bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sociodemographic, clinical, and other serological profile of opioid-dependent intravenous drug users infected with hepatitis C virus: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Mahajan Piyush , Dahuja Malvika , Singh Manjit , Nagapadma Medi , Reddy M Ramasubba
Published: December 2024

Introduction:

As per the 2023 National Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Control Programme report, there are 8.5 lakh intravenous drug users (IDUs) in India, although the figures have varied greatly from the year 2009 to 2023. The IDU size population in Punjab is about 2600 to 18,000 as per the year 2008 survey reports. In the 2008 survey, the majority of such patients belonged to the age group of 18 to 30 years and most of them were employed, and the mean duration of IDU was 3 to 7 years. The total number of patients receiving in-patient treatment during the past 6-month period was only 15 clients per month. IDUs with HCV infections are more likely to have hepatitis B and HIV infections.

Aim and Objectives:

1. To study the sociodemographic factors of HCV-infected IDUs admitted in the psychiatry ward of Sri Guru Ram Das (SGRD) Medical College, Vallah, Amritsar. 2. To study the clinical features, psychiatric profile, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), and HIV status of HCV-infected IDUs.

Methodology:

This was a hospital-based, observational, cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Psychiatry at SGRD Medical College, Vallah, Amritsar. The data were collected from the year 2019 to 2023 consisting of the sociodemographic profile, IDU status, HCV status, and psychiatric history of all the opioid-dependent patients admitted during this time. The HBsAg and HIV status of the same patients were also collected.

Results:

In our study, the mean age group was 25 ± 5 years. All were males (100%). The majority of the patients were educated up to higher secondary level. The majority of cases started using intravenous drugs out of curiosity (52.5%). Most of them were using heroin from 0 to 5 years (56.7%). Most of them had tried to quit substances 2 or more times in the form of deaddiction treatment (49%) and had relapsed due to craving. Most patients were still IDU positive or relapsed to be IDU positive again despite being HCV reactive (66.7%) because of craving (44.5%) and stress and comorbid psychiatric disorders (30%). Bipolar disorder (46.7%), schizophrenia (33.3%), and personality disorders (6.7%) were common psychiatric illnesses seen in the studied cases. Most of them had a positive family history for substance use (60%).

Conclusion:

The opioid-dependent and HCV-infected IDUs having psychiatric illness are likely to have coinfections such as hepatitis B and HIV. All such patients need to be comprehensively evaluated for such coinfections.
Psychiatrists in rural Telangana: Working condition, challenges, and career satisfaction
Authors: Chhangte Lalremliana , Miryala Gireesh Kumar , Yerramilli Srinivasa SRR
Published: December 2024

Background:

Gradual expansion of reach in mental health-care provision in rural areas provides increasing opportunities to understand the mental health status and provision of mental health services in rural areas from the perspective of psychiatrists with experience of day-to-day ground reality.

Aims:

The aim of the study was to study rural mental health scenarios in three domains of working conditions, challenges in providing psychiatric services, and career satisfaction of psychiatrists serving in these regions.

Subjects and Methods:

The survey instrument is a semistructured 29 questions including “yes or no” and Likert scale questionnaire. Of 22 psychiatrists in Telangana known to have rural experience among whom the questionnaire was sent, 19 responses were received. The Pearson correlation test was used to find the association between challenges and career satisfaction.

Results:

The overall Likert mean scores for challenges and career satisfaction are 2.3 and 2.54, respectively (neutral score = 2). There was a significant negative association between challenge score and satisfaction score (Pearson correlation = −0.600**). Among factors related to challenges, cooperation from health workers (P = 0.005) and from administrators (P = 0.001) were significantly affecting the satisfaction.

Conclusion:

Strong correlation between cooperation from other health workers and administrators with career satisfaction necessitates a special focus on these areas. Only with adequate addressal of these challenges faced, the vision of providing mental health services at different levels of the district health-care delivery system may be realized.
Effectiveness of cognitive behavior therapy-based eclectic approach in treating suicidal thoughts and behaviors across psychiatric diagnoses
Authors: Chakraborty Sampurna , Chatterjee Diya , Halder Susmita
Published: December 2024

Mental illness is a risk factor for suicide; however, evidence suggests that treating suicidal ideation as a secondary phenomenon when focusing on the primary mental illness may result in poorer treatment outcomes. Different psychotherapy modalities have been found effective in reducing suicidal risk when it has been tailored to focus on suicidal cognitions and behaviors separate from the management of the psychiatric complaints. The current study focuses on thirteen cases with a diverse spectrum of psychiatric disorders and a wide age range with unique individual suicidal cognitions’ and behaviors’ presentations. The intervention was systematically used to target the suicidal cognitions specifically for better treatment outcomes. Patients reported high suicidal ideation, measured on the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS) and special score index of Suicide Constellation (S-CON) on The Rorschach – A Comprehensive System by John E. Exner. Intervention on the patients focused on identifying perceived unsolvable problems and tailoring the therapy as per their suicidal ideation, emotional pain, and problem-solving skills and deficits. Individually tailored therapy was found to reduce suicidal ideation on postintervention BSS scores and the S-CON index for most patients. The findings of the case series may help understand the need for identifying the individual factors and motivating components of suicidal ideation and thereafter how conceptualizing and modifying and tailoring therapeutic techniques accordingly may lead to better treatment outcomes.
Capgras syndrome, an interesting but rare phenomenon in Psychiatry: A case series
Authors: Halder Arghya , Ray Sagarika , Kumar Manish , Bhattacharya Amit Kumar
Published: December 2024

