imagery utilizing state-of-the-art deep learning techniques. We conducted a comparative analysis of three distinct semantic segmentation models based on the U-Net architecture: a baseline U-Net trained from scratch, a U-Net incorporating a pre-trained ResNet34 encoder, and a U-Net with custom architectural enhancements. Our methodological approach encompassed data augmentation strategies, transfer learning techniques, and ensemble methods to optimize model performance. The Inria Aerial Image Labelling Dataset served as the primary source for model training and validation. We explored the efficacy of various loss functions, including dice loss, focal loss, and weighted cross-entropy, to address class imbalance and enhance segmentation accuracy. Model performance was rigorously evaluated using a comprehensive set of metrics, including pixel-wise accuracy, Intersection over Union (IoU), and F1-score. Our highest-performing individual model achieved a dice score of 92 percent on the validation set, while the implementation of ensemble techniques further improved detection accuracy to 93 percent on the heldout test set. Post-processing algorithms, incorporating traditional computer vision methods, were applied to refine building polygon delineation. This research demonstrates the efficacy of deep learning-based segmentation approaches for building detection in aerial imagery and offers valuable insights into potential applications across various domains, including urban planning, construction monitoring, and disaster response. Future research directions may explore building classification, change detection analysis, and model optimization for real-time applications in dynamic urban environments.
Mothers' Experiences with Postnatal Home Visits by Community Health Nurses in Selected Districts in Ashanti Region, Ghana
Authors: Agyeman-Duah Yvonne , Bimerew Million
Published: December 2024

Background: Efforts have been made to improve maternal and child health care globally, with a focus on promoting postnatal care for mothers and babies. Timely intervention during the postpartum period can potentially avert health issues from progressing into chronic conditions, which could have lasting consequences on women, infants, and their families. In spite of the known significance of postnatal visits for enhancing maternal and child health care, concerns still exist regarding maternal and infant health care in the Ashanti Region and Ghana as a whole. This study aimed to explore and describe mothers’ experiences of postnatal home visits received from community health nurses’ (CHNs) in selected districts of the Ashanti Region, Ghana. Method: Qualitative research method was used to collect data from the study participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using 15 postnatal mothers. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Results: One main theme and two categories emerged from the overall analysis of the data from the mothers. Theme emerged was: experiences of mothers during postnatal home visits. The two key categories included: 1. Encouraging experiences with postnatal home visits; highlighting emotional support, skilled nursing care, dedicated time and continuous support from some CHNs and 2. Barriers to effective postnatal home visitation; emphasizing challenges such as negative attitudes of some CHNs, resource constraints, cultural conflicts with evidence-based modern practices and inconsistent caregivers. Conclusion: Mothers appreciated the convenience of receiving baby assessments and immunizations at home, avoiding long queues and reducing transportation costs. Furthermore, trusting, respectful relationship between nurses and mothers significantly enhances communication, making mothers more receptive to guidance and health advice. Attentive listening, emotional support, and consistent care from community health nurses contribute to a positive bond, leading to greater comfort and confidence among mothers in discussing health concerns.
The Ideology of Islamic Secularization of Muḥammad ʻAbduh, the Most Prominent Pioneer of Enlightenment Thinkers in the Middle East and the Arab World
Authors: Elnakep Moḥamed , Branca Paolo , Elgeidi Shalabi
Published: December 2024

As is known, secularism is the principle that separates the government, its institutions, and political authority from religious authority or religious figures. Secularism is known as a principle and intellectual approach that sees that human interaction with life should be based on a worldly basis, not a religious one. Secularism is commonly promoted as the separation of religion from state affairs. Here, the title of the article was chosen as The Ideology of Islamic Secularization, because many modern thinkers or reformers have applied this secular mechanism in dealing with Islamic doctrinal, jurisprudential, and historical issues. Such a trend can be called the modern rational school or enlightenment thinkers. Perhaps the most prominent pioneer in this field is the Islamic thinker with a reformist tendency, Muḥammad ʻAbduh, the most prominent pioneer of enlightenment thinkers in the Middle East and the Arab world. Muḥammad ʻAbduh is considered the founder of secularism in modern Egypt, but there has been much controversy over his attribution to secular or Salafist thought. This study follows the approach adopted by Muḥammad ʻAbduh and his influence on Middle Eastern thought by dividing the study into three fundamental axes. This study is considered the first and only one that deals with the problem of Muḥammad ʻAbduh affiliation in a precise manner. ʻMuḥammad's ʻAbduh historical reform and criticism had an ideological character influenced by the Enlightenment movement. He played a role in reforming Al-Azhar, endowments, Sharia courts, Arabic language, religious sciences, and others. He also dealt with historical criticism from a modern perspective. The research focused on some ideological aspects that changed his intellectual path to adopt another conservative ideology transferred by Muḥammad Rashīd Riḍā. It can be said that Rida's reformist ideology for Islamic history and thought is a continuation of what Muḥammad ʻAbduh began, although he deviated slightly from the intellectual path despite being influenced by his teacher Muḥammad ʻAbduh, even though some Salafi reformers considered him a reformer that belonged to the Salafi school of thought.
Optimization of Thermal Comfort in Compressed Earth Block (CEB) Buildings in Burkina Faso
Authors: Maiga Alidou , Sagna Koffi , Toussakoe Karim , Zoma Vincent , Ouedraogo Lareba , Kam Sié
Published: December 2024

