bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ARTISTIC INTERPRETATION OF THE CONCEPT OF THE WORD IN THE WORK OF MYROSLAV DOCHYNЕTS
Authors: KRAVETS Larysa
Published: February 2025

The concept of a word has a wide verbal representation and aestheticized expression in modern Ukrainian literature. In the process of active use, the semantic scope of the word is constantly changing, existing ones disappear and new associative connections arise, which serve as the basis for the formation of metaphors, metonymies, and comparisons. Artistic texts most fully reveal all the overtones of the word, its individual authorial interpretations. The features of the artistic understanding of the word in different time frames have repeatedly become the subject of scientific research. However, the concept of a word in the work of M. Dochynets has not yet been studied. In the work of M. Dochynets, the word is one of the key concepts. The author subtly feels its semantic scope and masterfully conveys semantic nuances. As in T. Shevchenko, in M. Dochynets, a word is not an abstract generalization, but a native word, the language of the native land, filled with the wisdom of the ages, rooted in the deep spiritual experience of a particular person and people, capable of expressing the most subtle movements of the soul and thought, causing excitement, and encouraging reflection. The author notes the beauty and originality of the language of the Transcarpathians. M. Dochynets emphasizes the spiritual essence of the word, its unifying role. With special respect, the artist writes about the specific vocabulary that preserves information collected by the language collective throughout its existence, records all the cultural heritage of the people – the native speakers. In the internal monologues and reflections of his characters, M. Dochynets uses a variety of linguistic means and techniques that characterize the peculiarities of the artist's work on the word, reveal the difficulties that every writer faces. The word in the works of M. Dochynets exists not only in established linguistic, pragmatic, and cultural-sophical parameters. The artist defines a number of its other associative characteristics, namely smell, taste, color, sound. As a gourmet of the word, he especially appreciates the juicy folk word. The concept of the word in the prose of M. Dochynets is characterized as a linguistic, cultural-historical, psychological, spiritual phenomenon. The word for the artist is a marker of identity and a means of its preservation; a channel of communication with the people, their language, culture; a form of preserving cultural and historical memory; a way of uniting a language community; a tool of communication and self-expression.
COLOR-SYMBOLS OF OLEKSANDR HOSHYLYKʼS POETRY
Authors: ANDRUSHCHENKO Liudmyla
Published: February 2025

The metaphorics of the colors of modern Ukrainian poetry is closely related to the military theme, since poets today became warriors, and many warriors became poets. The article analyzes the role of colors-symbols “red” and “black” in the poetic texts of the poet-warrior Oleksandr Hoshylyk. The texts of poems from his collection “The Bridge through the Eternity” (2016) and from his personal telegram channel “The Damn Molfar” were analyzed.
The author’s images-symbols of life and death, in comparison with the folklore and literary traditions, are penetrated through the theme of war. The poetic world of O. Hoshylyk exists in the dimensions of “good – evil”, “life – death”, “mine – alien”, therefore the color symbolism of his works is also two-dimensional, black and white, but with a “bloody line” that the war drew.
The results of the studying of the text have shown that in the black and white world of the poet-warrior, the opposition “red – black” reflects the opposition “life – death” and “sacrifice – death”. The red color in the analyzed poems is primarily associated with the color of blood, therefore it is ambivalent: it is both the hot pulse of life and the image of the birth of the future of Ukraine in heavy battles as in the childbirth; but it is also sacrificed, and the heavy losses in battles. The Black color in the author’s texts is always the death, the darkness and the emptiness.
UKRAINIAN LINGUOPERSONOLOGY AND TEXTOLOGY: IN SEARCH OF AN INDIVIDUAL STYLE
Authors: BOHDAN Svitlana
Published: February 2025

Ukrainian linguistic personology manifests significant achievements in studying multifaceted theoretical issues, which primarily concern methodology and conceptual-categorical matters. One of the important features of linguistic studies at the present stage is a deviation from the artistic style scope, traditional for scientific works of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and the emergence of studies focused on linguistic personalities, realized in other functional styles: scientific, journalistic, religious, and epistolary. It is also significant that the need to study the multifaceted and polyfunctional individual-stylistic dominants of language personalities actualized the integration processes in modern linguopersonology. It resulted in research works on the border of several scientific fields (or branches), particularly, linguopersonology and psychology, linguopersonology and ethnology, etc. A clear perspective of linguopersonology implies theoretical and practical developments of textology and its methodology. Such research will enable the establishment of the original work and, as a result, allow us to study not the edited or censored text (which is hardly acceptable for searching the individual stylistic features), but the author’s text. The analysis of numerous interventions in the author’s texts of Lesia Ukrainka (according to the observations of H.H. Avrakhov, L.P. Miroshnychenko, V.A. Savchuk (Prokip), etc.) affirms and justifies the necessity of turning to manuscripts, rough and draft autographs, and lifetime editions of poetess’s works while studying her idiostyle by a modern linguopersonologist.
TRANSFORMATION OF THE ARTISTIC AND AESTHETIC CANON OF THE UKRAINIAN POETIC LANGUAGE DURING THE WAR
Authors: SІUTA Halyna
Published: February 2025