Capgras syndrome is one of the delusional misidentification syndromes, where the patient believes that a familiar person, particularly a loved one, has been replaced by an imposter or a double, and is a rare entity in clinical practice. Although the phenomenon is known to occur as a part of other psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and mood disorders, it is not infrequently encountered in organic conditions such as cerebrovascular disease, dementia, and epilepsy. Thus, it is important to rule out any underlying organic etiology by the use of appropriate neuroimaging techniques whenever felt necessary. There are no clear-cut guidelines regarding the treatment of this condition, but atypical antipsychotics seem to be the first-line agents. In this article, we have described three cases, who presented with Capgras syndrome, in association with various other psychiatric diagnoses, such as cannabis-induced psychosis, recurrent depressive disorder, currently severe depressive episode with psychotic symptoms, and schizophrenia. All the cases responded well after treatment with olanzapine, with complete resolution of Capgras delusions in the first two cases, and partial response in the third case, where there was a reduction in the level of conviction of Capgras delusions, and marked improvement in overall functioning. Thus, olanzapine could be a reasonable choice in treating Capgras syndrome in patient populations where there are no contraindications to prescribe this drug.
Study of factors associated with obesity in patients using antipsychotics in schizophrenia
Authors: Patnam Vishalakshi , Keerthi P Ramya , Kiran P Ravi , Panati Dinesh
Published: December 2024

Background:

The atypical antipsychotic agents can raise body weight directly by acting on feeding areas of the brain, or indirectly by endocrine effects such as decreased gonadal levels, hyperprolactinemia, and hypercortisolism, and effect on peptide hormones, especially leptin. This may provide inputs from a mental health prevention and promotion standpoint. It may inform the development of prediction tools and better interventions. It may also encourage research on the causal pathways and mechanisms mediating the relationship.

Aims and Objectives:

To study the factors associated with obesity in patients with schizophrenia using antipsychotics. To compare sociodemographic profile, duration of illness in patients with schizophrenia to obesity and associated risk factors.

Subjects and Methods:

One hundred patients diagnosed with Schizophrenia according to the International Classification of Diseases-10 were selected, and informed consent was obtained. Weight, height, waist circumference, body mass index, lipid profile, i.e., total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol of the patients were measured using standard scales and kit.

Results:

The mean fasting blood sugar level in cases was 33.3 ± 24.2. The mean TC levels were 176.2 ± 15.8. The mean TG levels were 123.4 ± 15.1. The mean HDL levels were 47 ± 6.1. The mean LDL levels were 103.3 ± 15.9. and decreased ratio of LDL/HDL in responders taking atypical antipsychotic drugs (n = 32), but not in patients treated with conventional antipsychotic drugs (n = 36). The weight gain after a typical antipsychotic drug, i.e., haloperidol, was 64.8 ± 7.5. The weight gain after atypical antipsychotic medication, i.e., olanzapine, was 65.0 ± 7.5, risperidone was 64.5 ± 7.2, and remaining olanzapine and risperidone were 65.1 ± 7.6, respectively.

Conclusion:

With steadily increasing rates of obesity globally, an understanding of the impact of obesity on the prevalence rates of mental disorders assumes significance. It may inform the development of prediction tools and better intervention. Further, obesity has been identified consistently as a risk factor for metabolic syndrome among psychiatric populations receiving treatment with agents such as olanzapine and risperidone. This three-way link between obesity, metabolic syndrome, and psychiatric disorders presents significant opportunities to improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders and develop newer therapeutic targets.
A cross-sectional study to analyze the pattern of pharmacotherapy and its associated factors among patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Abhishree B. S. , Bhat Shreya , Muraraiah Sushma , Rajarathna Kavitha
Published: December 2024

Background:

Schizophrenia, a severe chronic mental disorder, is primarily treated with pharmacotherapy, typically involving either first-generation antipsychotics (FGA) or second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) or a combination of both. The selection of antipsychotics, transitions between medications, and the consideration of combination therapies are influenced by various factors.

Aims and Objectives:

This study aimed to determine the pattern and factors associated with pharmacotherapy along with adverse drug reactions among patients with schizophrenia.