The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of orientation on the thermal comfort of bioclimatic buildings in general, and in particular those built with compressed earth blocks. A first experimental study confirmed that compressed earth blocks have good thermal inertia, and made it possible to determine the number of annual hours of thermal comfort in the room. The results showed a thermal phase shift of 6 hours with a temperature difference of 10°C between the outside and the inside of the room, for an annual total of 4788 hours of comfort (54.65%) compared to 2158 hours of discomfort (49.80%), with a hygrothermal index (HIT) of 1.6 and an annual cooling requirement of 753.55 kWh. Subsequently, dynamic thermal simulations (DTS) carried out on different orientations made it possible to optimize the thermal comfort and energy consumption of the premises studied. The NORTHEAST and SOUTH-EAST orientation of the facades, with the two windows of the premises, made it possible to achieve 78.1% thermal comfort, or 6833 hours, a HIT of 0.5 and an annual power requirement of cooling of 523.78 kWh. Finally, similar work was carried out to propose optimal orientations for bioclimatic buildings in the three climatic zones of Burkina Faso.
Ultrashort Antiviral Hydrophobic Peptides Targeting Both Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron XBB Variant and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Authors: Nahhas Alaa F. , Nahhas Alrayan F. , Webster Thomas J.
Published: December 2024

Due to the continual emergence of viral respiratory variants, there is a stronger desire now more than ever to design new more effective vaccines and therapies. Herein, for this reason, we synthesized two hydrophobic peptides, FFWW and FWWW, using Fmoc solid phase synthesis to attach
to and passivate two current problematic respiratory viruses: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron XBB Variant and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). The structures of the peptides were confirmed using HNMR and LC-MS. Results demonstrated that both
peptides passivated both viruses after just 15 minutes of incubation. Results further showed the ability of FFWW to passivate both a pseudovirus of SARS-CoV-2 and RSV better than FWWW suggesting that the extra ring of the Try in FWWW does not add any value towards virus passivation. Most importantly,
results indicated that FFWW should be further studied for numerous anti-viral applications (from peptide anti-viral therapies to sensors that can detect ambient virus amounts).
Enhanced Brain Tumor Detection with Hybrid Approaches and Explainable AI
Authors: Nagarajan Shivakumar , Mothilal Jeevapriya , Sankaralingam Prasanna
Published: December 2024

Accurate brain tumor classification poses significant challenges due to cellular diversity, complicating reliable radiological diagnoses. Recent advancements in MRI have enhanced CADS for tumor detection. However, DL models struggle to extract significant characteristics from medical
images, differing substantially from natural Images. To overcome this limitation, it uses multiple stages feature extraction and a XAI technique to assess the effectiveness of hybrid DL and ensemble ML in brain tumor detection. This work employs a two-pronged strategy to improve brain tumor
categorization. Initially, ResNet50 extracts features, which are then optimized using GSMVO and MI. Classification is performed using either a MLP or an ensemble of Random Forest and XGBoost models. Analysis of SIAR dataset MRI images confirms the hybrid DL model’s 95.5% accuracy, outperforming
the ensemble model’s 93.5%. Furthermore, XAI techniques - Grad-CAM, LIME, SmoothGrad with Guided Backpropagation enhance interpretability, fostering clinical trust and transparency. The proposed hybrid approach emerges as a reliable diagnostic tool for brain tumors.
Electromagnetic Properties of Y1.5Ba2Cu3O7-y Ceramic Oxide Bulk
Authors: Lee Sang-Heon
Published: December 2024