The article notes that the reality of the war changed the Ukrainian lingual consciousness. Accordingly, there has been a certain transformation of the artistic and aesthetic canon.
The article describes in detail the following characteristic changes: a) transformation of the figurative and expressive canon, vulgarisation of the vocabulary; b) transformation of the emotional and expressive canon, dominance of the modalities of anger, rage, hatred, call for revenge and punishment towards ‘outsiders’ and glorification towards ‘insiders’; c) emergence of new semantic and evaluative accents in the lexemes that fill the core of the war vocabulary.
These changes are most clearly identified in the texts of poems and songs ‘from the shelter’, i. e. those that appeared after 24 February 2022. For researchers, these texts are important because they very clearly reflect the thoughts and emotions of Ukrainians related to the war. Cognitive analysis of these texts reveals an intensive renewal of the set of actual images, transformation of the axiological system of coordinates (in particular, their polarisation), and captures changes in the collective consciousness and lingual picture of the world.
It is observed that the figurative and aesthetic models of text creation characteristic of the national artistic tradition are significantly weakened in the circumstances of war. The need to describe and characterise the war, to verbalise the actual meanings of wartime, leads to the design of new narratives and new modalities that testify to a departure from the national artistic and aesthetic canon.
DYNAMICS OF THE COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONS OF EXPLANATORY-SEPARATING CONJUNCTIONS
Authors: HORODENSKA Kateryna
Published: February 2025

The article examines the history of the presentation of explanatory and separating conjunctions in grammatical theory and educational practice, it clarifies the peculiarities of their use in functional and stylistic varieties of Ukrainian literary language in different periods of the 20th and 21st centuries.
The paper established the active use of the conjunction зосібна as an explanatory-separating conjunction with nouns, the names of persons and non-persons, in the first half of the 20th century, its subsequent removal from Ukrainian usage and reactualization in language practice of the first twenty years of the 21st century.
The absence of explanatory-separating conjunction такі як (таких як, таким як, такими як і т. д.) in grammars and study courses of the Ukrainian literary language of the 20th century was found, however, it was noted a fairly rapid return of this conjunction to the language of Ukrainian mass communication in the 21st century. An expansion of the stylistic range of the conjunction як ось instead of як-от has been observed.
A conclusion was made about the dynamics of the composition and style parameters explanatory-separating conjunctions in the Ukrainian literary language 21st century, caused primarily by their reactualization.
Distribuição temporal da taxa de notificações de hanseníase em Goiânia
Authors: Batista Luana Dias , Queiroz Silvio José
Published: February 2025

Introdução: A hanseníase é uma doença infecciosa crônica que permanece um desafio de saúde pública no Brasil, com alta prevalência em regiões vulneráveis. A pandemia de COVID-19 agravou a subnotificação e o acesso ao diagnóstico. Objetivo: Descrever a distribuição temporal e sociodemográfica das notificações de hanseníase na cidade de Goiânia. Método: Estudo descritivo e observacional com dados secundários de notificações por hanseníase, no período de 2014 a 2023. Os dados foram obtidos pelo sítio de domínio público do SINAN. Foram consideradas todas as notificações do período. Os dados populacionais foram extraídos do IBGE, e as variáveis utilizadas são sexo, faixa etária, escolaridade e raça. Resultados: Foram registrados 2.188 casos de hanseníase no período, com prevalência reduzida de 25,63 para 8,71 por 100 mil habitantes. Homens (59,8%) e pardos (55,7%) apresentaram maior número de casos. A pandemia de COVID-19 impactou negativamente o diagnóstico da doença, com recuperação parcial a partir de 2022. Conclusão: Apesar da redução de casos, subnotificação e desigualdade no acesso aos serviços de saúde permanecem desafios para a população. São necessárias estratégias inclusivas e intersetoriais para o controle eficaz da hanseníase.
The Effect of Social Media Marketing and E-Service Quality on the Decision to Choose Private Tutoring Services "Be Smart Student" Mediated by Brand Trust
Authors: Ismawati Putri , Yahya Adibah , Putra Hamzah Muhammad Mardi
Published: February 2025

This research aims to determine and analyze the influence of social media marketing and e-service quality on the decision to choose Private Lesson "Be Smart Student" mediated by brand trust. The research uses quantitative method and data collection technique using g-form questionnaire for 314 respondents (parents) of students. The data analysis technique uses path analysis to determine the fit of the structural equation model with SmartPLS 4.1.0. The results conclude: Social media marketing has a positive and significant effect on choosing decisions; E- Service Quality has a positive and significant effect on choosing decisions; Brand trust has a positive and significant effect on choosing decisions; Social media marketing has a positive and significant effect on brand trust; E-Service Quality has a positive and significant effect on brand trust; Social media marketing has a positive and significant influence on choosing decisions mediated by brand trust; and E-Service Quality has a positive and significant effect on choosing decisions mediated by brand trust. The results have implications for efforts to improve marketing strategies through applying digital platforms to market institutional programs and learning processes.
Pengawasan Pemungutan Retribusi Parkir di Tepi Jalan Umum di Kota Sungai Penuh
Authors: Dara Dara Monika , Andora Hengki , Rosari Anton
Published: February 2025