Subjects and Methods:

A cross-sectional study with 60 adults diagnosed with schizophrenia and on antipsychotic medications for at least 3 months was conducted. Demographic data, prescription details, and severity of disease were assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. The baseline demographics and clinical characteristics were compared among monotherapy and polytherapy using the Chi-square test.

Results:

Majority of patients were aged between 18 and 45 years. Monotherapy was prevalent in 70%, with risperidone (42%) and clozapine (6%) being the primary choices. The most commonly used combination antipsychotic therapy in 30% of subjects was found to be risperidone and clozapine. Switchover therapy from FGA to SGA and additional therapy with SGA were observed in 35% and 15% of the study population, respectively. Sociodemographic variables, frequency of hospitalization, or symptomatic episodes did not influence the choice of mono or combination therapy of antipsychotics.

Conclusion:

Majority of patients were on antipsychotic monotherapy, and the switching of antipsychotics was related to clinical effectiveness and adverse effects. The choice between monotherapy or combination therapy of antipsychotics was not found to be associated with sociodemographic and illness-related variables.
Motor and behavioral symptoms in a case of arachnoid cyst in a young female
Authors: Dabholkar Devina Devdatt , Ramachandra V. , Bhelonde Kashmira Rajendra , Gupta Archita
Published: December 2024

Arachnoid cysts are rare central nervous system lesions that may have a variable clinical presentation which may cause clinicians to consider a differential diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder. In the case report below, a 22-year-old female presented with headache, disorganized behavior, liability of mood, and altered posture of upper limbs that gradually progressed over a period of 4 months. On neuroimaging, it was found that she had an arachnoid cyst in the left temporal region which might have been the cause of the atypical presentation observed. She was admitted in the psychiatry ward and started on tablet olanzapine, tablet lorazepam, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). She improved and behaviorally got better with nearly 100% improvement in symptoms in 28 days. This case demonstrates how it is important to have a high index of suspicion for organicity in the first episode of a psychiatric illness with atypical presentation.
A prospective observational study of pharmacological attitude in psychiatric population
Authors: Parkash Gagan Shant , Singh Harminder , Deb Rahul , Nagapadma Medi
Published: December 2024

Objectives:

The study was done (1) to evaluate the attitude of patients toward medications related to psychiatric illnesses and (2) to determine the association of attitude with adherence.

Methods:

A prospective observational study was carried out at the Department of Psychiatry of a tertiary care hospital in Punjab. A total of 425 patients admitted at the indoor and outdoor departments, from July 2022 to June 2023, were included. Morisky-8 scale and Drug Attitude Inventory-10 scale were used for the assessment of patients.

Results:

Among 425 patients, 173 (40.7%) patients were nonadherent, out of which 377 (88.7%) patients had pharmacophilic attitude and 48 (11.3%) had pharmacophobic attitude. Compared to pharmacophilic attitude group, pharmacophobic attitude group had significantly more rural distribution (83.3% vs. 66.31%, P = 0.017), more illiterate (16.67% vs. 5.04%, P = 0.002), and less unemployed (27.08% vs. 44.03%, P = 0.025). Patients with schizophrenia were significantly more in pharmacophobic group than pharmacophilic group (10.42% vs. 3.71%, P = 0.034). Anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and depression showed no association with attitude. Among 173 nonadherent patients, 127 were pharmacophilic and 46 were pharmacophobic, whereas among 252 adherent patients, only 2 were pharmacophobic. Pharmacophobic attitude showed a significant association with nonadherence to the medications (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion:

It can be concluded that 11.3% of patients had pharmacophobic attitude, and pharmacophobic attitude is significantly associated with non-adherence to the medications. Among the psychiatric disorders schizophrenia, patients had significantly higher pharmacophobic attitude.
Clozapine-induced hypertension: A paradox
Authors: Hussain Hamza , Gupta P. C. B. , Keeta Rajeevi
Published: December 2024

Clozapine is a second-generation antipsychotic agent, considered the drug of choice for treatment-resistant schizophrenia. While tachycardia and postural hypotension are common cardiovascular side effects, reports of new-onset persistently elevated blood pressure are rare. We present a case where clozapine initiation led to hypertension requiring pharmacological intervention. A 42-year-old female with no prior hypertension and normal baseline blood pressure developed high blood pressure (150/90 mmHg) on clozapine 50 mg/day. These findings were consistent on subsequent trials, necessitating the continuation of amlodipine alongside clozapine at a 100 mg dose to maintain blood pressure control.
Exploring the relationship of body image with self-esteem, anxiety, and depression among female medical undergraduate students: A cross-sectional study from North India
Authors: Victor Robin , Gondwal Rohit , Avinash Priyaranjan , Dhain Bhumika , Singhania Rachit
Published: December 2024

Background:

Dissatisfaction with body image is common both among adolescents and young adults, especially females, which leads to an increased risk of various psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, and eating disorders.

Aim:

The aim of the study was to find the association between body image and self-esteem, anxiety, and depression in undergraduate female medical students.