In the present study, the process of crystal growth from an interior seed was employed to compensate for the shortcomings of the conventional process of crystal growth. Upon completion of the formation of the upper part of the YBCO bulk and the lower part of the pellet, a YBCO superconductor
was fabricated by a thermal treatment process. The seed was put vertically or horizontally onto the c-axis of the YBCO. Magnetic levitation of the seed placed horizontally on the specimen appeared, with higher magnetic levitation of the seed placed vertically on the specimen. Measurements
of the trapped magnetism showed an identical trend. The temperature of the superconductor was lowered to the temperature of liquid nitrogen (77 K) through the method of zero-field cooling to observe changes in the resulting magnetic levitation. Depending upon the amount of Ag added, magnetic
levitation rendered various measurements of 76.12 N, 70.523 N, and 57.711 N. The magnetism trapped inside the superconductive crystal was measured through field cooling, from which a surface magnetism of 2.23 kG of the superconductive bulk specimen appeared.
TEM Investigation on Al–Fe Intermetallic Phase Particles in Al–Mg Alloys Containing High Mg Contents Forged by Cold Biaxial Alternate Forging
Authors: Ha Seong-Ho , Shin Young-Chul , Kim Bong-Hwan , Yoon Young-Ok , Lim Hyun-Kyu , Lim Sung-Hwan , Kim Shae K.
Published: December 2024

In this study, Al–Fe intermetallic phase particles and their response to deformation in Al–Mg alloys with high Mg contents forged by cold biaxial alternate forging were investigated using transmission electron microscopy. The phase diagram shows that Fe solubility gradually
decreased with an increase in Mg content in the Al–Fe– Mg system. Bright-field images and digital diffractograms of the analyzed particles showed that the Al13Fe4 phase formed by Fe impurities was present in the Al–6mass%Mg and Al–8mass%Mg alloys
examined in this study. After biaxial alternate forging of one pass, the formation and propagation of cracks along the longitudinal direction in the Al13Fe4 phase particles were observed in Al–6mass%Mg and Al–8mass%Mg alloys.
Achieving High-Performance Overall Water Splitting with ZnCo2O4@Co3O4 Nanosheets
Authors: Zhuang Wenbin
Published: December 2024

The research and improvement of electrocatalysts are crucial for lowering the energy barrier of water-splitting electrocatalytic reactions and enhancing reaction kinetics. To achieve this, the development of low-cost, high-performance electrocatalysts with broad application potential
is urgent. In this study, The ZnCo2O4@Co3O4 hybrid-structure nanowires were successfully synthesized using a hydrothermal method. As electrocatalysts for water splitting, ZnCo2O4@Co3O4 achieves a current
density of 20 mA cm−2 with an overpotential of 388.6 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and an overpotential of 92.4 mV for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), demonstrating superior catalytic performance compared to single ZnCo2O4 or Co3O4.
Additionally, the ZnCo2O4@Co3O4 sample exhibits a cell voltage of 1.747 V and maintains excellent stability in tests lasting over 25 hours.
Proficient Quantum-Dot Cellular Automata Based XOR Gate Layout Generator for Image Processing Applications
Authors: Mahendrakan K. , Prema S. , Marimuthu R. , Malathi M.
Published: December 2024

The Conservative lithography-based VLSI technology has been able to increase processing power and achieve proportionate scaling in feature size. However, present work expose that deterioration of these devices (as a result of vital physical confines of CMOS technology) will head to
undesirable consequences such as doping fluctuations, power dissipation, short channel effects and electro-migration failures. These repercussions will cause a decline in a number of parameters, including diffusion barriers, off-state leakage, gate depletion, switching performance, and stray
capacitances. Furthermore, it is predicted that the 7 nm channel dimension will mark the conclusion of the CMOS technology’s growth process. In order to replace conventional CMOS technology in the near future, extensive nanoscale research has been conducted in recent years. The CMOS
technologies can function at frequencies of Tera-Hertz and can attain a consistency of 10 devices/cm2. However, the current strategy of reducing transistor count while maintaining the same design quality may soon be insufficient to overcome the commercial, architectural, and physical
barriers. A novel technology that harnesses the advantages of nanoscale physics will have to replace the MOS transistor. A plethora of cutting-edge technologies, such as spin transistors, resonant tunnelling diodes (RTDs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and single electron transistors (SETs), are
being investigated as potential replacements for conventional CMOS technology. Because nanotechnology has unique features that increase at such small feature sizes, it opens up new computational possibilities. When creating ultra-deep submicron circuits and getting around CMOSs limitations,
quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) is a nanotechnology that can take the place of CMOS. It is created on various scientific facts, including Effective QCA Designs and Their Applications. The proposed XOR Gate are compared with existing designs in terms of number of cells area and clock cycles.
The proposed design is purely logical, fast and occupies ultra-less area.
Preparation and Characterization of Ammonia Sensor Based on LaFeO3 Nanomaterial
Authors: Weiwen Liu , Dong Cheng , Chunwei Zhang , Chongbo Zhang , Changsong Chai , Junwei Li , Xuezhu Zhang , Zhangchen Liu , Qiushuang Xie
Published: December 2024