In order to realize levies that reach targets, of course there must be good management and supervision from the regional government, whether it is the Transportation Agency as the manager and collector of levies, the DPRD as the legislative function that prepares and establishes regional regulations. The problems that the author raises are; First; How is the supervision carried out by the Sungai Banyak Government in achieving the revenue target from collecting parking fees on the side of public roads? Second; What is the parking levy collection system on the side of the third public road; How to enforce the law against collecting parking fees that do not have an official permit. This research was also carried out using an empirical juridical approach, namely research based on field research as primary data and to complement and support field data, library data was needed as secondary data. Primary data was obtained through interviews with informants from the Transportation Department, Satpol PP, DPRD, Bakeuda, Parking Attendants and the Parking User Community and secondary data was obtained through literature study. All data obtained from field research and literature will be analyzed qualitatively and described descriptively. Based on the research results, it was concluded that the supervision carried out by several related parties was not effective, as can be seen from the failure to achieve the levy target for the parking sector. The levy collection system is not carried out in accordance with the provisions, seen from withdrawals that do not use tickets and deposits of levy proceeds are not carried out every day. Law enforcement against violators is not effective, as can be seen from the large number of illegal parking lots and illegal fees at official and unofficial parking points.
Learning in Eclectic Formative Assessment Strategies: Experiences of Accounting Pre-service Teachers in one Higher Education Institution
Authors: Ngwenya Jabulisile , Arek-Bawa Orhe
Published: February 2025

One of the goals of Accounting education is to develop graduates capable of equipping learners with ana­lytical skills pertinent to analysing and understanding finan­cial information required for making economic decisions. Gaining and developing the knowledge and skills necessary for learning Accounting demands full engagement from both students and teachers throughout the learning pro­cess. This is primarily achieved through the application of wide-ranging formative assessment strategies that allow students to actively engage in learning while being chal­lenged to think critically. This paper, therefore, aims to un­derstand how the eclectic assessment practices of academ­ics in a School of Education in South Africa contributed to preparing pre-service teachers for teaching. It explores the learning experiences of fourth-year Accounting students through eclectic formative assessment strategies. A qualita­tive case study approach within an interpretive paradigm was employed to explore the experiences of thirty purpos­ively selected Accounting pre-service teachers. Framed by principled eclecticism, a thematic analysis of transcripts generated from semi-structured individual telephonic inter­views with thirty students and WhatsApp-based focused group interviews was conducted to elicit students' views on their eclectic formative assessment practices. Insights from this study will be helpful to academics who aim to produce future teach­ers with the requisite skills to train the future workforce of any country. Teacher education institutions and other higher education institutions would also stand to benefit from the out­comes, which have the potential to guide policy directions to enhance the quality of undergrad­uate education, which is their key mandate.
Redefining Assessment Standards: A Framework for Examination Guidelines in South African Basic Education
Authors: Ngema Mbalenhle Happiness
Published: February 2025

Umalusi quality assures assessments for exit qualifications such as the National Senior Certificate (NSC) through various processes, including the evalua­tion of examination guidelines. The NSC is examined by three assessment bodies, and each body must develop its own examination guidelines, which must be comparable across the assessment bodies. Previous research by Uma­lusi identified differences in the components contained in the examination guidelines of the three assessment bodies. These differences arose from the absence of a common framework for developing examination guide­lines and pose a threat to the maintenance of NSC assess­ment standards over time, which could undermine the credibility of this qualification. This study aimed to ad­dress this gap by developing a framework specifying compulsory components for NSC examination guide­lines. Data was collected through qualitative methodol­ogy, employing document analysis and systematic litera­ture review. Purposive sampling was used to select six countries and four subjects for evaluation; the sampled subjects were also used to pilot the framework. The find­ings identified five compulsory components, including general information, subject-specific de­tails, examinable content specifications and weighting, item specifications, and scoring and re­sponse specifications. The existence of a common framework is crucial for assessment bodies to produce comparable examination guidelines, ensuring the maintenance of NSC assessment standards. The study recommends that Umalusi adopt the proposed framework and use it as a standard for the development of NSC examination guidelines across assessment bodies. Fur­thermore, education researchers should consider conducting further research to extend this framework to other qualifications within and outside the Umalusi sub-framework.
starkiller: Subtracting Stars and Other Sources from IFU Spectroscopic Data Through Forward Modeling
Authors: Ridden-Harper Ryan , Bannister Michele T. , Deam Sophie E. , Nordlander Thomas
Published: February 2025