Materials and Methods:

This cross-sectional, observational study was conducted on female undergraduate (MBBS) students after permission from the institute ethics committee. Informed written consent was taken from all participants. A total of 184 students participated in the study, but only 164 were included, as 20 students had incomplete forms. Body image was assessed using a Body Image Questionnaire (BIQ), self-esteem was assessed using a Rosenberg’s self-esteem questionnaire, whereas anxiety and depression were assessed by a clinician using Hamilton’s Anxiety Rating Scale and Hamilton’s Depression Rating Scale.

Results:

We found that 35% of female students had low self-esteem. 27.4% of them had anxiety and 19.5% suffered from depression. The majority of 4th-year students had a low body image, followed by 1st-year students. Students with low self-esteem had a poorer body image, as suggested by a higher BIQ score (61.34 ± 4.22). Similarly, students with severe anxiety and severe depression had a higher BIQ score and a poorer body image compared to those with moderate and mild anxiety and depression. All these findings were statistically significant (P < 0.05). On applying multiple regression analysis, body image was found to be significantly associated (P < 0.05) with self-esteem and depression.

Conclusion:

Students with poor body image had lower self-esteem and a significant level of anxiety and depression.
Sociodemographic profiles and diagnostic patterns of prisoners admitted to a tertiary care psychiatric hospital
Authors: Viquar Uzma , Gupta P. C. B. , Keeta Rajeevi
Published: December 2024

Background:

Most of the studies were performed on patients staying in prisons. This study is conducted on prisoners admitted to a psychiatric hospital. This study attempts to understand the interwoven multiple and complex problems.

Aim:

This study aims to study the sociodemographic profiles and diagnostic patterns of prisoners admitted to a tertiary care psychiatric hospital.

Materials and Methods:

After obtaining institutional ethics committee approval, intake pro forma was obtained from convenient sample of 50 patients fulfilling inclusion criteria. The diagnosis was done based on the International Classification of Diseases 10; the International Personality Disorder Examination Scale was applied for personality assessment.

Settings and Design:

This was a cross-sectional study in a hospital setting.

Statistical Analysis:

The results obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS version v 27.0.

Results:

The majority of the subjects were aged between 26 and 35 years and were married; major proportion were illiterate and unemployed. The most common complaints were sleep disturbances followed by hearing of voices. A history of substance use in the family was observed in a vast proportion of the cases. Family history of psychiatric illness and childhood history of bullying, lying, stealing, and truancy were found in many prisoners. The most common diagnosis was found to be schizophrenia.

Conclusions:

Most of the prisoners directed to the psychiatric hospital were young adults in their most productive age, and their psychiatric morbidity is a result of multiple factors. They need to be timely screened and followed up regularly in psychiatric settings.
Response Surface Methodology-Based Multi-Objective Optimization for
Biofuel-Powered Engine Response Map Development under the Steady-State Operating
Conditions
Authors: Saiteja Pajarla , Ashok B.
Published: December 2024

The twin challenges of the automotive industry namely petroleum dependence and
environmental pollution paved way for the development of an environmentally
friendly and feasible substitute for diesel, possessing power characteristics
equivalent to those of a diesel engine. Biofuel has potential as a renewable
energy source, offering a more sustainable alternative to traditional fossil
fuels. However, it does come with some challenges, such as varying quality and
combustion properties. To enhance its performance, engines can be fine-tuned by
adjusting fuel injection parameters, such as timing, pressure, and duration.
Accordingly, this research article focuses on optimizing the fuel injection
parameters for a CRDi engine powered by D+LPO (20% lemon peel oil and 80%
diesel) biofuel, with the goal of improving both performance and emission
characteristics. The experimental design matrix was generated using Design
Expert-13 software, employing the I-optimal technique. Utilizing response
surface methodology, a higher-order regression relationship is formulated for
engine output performance and emissions response. The engine response matrix is
developed with higher-order fit model (R2) for the entire operating
speed and torque operations under various fuel injection operating points. The
results obtained as, for better BTE, D+LPO maintained a higher quantity of pilot
mass than diesel, which is identified as 22–26% for D+LPO and 10–16% for diesel.
The combustion quality of D+LPO was increased with homogeneity of the air–fuel
mixture, which was improved by the advanced pilot injection. At lower speeds
higher injection pressure and at higher speeds lower injection pressure is
identified for diesel than D+LPO.
Tire Change Influence on Handling Performance
Authors: Terra Rafael Tedim , Chaves Marilia , Santos Alex Cardoso
Published: December 2024

The tire is one of the components that is most influent on vehicle dynamics behavior and is a part that suffer wear and needs to be replaced. In this case what a doubt is always recurrent, keep the same tire or change the model or brand but keeping the sizes. Some vehicle owners want to change not only the worn-out tire but change its sizes for aesthetic proposals. There is a belief on the tire market if keeps the same outer diameter is acceptable.