With the acceleration of industrialization, air pollution is becoming increasingly serious. In order to ensure the normal and orderly production and life of human beings, it is urgent to quickly and accurately monitor harmful gases. Semiconductor gas sensors have been widely used in
the field of gas detection. P-type semiconductor material LaFeO3 has been widely studied for its excellent performance, but it still has some problems such as poor stability, narrow detection range and low response value. In this paper, LaFeO3 nanomaterials were
synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM and EDS, and the properties of the samples were tested by intelligent gas sensing test system. The results show that LaFeO3 nanomaterial sintered at 700 °C has the best performance, and the
response value to 400 ppm NH3 at 300 °=C reaches 22.56, the response/recovery time is 4.2 s/8.5 s, respectively, and has good repeatability and stability.
Optimal Configuration of Rural Integrated Energy Storage Systems Considering Multiple Demand-Side Responses
Authors: Wang Donglai , Li Hanli , Li Jiayin , Yu Yuan , Zhao Yan
Published: December 2024

In rural locations, energy storage options were limited to discrete forms. Complementary advantages among energy sources such as electricity, heat and gas cannot be fully utilized. Integrated energy systems can optimize the distribution of electricity, gas, heat, and energy storage
to utilize different energy sources efficiently. This paper uses a multi-period demand response model that considers electricity prices. On this basis, an electric-gas-heat-coupled energy storage model is built. The purpose of the objective function is to decline the whole economic expenditure,
maximize the consumption of renewable power, and limit the annual CO2 emissions. This can be accomplished by employing advanced evolutionary algorithms for non-dominant classification. To solve the objective function, a reformative Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II)
is applied. Upon analysis, the findings indicate that after considering the two categories of demand response, all loads reduce their energy consumption costs by shifting part of their load to hours with lower peak power values, and the curves for all load types are flatter than before incorporating
demand response. The comparison of simulation data proves that the coupled electric-gas-heat energy storage model has the best economic performance.
Nanoimprint Lithography for Solar Cell Applications
Authors: Sun Hong-Wen , Li Lei , Gu Li-Jun , Wang Jing-Sheng , Zhang Lin-Xiong , Gu Yi , Bao Xi-Yang
Published: December 2024

Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) has emerged as a noteworthy technology in the realm of fabricating micro- and nanostructures with anti-reflective characteristics for diverse solar cell applications. This advanced technique presents a cost-effective approach, accompanied by a vast array
of design versatility, thereby facilitating enhanced flexibility in optimizing the efficiency of photovoltaic systems. NIL boasts a multitude of applications across nearly all solar cell types. This article delves into the utilization of NIL and its influence on power conversion efficiency
within various solar cell categories, encompassing silicon-based solar cells (including monocrystalline, polycrystalline, amorphous, microcrystalline, and silicon heterojunction solar cells), third-generation solar cells (such as copper indium gallium diselenide, dye-sensitized, perovskite,
and organic solar cells), compound solar cells, nanowire-based solar cells, and bio-inspired solar cell structures. By capitalizing on the multiscale textures achievable through the NIL process, substantial advancements can be made in further elevating the performance of solar cells.
Dynamics of Quantum Correlations in Coupled Double Quantum Dots with Intrinsic Decoherence
Authors: Abdel-Aty A.-H. , Alrebdi T. A. , Alkallas F. , Mohamed A.-B. A.
Published: December 2024