We present starkiller, an open-source Python package for forward-modeling flux retrieval from integral field unit (IFU) spectrograph data cubes. starkiller simultaneously provides stellar spectral classification, relative velocity, and line-of-sight extinction for all sources in a catalog, alongside a source-subtracted data cube. It performs synthetic difference imaging by simulating all catalog sources in the field of view, using the catalog for positions and fluxes to scale stellar models, independent of the data cube. This differencing method is particularly powerful for subtracting both point sources and trailed or even streaked sources from extended astronomical objects. We demonstrate starkiller's effectiveness in improving observations of extended sources in dense stellar fields for Very Large Telescope (VLT)/Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) observations of comets, asteroids, and nebulae. We also show that starkiller can treat satellite-impacted VLT/MUSE observations. The package could be applied to tasks as varied as dust extinction in clusters and stellar variability; the stellar modeling using Gaia fluxes is provided as a standalone function. The techniques can be expanded to imagers and to other IFUs.
Hunting for Candidates of Changing-look Blazars Using Mclust Clustering Analysis
Authors: Kang Shi-Ju , Ren Shan-Shan , Zheng Yong-Gang , Wu Qingwen
Published: February 2025

C​​hanging-look blazars (CLBs) are blazars whose optical spectral lines at different epochs show significant changes and present a clear transition between standard FSRQ and BL Lacertae (BL Lac). Changing-look phenomena in blazars are highly significant for enhancing our understanding of certain physical problems of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), such as the potential mechanism of state transition in the accretion process of supermassive black holes in the central engine of AGNs, the possible intrinsic variation of the jet, and the connection between the accretion disk and the jet. Currently, the CLBs reported in the literature are still rare astronomical objects. In our previous work, we found that there are eight physical property parameters of CLBs located between those of FSRQs and BL Lacs. In order to search for more CLB candidates (CLBCs), we employed the mclust Gaussian mixture modeling clustering algorithm to perform clustering analysis for 255 subsets of the eight physical property parameters with 2250 blazars from 4FGL data release 3. We find that there are 29 subsets with three groups (corresponding to bl lacs, fsrqs, and CLBCs), in which there are four subsets with an adjusted Rand index greater than 0.610. The combined clustering results from the four subsets report that there are 111 CLBCs, which include 44 CLBs reported in previous literature and 67 new CLBCs, of which 11 are labeled as BL Lacs and 56 are labeled as FSRQs in the 4FGL catalog.
A Diverse, Overlooked Population of Type Ia Supernovae Exhibiting Mid-infrared Signatures of Delayed Circumstellar Interaction
Authors: Mo Geoffrey , De Kishalay , Wiston Eli , A. J. Nayana , Margutti Raffaella , Frostig Danielle , Sollerman Jesper , Sharma Yashvi , Moriya Takashi J. , Burdge Kevin B. , Jencson Jacob , Karambelkar Viraj R. , Lourie Nathan P.
Published: February 2025

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) arise from the thermonuclear explosions of white dwarfs in multiple-star systems. A rare subclass of SNe Ia exhibit signatures of interaction with circumstellar material (CSM), allowing for direct constraints on companion material. While most known events show evidence for dense nearby CSM identified via peak-light spectroscopy (as SNe Ia-CSM), targeted late-time searches have revealed a handful of cases exhibiting delayed CSM interaction with detached shells. Here we present the first all-sky search for late CSM interaction in SNe Ia using a new image subtraction pipeline for mid-infrared data from the NEOWISE space telescope. Analyzing a sample of  ≈8500 SNe Ia, we report evidence for late-time mid-infrared brightening in five previously overlooked events spanning subtypes SNe Iax, SNe Ia-91T, and super-Chandra SNe Ia. Our systematic search doubles the known sample and suggests that ≳0.05% of SNe Ia exhibit mid-infrared signatures of delayed CSM interaction. The mid-infrared light curves ubiquitously indicate the presence of multiple (or extended) detached CSM shells located at ≳1016–1017 cm, containing 10−6 to 10−4
M
⊙ of dust, with some sources showing evidence for new dust formation, possibly within the cold, dense shell of the ejecta. We do not detect interaction signatures in spectroscopic and radio follow-up; however, the limits are largely consistent with previously confirmed events given the sensitivity and observation phase. Our results highlight that CSM interaction is more prevalent than previously estimated from optical and ultraviolet searches and that mid-infrared synoptic surveys provide a unique window into this phenomenon.
Rosette Nebula Outburst Gaia 24djk from the Young Stellar Object V557 Mon
Authors: Carvalho Adolfo S. , Hillenbrand Lynne A.
Published: February 2025

A previously faint young stellar object (YSO), V557 Mon, rapidly brightened in late 2024 and is currently at least ΔG = 3.3 mag brighter than its typical pre-outburst brightness. The ongoing outburst is identified in the Gaia Alerts system as Gaia24djk. We obtained a 1–2.5 μm spectrum of the object and find the spectrum is dominated by line emission and continuum excess consistent with rapid YSO accretion, similar to the star EX Lup during its outburst state. We speculate that the burst, which has not yet reached its peak brightness, may become an FU Ori outburst, which would be evidenced by the emission spectrum turning into an absorption spectrum.
Determination of the Abundance of Mercury from the Hg ii Line at 5677.10 Å in Late B-type Stars. XV. HD 79158 (36 Lyncis)
Authors: Monier Richard
Published: February 2025