The proposal for this study is to compare the handling performance considering different sizes and models or brands of tires. For this study a vehicle modeled in multibody representing the vehicle mass inertias, suspension mechanisms kinematics and components dampers and stiffness will be the adopted tool.

The constant radius and constant speed steady state maneuver defined by standard SAE J266 [1] was performed, on the virtual environment, changing the tire properties and comparing the key handling performance metrics as understeer gradient, roll gradient and steering sensitivity. With the interpretation of theses metrics is possible to understand if the tire change in terms of size or brand could influence on vehicle handling performance.
Brake Pedal Sizing and Preliminary Design of Balance Bar in the Brake of a SAE Formula Type Vehicle
Authors: Gomes Lucas Olenski , Grandinetti Francisco José , Martins Marcelo Sampaio , Souza Soares Alvaro Manoel , Reis de Faria Neto Antônio , Castro Thais Santos , Almeida Luís Fernando
Published: December 2024

The SAE Formula prototypes are developed by students, where in the competition, various aspects of project definitions are evaluated. Among the factors evaluated for scoring is the braking system, in which the present work aims to present the development and design of the braking system of a vehicle, prototype of Formula SAE student competition. As it is a project manufactured mostly by students, where the chassis, suspension system, electrical, transmission and powertrain are developed, it is important to first pass the static and safety tests, where the brakes of the four wheels are tested during deceleration at a certain distance from the track. To enable such approval and also to demonstrate, for the competition judges, the veracity of the system’s sizing, all the parameters and assumptions of the choice of the vehicle’s braking system are presented, thus ensuring their reliability, efficiency and safety. Using drawing and simulation software such as SolidWorks and Excel for calculation and income statement, it is possible to develop the project and clarify the method for any designer and evaluator. With the theoretical data obtained, it is possible to relate them with the data obtained by empirical tests, with the vehicle already built and in motion, in order to assertively validate the designed system and ensure its efficiency during the competition.
Loss Function Curve to Quantify Customer (DIS) Satisfaction for Front Door Opening Entrance Height
Authors: Silva Gustavo , Santos Alex Cardoso , Genaro Piero , Terra Rafael , Pádua Antônio , Rossini Rafael , Benevente Rodrigo
Published: December 2024

During the early stages of vehicle development, a crucial design attribute to consider is the access of occupants into the vehicle. Access is essential for ensuring comfortable entry and egress, a key factor in occupant satisfaction. The challenge in development lies in arranging various vehicle dimensions to maintain a competitive level of comfort compared to other vehicles in the same segment. Engineering metrics such as the trimmed opening rearward and forward of the Seating Reference Point (SgRP) significantly influence occupants’ perceptions of access comfort. One specific dimension that directly affects satisfaction is entrance height, the focus of this study. This project successfully correlates the entrance height of a vehicle’s first-row door opening with occupant satisfaction under real-world driving conditions. The research involved statistical data analysis and clinics to validate these findings. The results indicate that greater levels of satisfaction are achieved with bigger values of entrance height, but it tends to settle at a certain point. Additionally, the study found that gender does not significantly impact satisfaction levels, whereas height does have a slightly notable effect. Taller individuals may experience different levels of satisfaction due to entrance height, although this does not necessarily lead to dissatisfaction. In summary, ensuring optimal entrance height is vital for occupant comfort and satisfaction. By carefully considering and adjusting this dimension, vehicle developers can enhance the overall user experience, making entry and egress more comfortable for a diverse range of occupants. This study highlights the importance of detailed ergonomic design and the need for continual assessment of vehicle dimensions to meet the evolving standards of comfort in the automotive industry.
Experimental Investigation of Spray Characteristics Direct Injected in Atmospheric Ambient Conditions by an Inwardly-Opening Pressure Swirl Injector
Authors: Guzzo Márcio Expedito , Fonseca Lucas Guimarães , Baeta José Guilherme Coelho , Filho Fernando Antonio Rodrigues , Pujatti Fabrício José Pacheco
Published: December 2024

An inwardly-opening pressure swirl injector for direct injection spark ignition engine applications was used in this work for injecting EXXSOL D60 into laboratory gaseous atmospheric conditions into an open chamber. The EXXSOL D60 fluid was used due to its some similar physical properties to Ethanol fuel. Four injection pressures were used in this work: 50 bar, 60 bar, 70 bar and 80 bar and the simulated engine speed was set up in 2000 rpm in all cases using the injector outside the engine. Shadowgraph technique associated to a filming process with a rate of acquisition of 3300 frames per second was used for acquiring the spray images. The spray images were treated running scripts in Matlab software. The scripts were written for this present analysis. The injector used in this work produced hollow cone sprays. With the image treatment performed in Matlab software, the vertical penetration length and the external cone angle were obtained. The main results showed that penetration length is dominated by the pre-spray in the beginning of injections until 1.1 milliseconds after start of injections in all cases. The pre-spray also promoted variability in spray behavior in the beginning of injections. The vertical penetration lengths increased when injection pressure also increased that was an expected result and no significant differences in spray cone angle that stayed around 60 degrees in all cases are observed. The present work is a tool for better understanding some characteristics of air and fuel mixture and can be used to support future computational fluid dynamics investigations in direct injected sprays for internal combustion engine applications.
Preliminary Indication Approach of Jute Fiber Fabric with Polyester for Bumpers of Passenger Cars
Authors: Dias Roberto Yuri Costa , Soares Rafael Vilhena , de Mendonca Maia Pedro Victor , dos Santos Jose Emilio Medeiros , Miranda Igor Ramon Sinimbú , Junior Waldomiro Gomes Paschoal , Fujiyama Roberto Tetsuo
Published: December 2024