This work explores the generation and robustness dynamics of coupled double quantum dots using uncertainty-induced (UI) nonlocality, maximum Bell-CHSH inequality, and log-negativity with intrinsic-decoherence. This study examines the generation of Bell-CHSH nonlocality, UI-nonlocality,
and log-negativity entanglement using a separable two-double-quantum-dots state. Enhancing these features is achieved by tuning intrinsic decoherence and dot interaction strengths, highlighting their potential for creating robust quantum correlations. The two-double-quantum-dots correlated
states can be produced and enhanced by increasing the pair-dots tunneling couplings and Coulomb-two-electrons interactions. The decoherence effect acceleration depends on Coulomb-two-electrons interactions and the pair-dots tunneling coupling. For a maximally entangled state, the robustness
dynamics of the initial maximal Bell-CHSH-nonlocality, UI-nonlocality, and log-negativity’s entanglement, is explored against the two-double-quantum-dots interactions and the decoherence effects.
Impact of Multiple Linear Regression Strategies on Unsteady Thin Film Flow of Al2O3 Nanofluid Over a Stretching Sheet
Authors: Priyadharshini P. , Divya P. , Vanitha Archana M.
Published: December 2024

This study is motivated by the need for advanced thermal management in industries such as electronics, energy and biomedical engineering, where efficient heat transfer is essential for performance and reliability. By analyzing the thermophysical properties of a base fluid with differently
shaped Al2O3 nanoparticles in unsteady thin-film flow over a stretching layer, the paper explores heat transfer enhancement. Internal heat generation and convective boundary effects are incorporated, transforming complex nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs)
into ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using similarity transformations, with MATLAB BVP4C solver providing insights. Key parameters like Biot number, Eckert number and slip parameter are manipulated, showing that higher Prandtl numbers and slip parameters reduce thermal diffusivity.
The thermal state of the Al2O3 nanofluid, influenced by the conductivity parameter is significantly affected by the presence of nanoparticles and impacts results in applications requiring precise and accurate outcomes. The degradation (M = K = φ = 0) results
are tabulated to evaluate the efficacy of the current approach. A multiple linear regression model for unsteady flow delivers strong predictive performance with errors 10−5, reinforcing previous findings and highlighting its utility in predicting physical quantities in thin-film
nanotechnology which plays a vital role in applications like electronics cooling, heat exchangers, solar panels and biomedical devices.
Influence of Temperature and Nanoparticle Concentration on the Electrical Conductivity of Water-Based TiO2 Nanofluids: Experimental Study, Correlation, and Model Assessment
Authors: Fadafan Hassan Khandan , Abareshi Maryam , Bavafa Hadiseh
Published: December 2024

Different volume fractions of TiO2/water nanofluids were created using TiO2 nanoparticles synthesized via the chemical coprecipitation technique. The electrical conductivity (EC) of each nanofluid was then measured at specific temperatures, ranging from 10 to 60
°C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the presence of the TiO2 anatase phase and a minor presence of the rutile phase. Measurements from dynamic light scattering (DLS) and UV-Vis spectroscopy revealed that the nanoparticles exhibit an average diameter close to 26 nm,
with an optical band gap estimated to be about 3.8 eV. Experimental findings demonstrated that both temperature and volume fraction play significant roles in enhancing the EC of nanofluids. These findings were evaluated compared to an earlier model for nanofluid conductivity that includes
nanoparticle Brownian motion and electrophoretic effects, demonstrating a close alignment between the predicted and observed values. Furthermore, the long-term stability of the nanofluids was validated, and a reliable correlation was established between the nanofluid’s EC, temperature,
and volume fraction.
Contact electric conductivity of carbon fibers tows and anisotropic conductivity of 3D braided carbon fiber / epoxy composite materials
Authors: Liu Shuo , Gu Bohong
Published: December 2024

Carbon fiber composites have been widely used for aircraft and vehicle design, while the carbon fiber composites are electric conductive, and the conductivity depends on carbon fibers themselves and contacts among fibers. Among the conductive mechanisms, contact-based electrical conduction plays a pivotal role in determining the overall conductivity of carbon fiber composites. Understanding how to isolate contact conduction from the overall electrical behavior of composite is essential for optimizing composite design for electrical applications. Here we developed a micro-contact model to investigate the longitudinal and transverse electrical conductivity of 3D braided carbon fiber/epoxy resin composites. An analytical model based on the electrical tunneling effect was proposed to calculate the contact resistance between carbon fiber tows. Statistical methods were employed to determine the fiber contact ratio and the effective contact area between carbon fiber tows. Additionally, the electrical resistances of various contact configurations among carbon fiber tows were calculated based on the braided preform structure. To further analyze the conductivity, finite element analysis (FEA) models were constructed, both with and without yarn contacts, to evaluate longitudinal and transverse electrical conductivity. The results revealed that longitudinal conductivity is predominantly governed by continuous carbon fiber tows, whereas transverse conductivity is influenced by through-transverse carbon fiber tows and fiber-to-fiber contacts.
The adolescent dysregulation profile and its association with educational, occupational, and substance use outcomes in emerging adulthood
Authors: Cooper Tara R. , Sukhawathanakul Paweena
Published: December 2024