The weak line of Hg ii located at 5677.10 Å is not detected in high signal-to-noise ratio NARVAL I profiles of the Helium-weak star HD 79158. This is probably due to the large projected equatorial velocity, the moderate excess of mercury in this star and a lower signal-to-noise ratio of the NARVAL I profile at this wavelength. The synthesis of various spectral intervals also yields new measurements of the abundances of helium, magnesium, aluminium, silicon, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, yttrium and mercury. The abundance of mercury is estimated from the commonly used Hg ii line at 3983.94 Å which is broadened by rotation and blended with the neighbouring line Y ii at 3982.59 Å. Most of these new measurements agree roughly with previous measurements.
Comment lever les barrières à l’extension de la finance durable et transformationnelle
Authors: Saab Nahed
Published: February 2025

La blended finance est une forme de financement mixte où les fonds publics sont utilisés pour mobiliser les capitaux privés dans la recherche d’impacts liés à la poursuite des Objectifs de développement durable (ODD). Les structurations en blended finance innovantes se sont multipliées, ces dernières années. Derrière ces structurations, l’enjeu pour les autorités publiques est d’ancrer une stratégie d’investissement des financements privés dans une planification publique globale. De plus, en co-investissant avec le secteur privé, le secteur public développe une bonne compréhension et un pricing adéquat des risques que le privé est prêt à porter, et peut ainsi mieux calibrer le besoin en fonds concessionnels ou en subventions. Cet article met en lumière la façon dont notre approche de la blended finance peut contribuer à lever certaines barrières en termes non seulement de bancabilité, mais aussi de coordination entre politiques publiques et investissements privés, et de standardisation des mesures d’impacts, afin de faire émerger, in fine , une nouvelle classe d’actifs et des nouveaux modèles économiques durables. Classification JEL : F63, F65, G20, O16, O19
Tri ekspresionistične podobe sveta
Authors: Dolgan Marjan
Published: February 2025

Namen Dolganove knjige je odkriti in opredeliti ekspresionistične prvine v pripovedništvu treh pomembnih slovenskih pisateljev med prvo in drugo svetovno vojno: Ivana Preglja (1883–1960), Slavka Gruma (1901–1949) in Mirana Jarca (1900–1942). Knjiga izhaja iz dognanj nemških literarnih zgodovinarjev o ekspresionizmu, ki vidijo v njem zaradi njegove heterogenosti in necelovitosti samo literarno gibanje. To ni izoblikovalo trdno določenih formalnih značilnosti. Zato sta kot kriterij za določanje pripadnosti ekspresionizmu primerni predvsem socialnokritična ideja o neustreznosti obstoječe družbe, ki jo spremlja katastrofično ali apokaliptično občutje sveta in zavest o nujnosti radikalnih družbenih akcij, ter etična ideja o prihodnjem očiščenem, »novem« človeku. Iz teh izhodišč Dolgan analizira njihovo prozo in ugotovi, da se v njej pojavlja historično-religiozni, psihološko-groteskni in socialno-kozmični ekspresionizem.
Identification of Laryngeal Lesions Based on Narrowband Endoscopy Imaging Using Artificial Neural Networks and Visual Programming
Authors: Fernandes da Costa Ana Luisa Moraes , Idrobo Pizo Gerardo Antonio , Rivera Gómez Luis Felipe
Published: February 2025

Certain types of lesions on the laryngeal mucosa may indicate the early stages of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), which constitutes 98% of malignant laryngeal tumors. This study aims to develop artificial intelligence-based methods to classify laryngeal lesions using digital images obtained through narrowband endoscopy imaging. A total of 1,320 digital images of laryngeal tissue, both healthy and lesioned, were classified into four categories. Five machine learning models were developed, utilizing conventional deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and capsule networks (CapsNet): VGG16, VGG19, Inception V3, CapsNet without data augmentation, and CapsNet with data augmentation. The latter used images synthetically generated by an adversarial generative network (GAN). These algorithms were implemented using the Orange visual programming software and the Colab computational platform. The inclusion of GAN-enhanced data augmentation significantly improved the performance of the CapsNet classifier across all lesion types. The CapsNet model with GAN data augmentation achieved an average recall, accuracy, and F1 score of 94.7%, marking it as the second-best performing model. The highest performance was achieved by the CNN Inception V3 model, with 97% recall, accuracy, and F1 score, facilitated through visual programming. The combination of CapsNet with GAN-based data augmentation presents a viable alternative for the classification of medical images. The use of the Orange visual programming tool enabled high classification performance—97% in both accuracy and sensitivity—at low computational costs, without the need for advanced programming skills from the user.
Exploring Effective Thermal Conductivity and Thermal Resistance of Conductive Film Adhesive Bondline for High Power Density Applications
Authors: Zhang Weiyu , Cheng Stone , Zhao Yuan
Published: February 2025