Polypropylene has been the plastic traditionally used in the manufacture of bumpers. Composite materials have been presented as an alternative due to lightness and sustainability. This article presents a composite of polyester resin and jute fiber fabric as an innovative alternative to be studied for the manufacture of automotive bumpers. Composite material was manufactured for characterization. It was used as matrix the terephthalic polyester resin, unsaturated and pre-accelerated, and the catalyst MEK V388 for curing the composite. The chosen reinforcement was the jute fiber fabric. Silicone molds with dimensions according to ASTM 3039 were used to manufacture specimens, and subsequent tensile strength test to determine properties and compare with literature data. The composite with jute fiber reinforcement with alignment 0°/0°/0° was evaluated as viable for the application in car bumpers, having its value of tensile strength surpassed that of the composite reinforced by jute fiber with alignment 45°/45°/45° and the results presented in the literature.
Performance and Emissions Analysis Using Ducted Fuel Injection in Compression Ignition Engine with Load Variation
Authors: Dias Fábio Jairo , dos Santos Leila Ribeiro , Rufino Caio , Garcia Ezio Castejon , Lomonaco Raphael , Argachoy Celso , Lacava Pedro Teixeira
Published: December 2024

Despite the increasing electrification of current vehicles, Diesel engines will continue to be used for several decades to come. There is still a need to introduce emission control technologies, especially those that show good potential and do not require extensive engine modifications. The increasing focus on reducing pollutant emissions and improving energy efficiency has prompted engine manufacturers to continuously strive for technological progress. The aim is to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and the fulfillment of social expectations. Specifically, new Diesel engine projects face the challenge of minimizing both nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot emissions, which requires significant investiment in research to develop innovative combustion methods and exhaust gas treatment. One of these innovative methods is Ducted Fuel Injection (DFI), which aims to reduce emissions by improving spray development to obtain a better mixture at flame upstream. This study presents an experimental investigation carried out on a test bench with a single-cylinder compression ignition (CI) engine with a compression ratio of 16.5:1, in conjunction with an active alternating current dynamometer. The Diesel engine is equipped with instruments for measuring various parameters, including the pressure in the combustion chamber, the exhaust gas temperature, the temperature and pressure of the intake air, and coolant temperature, to name but a few. The engine was modified to incorporate the concept of Duct Fuel Injection (DFI), where the injected fuel is routed through a duct behind the injector, resulting in a more efficient and homogeneous air/fuel mixture, thus improving combustion. The aim of this study was to vary the engine load from approximately 4.2 to 7.3 bar IMEP. The load variation was achieved by changing the mass of fuel injected during the main injection. The injection timing was constant over the entire load variation range for both main injection and pre-injection. The results obtained from the experiments show that DFI produces a satisfactory reduction in soot formation compared to free spraying (FS). Although a lower cylinder pressure was observed in DFI mode at all loads studied due to of the delayed combustion caused by the presence of the duct, the engine performance was comparable to that of free spray mode.
Battery Development for Vehicles: Integration of 3D Finite Element Method and CFD for Effective Thermal Management
Authors: Melo Caiuã Caldeira , Araujo Pedro Henrique , Castro Orefice Fabio , Cury Davi Machado , Vieira Tiago Augusto Santiago , Abdu Aline Amaral Quintella , Monteiro Henrique Carlos
Published: December 2024

With the growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs), ensuring the safety and efficiency of battery systems is critical. This paper presents a methodology integrating 3D Finite Element Methods (FEM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to analyze battery systems, effectively mitigating thermal runaway phenomena. By combining FEM and CFD, our methodology provides a comprehensive approach to assess thermal management strategies within battery systems. This integration enables engineers to accurately simulate thermal behavior, predict hotspots, and optimize cooling strategies, thereby mitigating the risk of thermal runaway. Furthermore, our methodology minimizes the reliance on costly and time-intensive physical prototypes and testing. By leveraging virtual simulations, engineers can rapidly iterate through design modifications, assess their impact on thermal performance, and make informed decisions early in the development process. This article demonstrates the efficacy and accuracy of our methodology in analyzing battery systems for electric vehicles. Using Simcenter STAR-CCM+, temperature profiles were analyzed focusing on critical thresholds during the use of a battery pack in an extreme condition. In parallel, finite element analysis via Simcenter 3D indicated thermal stresses leading to catastrophic failure of battery packs. By looping this cycle, it is possible to iteratively define safe and efficient designs. Overall, our approach offers a significant advancement in battery development, facilitating faster and more cost-effective design iterations while ensuring enhanced safety and reliability of EV battery systems.
Digital Twin-Enabled Fault Detection for Suspension Systems in Autonomous Mining Haulage Vehicles
Authors: Rosa Leonardo Olimpio , Branco César Tadeu Nasser Medeiros
Published: December 2024