The dysregulation profile (DP) in youth is characterized by severe emotional, cognitive, and behavioral dysregulation and is associated with an increased risk for psychiatric disorders. Adolescent self-regulation has important implications for adulthood outcomes, yet this association is understudied in the context of the DP in emerging adults. Using a Canadian adolescent sample ( N = 662; Mage = 15.52), a dimensional approach to the DP was taken and associations between adolescent DP scores and educational, occupational and substance use outcomes in emerging adulthood ( Mage = 25.77) were examined. Latent profile analysis revealed: a highly problematic group with elevated DP scores ( n = 59; 8.9%); an average problems group with average DP scores ( n = 285; 43.1%); and a low problems group with below average DP scores ( n = 318; 48%). The highly problematic group reported the lowest occupational statuses, and the highest prevalence of unemployment and substance dependencies. These results demonstrate the impact of subthreshold adolescent DP scores on emerging adulthood outcomes.
Isolated initial clavus-like rash: a rare presentation of secondary syphilis
Authors: Sun Yaqi , Zhao Wei , Li Furong , Chen Shengli , Tian Hongqing
Published: December 2024

We report two cases of secondary syphilis with an isolated papule on the palm as the initial presentation. The clinical manifestations of secondary syphilis can be diverse, with a high rate of misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. This article presents two patients with a purpose to alert clinicians not to forget the great imitator of syphilis for lesions of uncertain diagnosis.
Supporting Rural Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders on the School Bus With Behavior Contingency Contracts
Authors: Martin Bre K. , Hott Brittany L. , Atwood Julie , Heiniger Sarah
Published: December 2024

Riding the school bus can be an especially challenging time of the school day for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs). Behavior contingency contracts are an effective, evidence-based intervention that can be used to support students in less structured settings. In rural school settings, where long bus routes are common, behavior contracts can be particularly valuable. This article provides an overview of the use of behavior contingency contracts to support students in one lessstructured setting: the school bus. Steps to implementing a contingency contract, guidelines for implementation, and a sample contract are discussed.
Retrospective study of partial lateral corpectomy to treat thoracic and lumbar intervertebral disc herniation in 12 cats
Authors: Tyroller Florian , Wennemuth Jan , Forterre Franck , Flegel Thomas , Markert Carina , Kiefer Ingmar , Wunderlin Nadja
Published: December 2024

Objectives

The aim of this study was to describe the safety and effectiveness of thoracic or lumbar partial lateral corpectomy (PLC) in cats with spinal cord compression due to intervertebral disc herniation (IVH).

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted of 12 client-owned cats from two academic and one private referral veterinary centres. Cross-sectional imaging was available in 12 cats for evaluation of disc herniation. Nine cats had postoperative imaging for evaluation of slot creation and decompression. Neurological examination was performed for assessment of pre- and postoperative status. Complications were evaluated.

Results

Seven cats had severe (>50%), four moderate (>20 to <50%) and one mild (<20%) spinal cord compression on cross-sectional imaging. IVH occurred at Th12–13 in five cases, at L1–2 in two cases and at Th3–4, Th13–L1, L4–5 and L5–6 in one case each. After PLC, two cats had insufficient decompression (>20% remaining spinal cord compression), five had good decompression (<20% remaining spinal cord compression) and complete decompression (normal shape of the spinal cord) was achieved in two cats. Outcomes included five cats with an excellent result, three with significant improvement, one with mild improvement and three cats that died intra- or postoperatively due to extensive intraoperative bleeding. One cat was euthanased as a result of neurological deterioration 5 months postoperatively. The median follow-up period was 13.2 months (range 0 days to 84 months).

Conclusions and relevance

PLC in cats offers a potential treatment option for IVH to decompress the spinal cord. Fatal haemorrhage associated with this surgery is a significant risk, as occurred in 25% of the cats in this study. Surgeons should especially be aware of the potential for intraoperative haemorrhage and the need for sufficient slot creation to achieve sufficient spinal cord decompression and avoid complications.