Silver filled epoxy film adhesives are widely used in electronic device assembly due to its dual functions in bonding different parts and facilitating heat transfer in electronic devices. The thermal properties of a film adhesive product are often provided in a form of intrinsic bulk thermal conductivity. However, when assessing the thermal performance of a conductive adhesive within a bonded assembly, the observed value might not be equivalent to the bulk property of a free-standing cured sample. In this paper, we use “sandwich” method enabled by laser flash to investigate the effective thermal resistance of a newly developed conductive film adhesive in an assembly that simulates the electronic device packaging. The assembly was prepared under different processing conditions such as bondline thicknesses and bonding pressures. The effects of bonding conditions and adherends on the thermal performance of this material will be discussed. This provides people with valuable insights on device packaging, material selection and design validation.
In-air Cu Sintering with Partial Encapsulation System for SiC Power Module
Authors: Kim YehRi , Jo Eunjin , Kim Dongjin
Published: February 2025

This study was carried out to realize Cu sintering in the air atmosphere and investigate the driving force of oxidation-free Cu sintering. Cu sintered joints were successfully achieved at the temperature of 250 °C in the air with a uniform pressure below 10 MPa. A mechanism was applied in which oxygen was instantaneously blocked from the entire volume of the die-attach specimen during the sintering process. Consequently, we achieved bonding strengths exceeding approximately 36 MPa with a Cu particles size of 0.3 μm. In particular, it is interesting to note that no oxidation layer was observed at sintered bonding at 250 °C in the air atmosphere. The bonding strength was fundamentally attributed to the interfacial connected ratio between the Cu substrate and Cu sintered layer. This study systematically investigated the Cu-sintered joints structure involved in the size of Cu particles and the mechanism of bonding strength, considering the relationship between microstructures and mechanical behavior.
Difference Between 85 °C/85 %RH Accelerated Life Test and Pressure Cooker Test on Copper/Epoxy Bonding
Authors: Liu Ran , Zhao Shuaijie , Chen Chuantong , Liu Yang , Ueshima Minoru , Suzuki Hirose , Takenaka Hiroto , Suganuma Katsuaki
Published: February 2025

The reliability of copper/epoxy bonding is crucial for the performance of power modules used in high-demand applications such as electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. This study investigates the degradation mechanisms and failure modes of copper/epoxy bonding under two accelerated life testing conditions: 85 °C/85 %RH and pressure cooker test (PCT). The bonding strength was measured at 0 hours, 240 hours, 500 hours, and 1000 hours for the 85 °C/85 %RH test, and at 0 hours and 96 hours for the PCT. Results showed a gradual decline in bonding strength for the 85 °C/85 %RH test, with values decreasing from 14.90 MPa to 13.34 MPa over 1000 hours. In contrast, the PCT conditions led to a more pronounced reduction in bonding strength from 14.90 MPa to 10.70 MPa in just 96 hours. SEM analysis of the fracture surfaces revealed that before any reliability tests, fractures primarily occurred within the epoxy layer. After the reliability tests, fractures shifted to the interface, indicating the weakening of the bonding interface. These findings indicate that the 85 °C/85 %RH test and PCT have distinct effects on copper/epoxy bonding, with the PCT causing significantly greater degradation. Therefore, industries should not regard these two tests as equivalent.
Fine Gold and Coated-Ag Bonding Wire: Vertical Wire Bonding
Authors: Murali Sarangapani , Mariyappan Dhayalan , Advincula Turiano Alejandro Jr , Hoe Chong Mei Joanne , Weon Lim Yee Evonne , Sungsig SS Kang
Published: February 2025

Wire bonding is an important technique in microelectronics packaging; high precision vertical wire bonding (vertical array arrangements) is investigated in detail in the memory sector with stacked devices. This study focuses on the development of vertical wire bonding using bonding wires ranging from 18 to 30μm in diameter, including gold (Au), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu) based wires. The vertical wire bonding method is evaluated on four stacked and conventional devices. Factors such as vertical wire post height, wire diameter, and wire elongation are examined. Bonding assessments encompass a range of vertical wire post heights from 100μm to 1mm. A stable bonding process window is determined for a low variation in post height (ΔH) within 10μm for tested ranges from 150 to 500μm. Wires with moderate ductility, exemplified by a 4% Elongation (EL) in 4N (99.99%) Au and Coated-Ag, exhibited with low variation in X-shift and Y-shift, along with post height across the studied elongation range of 2-8% EL. All the examined wire types: 4N Au, 2N (99%) Au, gold coated silver (Coated-Ag), Alloyed-Ag, gold flash palladium (Pd) coated copper (AFPC), and bare Cu (soft 4N Cu), met the precision requirements for vertical wire bonding. The study reveals that vertical wire bonding, a key process for microelectronics assembly in stacked devices, can be achieved with a collection of wire materials, given that proper attention is directed towards optimizing factors such as wire diameter, elongation, vertical wire post height, and capillary types/dimensions.
High-Performance Structures with Photo-Imageable Pastes for mmWave Applications
Authors: Reinhardt Kathrin , Ratajczak Lynn , Körner Stefan , Partsch Uwe
Published: February 2025