Autonomous vehicles for mining operations offer increased productivity, reduced total cost of ownership, decreased maintenance costs, improved reliability, and reduced operator exposure to harsh mining environments. A large flow of data exists between the remote operation and the ore haul vehicle, and part of the data becomes information for the maintenance sector which it monitors the operating conditions of various systems. One of the systems deserving attention is the suspension system, responsible for keeping the vehicle running and within a certain vibration condition to keep the asset operational and productive. Thus, this work aims to develop a digital twin-assisted system to evaluate the harmonic response of the vehicle’s body. Two representations were created based on equations of motion that modeled the oscillatory behavior of a mass-damper system. One of the representations indicates a quarter of the ore transport truck’s hydraulic system in a healthy state, called a virtual entity, and the other representation indicates a quarter of the same system prone to failure. Faults representing leakage in the hydraulic system chambers and piston seal loss are generated by changing the damping coefficient. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the harmonic behavior of the vehicle body under a decrease in the damping coefficient. Finally, fault analysis in the hydraulic system was achieved through the calculation of residuals, which is the difference between the oscillatory response of the fault-prone system and the oscillatory response of the digital twin. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the digital twin approach in accurately detecting and diagnosing faults within the suspension system, thereby ensuring the operational efficiency and sustainability of mining vehicles.
Deep Learning Approaches to Predict the Life Cycle of Lithium-Ion Batteries in Electric Vehicles
Authors: Branco César Tadeu Nasser Medeiros
Published: December 2024

Predictive maintenance is crucial for Industry 4.0, and deep neural networks are a promising approach for predicting the capacity of electric batteries. However, few applications effectively utilize neural networks for this purpose with lithium-ion batteries. In this work, different deep learning models are developed, starting with simple neural networks, dense neural networks, convolutional networks, and recurrent networks. Using a public domain dataset, training, testing, and validation datasets were generated to predict battery capacity as a function of the number of cycles. Despite the limited number of samples in the dataset, deep learning techniques are employed to ensure robust prediction performance. The work presents the loss functions for each iteration of the algorithms and the average absolute error. The models made good generalizations over the test dataset within a short prediction time window. Finally, the work presents an average absolute error below 0.3, ensuring good convergence, avoiding data overfitting, and ensuring good generalization of the model to the test set. This work is a first estimate of the life cycle of electric vehicle batteries using small samples as inputs for estimating the remaining useful life of this electric vehicle component.
PDCA-Guided Development of Fuzzy Logic Controller for Autonomous Vehicle Cruise Control and Collision Avoidance
Authors: Branco César Tadeu Nasser Medeiros , Santos Rafael Celestino
Published: December 2024

The advancement of the automotive industry towards automation has fostered a growing integration between this field and automation. Future projects aim for the complete automation of the act of driving, enabling the vehicle to operate independently after the driver inputs the desired destination. In this context, the use of simulation systems becomes essential for the development and testing of control systems. This work proposes the control of an autonomous vehicle through fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic allows for the development of sophisticated control systems in simple, easily maintainable, and low-cost controllers, proving particularly useful when the mathematical model is subject to uncertainties. To achieve this goal, the PDCA method was adopted to guide the stages of defining the problem, implementation, and evaluation of the proposed model. The code implementation was done in Python and validated using different looping scenarios. Three linguistic variables were used, one with three fuzzy sets. As a result, nine rules were implemented in order to evaluate the vehicle’s response. An iterative loop was proposed to model different acceleration, deceleration or speed maintenance scenarios. The implementation of a system controlled by fuzzy logic was performed using the Python programming language. The simulations validated the speed adjustment, proving to be efficient for applications in autonomous vehicles as a simple and low computational cost approach.
Beyond Aviation: Embedded Gaming, Artificial Intelligence, Training,
and Recruitment for the Advanced Air Mobility Industry
Authors: Doo Johnny
Published: December 2024

Recent advancements in electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft
and the broader advanced air mobility (AAM) movement have generated significant
interest within and beyond the traditional aviation industry. Many new
applications have been identified and are under development, with considerable
potential for market growth and exciting potential. However, talent resources
are the most critical parameters to make or break the AAM vision, and
significantly more talent is needed than the traditional aviation industry is
able to currently generate. One possible solution—leverage rapid advancements of
artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the gaming industry to help attract,
identify, educate, and encourage current and future generations to engage in
various aspects of the AAM industry.