Developments in the field of mobile communication (5G, 6G), (autonomous) mobility and the Internet of Things (smart cities, wearables, object tracking, smart grids, video security) are highly topical in the world wide research and industrial landscape. For this purpose, ever higher transmission bandwidths and thus ever higher working frequencies >60 GHz are required. To be able to exploit this potential, new technologies are required to generate high-frequency circuits with which ever finer conductor tracks with ever narrower distances in the range of 10-30 μm each can be realized. For this purpose, thick-film pastes were developed at Fraunhofer IKTS, which can be photo-imaged using UV light and can enable the desired geometric resolutions. The present work is intended to give an overview of the current developments in photo-imageable (PI) pastes at Fraunhofer IKTS and should give a comparison of the PI technologies. On the one hand side the masked based PI process, which is suitable for mass production and on the other hand side, the laser direct imaging (LDI) process, which offers the possibility of prototype manufacturing.
Precipitating factors and clinical outcomes of diabetic ketoacidosis in Eastern Cape, South Africa
Authors: Magadla Siqhamo , Ekpebegh Chukwuma , Ndlovu Nomagugu , Dubula Thozama , Joseph Sibi
Published: February 2025

Background: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a common hyperglycaemic emergency in persons living with diabetes (PLWD), and outcomes of treatment depend on the precipitating factor.Methods: A cross-sectional prospective study of patients admitted in the adult high care unit of Nelson Mandela Central Hospital was carried out from 19 February 2022 to 19 January 2023. Patients were assessed for demographic, clinical profiles and outcomes concerning precipitating factors. The outcomes were duration of admission and discharge from the hospital as alive or dead.Results: There were 55 PLWD, all black African, predominantly females, known with diabetes with a mean age of 38 ± 15.8 years. The main precipitants for DKA in descending order were infections (47%), treatment omission (30%) and a new diagnosis of diabetes (19%). The mean duration of admission for all patients was 8.2 ± 5.3 days. The length of hospital stay was 9.5 ± 5.2 days, 5.6 ± 2.2 days, and 8.6 ± 7.6 days, respectively (p = 0.118). The mortality in all patients was 9 (16.4%), and all but one death was associated with sepsis. There were no significant differences in the HbA1c among patients with infection (13.9 ± 3.8), those who omitted treatment (12.6 ± 4.7) and those newly diagnosed (12.2 ± 2.2) (p = 0.620).Conclusion: The high mortality rates in our DKA patients were mainly related to infections. The high HbA1c indicates poor glycaemic control preceding DKA. Improving glycaemic control, preventing infections, and early treatment of infections can reduce DKA-related mortality among patients.Contribution: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of DKA in resource-limited settings, focusing on its precipitating factors, clinical profiles, and outcomes among adults in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Infections were identified as the leading precipitant, with poor glycaemic control prevalent across all cases and a mortality rate of 16.4%, primarily due to sepsis. The findings highlight the urgent need for strategies to improve glycaemic control, prevent infections, and ensure timely interventions to reduce DKA-related mortality. This research aligns with the Journal of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa’s mission to advance clinical practice by addressing critical healthcare challenges in underserved communities, offering insights applicable across the region.
Seasonal trends in methylphenidate use: A mirror of misuse or compliance?
Authors: Schoeman Renata , Benjamin Stefan J.
Published: February 2025

Background: A steady growth in the use of medication for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been evident over the past few decades. While growth attests to increased awareness of ADHD and improved access to diagnosis and treatment, concerns have been raised about poor adherence to treatment and diversion of medication.Aim: This current study explored the seasonal and/or temporal use of methylphenidate (MPH) in South Africa.Setting: The study was conducted in South Africa.Methods: A retrospective database analysis was conducted to examine unit sales of MPH over a 9-year period. The unit sales of MPH were compared to those of atomoxetine for the same period.Results: Unit sales for MPH peaked in May and October, which coincided with the academic high-pressure periods for school learners and university students. This was most evident for MPH immediate release 10 mg. There was a noticeable decrease in unit sales for MPH during December. Atomoxetine demonstrated much less seasonal variation.Conclusion: The seasonal and/or temporal use of MPH fluctuates following the academic calendar. These changes are driven by both temporary interruptions of treatment, such as ‘drug holidays’, and the misuse and diversion of MPH for non-medical use. This holds significant implications for interventions to improve ADHD outcomes. It is crucial to balance accessibility to treatment with the prevention of misuse of MPH.Contribution: Our findings highlight the need to reconsider current policies and regulations regarding the appropriate diagnosis and management of ADHD and the scripting, dispensing and monitoring of MPH.
Salivary interleukin-10 and interleukin-17 – Potential biomarkers for assessing oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders – A comparative study
Authors: Jayachandran S , Preethi Manoharan , Nagarajan Nivethitha
Published: February 2025

Background:

Staging of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) is considered as the most important prognostic indicator, but salivary proteins such as interleukins (ILs) can serve as potential biomarkers. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of salivary IL-10 and IL-17 in OSCC and OPMD (oral submucous fibrosis and oral leukoplakia).