Beyond Aviation: Embedded Gaming, Artificial Intelligence, Training, and
Recruitment for the Advanced Air Mobility Industry discusses how the
modern gaming population of 3.3 million individuals could be engaged through
embedded AAM-based scenarios and AI-enhanced grading systems for concept
creation, engineering, manufacturing, air space design and management, piloting,
remote operations, infrastructure planning, vehicle operations.

Click
here to access the full SAE EDGETM
Research Report portfolio.
Stepping up Efforts in Preventing Maternal Deaths Due to Post-partum Hemorrhage in Nepal: A Critical Review of National Medical Standards
Authors: Jha Rajshree
Published: December 2024

Abstract
 
Post partum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death globally, as well as in Nepal according to recent Maternal Mortality study 2022. National Medical Standards serve as a country specific reference document for essential clinical materials and tools, that support patient care and service provision. It has been periodically updated to keep up with the latest international medical evidence, keeping in view of the changing international, regional and national legislative and policy and evidence. While the new edition is user friendly and has included secondary postpartum hemorrhage first time, there are few gaps that exist. This commentary, focus is on the Nepal Medical Standards (NMS) more specifically a review of the NMS pertaining to PPH and point out some of the missing opportunities: during antenatal, intra natal and postpartum period. Ensuring optimal health of pregnant women, prevention of anemia, quality monitoring during labor, primary prevention, along with early recognition and timely management are crucial areas that need special focus. A supplementary standard focused on postpartum hemorrhage with relevant professional organizations could address these missing opportunities towards combating PPH in Nepal.
 
Key words: postpartum hemorrhage, Nepal Medical Standards, missing opportunities
Strengthening Social Accountability for Better Maternal Health Outcomes in Nepal
Authors: Nepal Adweeti , Dangol Santa Kumar
Published: December 2024

Introduction
Social accountability (SA) plays a significant role in strengthening health systems to deliver quality healthcare services, particularly in low-middle-income countries. In Nepal, SA approaches in the health sector have principally included citizen charters, social audits, and maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response components. SA has the potential to make a significant contribution to building a robust health system. However, its potential remains far from being realized. In this commentary, we briefly discuss the potentials as well as gaps with respect to the implementations issues concerning the citizen charter, social audit, functionalization of quality assurance committee, Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR), and the role ambiguity of federalism. Addressing these barriers and constraints could make SA more effective in improving maternal health in Nepal.
Results
In this commentary, we briefly discuss the potentials as well as gaps with respect to the implementations issues concerning the citizen charter, social audit, functionalization of quality assurance committee, Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR), and the role ambiguity of federalism.
Conclusion
Addressing these barriers and constraints could make SA more effective in improving maternal health in Nepal.
A Potential Maternal Fatality Averted: The Case of a Young Patient who Underwent a Peripartum Hysterectomy at a District Hospital
Authors: Rimal Goma , Khadka Shishir
Published: December 2024

The case reviewed here represents a 22-year-old gravida-two woman who lived in a relatively more accessible hill town in Nepal. It was determined to be a potentially fatal case, and a peripartum hysterectomy was performed on her. The potential fatality was averted due to the availability of an obstetrician/gynecologist, an anesthesiologist, a functioning blood bank and blood transfusion facility, and nurses and other support staff. The case underscores that PPH could happen to any pregnant woman without any identifiable risk factor, and second, averting a potential maternal death requires the whole health system to function effectively.
Importance of Expanding Midwifery-led Units and Midwifery Care in Reducing Maternal Deaths in Nepal
Authors: Mahato Preeti , Van Teijlingen Edwin
Published: December 2024

Nepal Maternal Mortality Survey (NMMS) published in 2021 estimated the country's maternal mortality ratio to be 151 per 100,000 live births. The majority of maternal deaths in Nepal occur in the health facilities and on the way to a health facility. The major cause of maternal deaths is direct causes, many of which are preventable causes of deaths that could have been avoided. Strengthening the measures to improve the quality of maternal health services at the health facilities is highly needed. Research suggests midwives can substantially help reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in low and middle-income countries such as Nepal as they are equipped with skills and competencies in line with recommendations from the International Confederation of Midwives. Nepal has only produced a few midwives since 2020 and needs to learn from the successful experience of establishing a new midwifery profession in countries such as Bangladesh.
ON TWO INTERPRETATIONS OF THE LANGUAGE OF THE MOUNTAIN WREATH BY PETAR PETROVIĆ NJEGOŠ
Authors:   Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, SILIĆ Josip
Published: December 2024

The author of the paper discusses two, i.e. three interpretations of the language of The Mountain Wreath by Petar Petrović Njegoš: the one by Popović (published in 1963), Marojević (published in 2005) and ours (establishing a relationship between the two and providing a critical review of both of them).