Materials and Methods:

This was a hospital-based, in vivo, cross-sectional, comparative study. A total of 90 patients (N = 90) were included in the study. Whole unstimulated saliva was collected and subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA): 30 from histopathologically confirmed OSCC (Group 1, n = 30), 15 from clinically diagnosed OSMF (Group 2, n = 15), 15 from clinically diagnosed OL (Group 3, n = 15), 15 from patients who had tobacco habits but no clinical lesions of OSCC/OL/OSMF (Group 4, n = 15), and 15 from healthy controls (Group 5, n = 15).

Results:

Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS®25.0 (analysis of variance [ANOVA], Tukey’s post hoc test, and Mann–Whitney U test). Both IL-10 and IL-17 were found in saliva. One-way ANOVA between groups showed IL-10 did not vary significantly within groups (P = 0.853), but IL-17 varied significantly between groups (P = 0.000). Mann–Whitney U test used to compare IL-10 and IL-17 between stage III and IV of OSCC showed that they did not vary significantly.

Conclusion:

IL-17 can indicate the presence of ongoing inflammation toward developing OPMD/OSCC, proving it as a potent diagnostic biomarker. An increase in IL-17 with successive stages of OSCC proves it as a prognostic biomarker for OSCC.
Calcium Chelators with Dynamic Agitation Techniques Enhanced Calcium Hydroxide Retrieval – A Cone-beam Computed Tomography-based In vitro Analysis
Authors: Karthik Haritha , Nair Tanvi V. , Muthalib Shezla , Devi B. Vaishnavi , Sathish S. , Natanasabapathy Velmurugan , Suresh Nandini
Published: February 2025

Background:

Calcium hydroxide is the most used intracanal medicament, but the presence of its remnants within the root canal before obturation has been found to negatively impact the treatment outcome. Hence, its complete removal is essential for the success of the treatment. Different chelators along with dynamic activation systems for calcium hydroxide retrieval have been reported in the literature.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of different calcium chelators acting as an adjunct to dynamic irrigation in calcium hydroxide retrieval and if 1% phytic acid has a role in the retrieval of calcium hydroxide.

Materials and Methods:

This in vitro study included 180 single-rooted mandibular premolars. Access opening followed by working length determination and biomechanical preparation was done. Canals were filled with Metapex. The sample teeth were categorized into 1% phytic acid, maleic acid, and saline groups. The groups were subcategorized based on the use of irrigant agitation techniques such as passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), Endovac, combination of Endovac and PUI, and conventional needle agitation. Pre- and postoperative cone-beam computed tomography volumetric percentage difference was measured by manual segmentation using HOROS software. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance with post hoc Tukey’s test with P < 0.05.

Results:

One percent phytic acid showed the maximum calcium hydroxide removal ranging between 97% and 99%, but there was no statistical difference between different chelator groups used along with the different agitation techniques. However, the use of dynamic agitation techniques has shown better calcium hydroxide removal when compared to conventional needle irrigation.

Conclusion:

Calcium chelators showed increased efficiency in calcium hydroxide retrieval compared to saline irrigation when used along with dynamic agitation techniques. There is no difference between the chelator groups when used along with the different agitation techniques.
Impact of Bruxism in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Suganya S. , Balasubramanian K. , Kesavamoorthy Yugesh
Published: February 2025

Bruxism is a clinical condition where a person grinds, clenches, or gnashes their teeth often involuntarily. It can take place during awakefulness or during sleep. The condition is furthermore common in sleep. It affects around 22% of the population globally. It is caused by various factors such as stress, psychological, or temporomandibular disease. This condition was commonly encountered in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Persistent clenching or grinding causes tooth loss and infections. Due to continuous mastication, cytokines such as interleukin (IL) 6, IL 8, and tumor necrosis factor were produced which might promote Aβ formation causing neuronal death. In this context, we would like to express the role of proinflammatory cytokines in association with AD and to ensure preventive measures toward bruxism.
p-adic Simpson correspondences for principal bundles in abelian settings
Authors: Heuer Ben , Werner Annette , Zhang Mingjia
Published: February 2025

We explore generalizations of the p-adic Simpson correspondence on smooth proper rigid spaces to principal bundles under rigid group varieties G. For commutative G, we prove that such a correspondence exists if and only if the Lie group logarithm is surjective. Second, we treat the case of general G on ordinary abelian varieties, in which case we prove a generalization of Faltings’ “small” correspondence to general rigid groups. On abeloid varieties, we also prove an analog of the classical Corlette–Simpson correspondence for principal bundles under linear algebraic groups.
Achieving gender equality in the Nigerian forestry sector: a way forward in sustainable development
Authors: Gbadebo O. V.
Published: February 2025

Gender inequality and/or discrimination remains a critical challenge world over. Gender gap engendered by restricted access over resources has led to gender bias in leadership roles and disparity in development. Over the years, activities along the forestry value chain were considered a special field for men and this has given rise to several discourses on gender issues especially as it relates to equality, equity, diversity and inclusion of women in sustainable economic, political and social development. Women in Africa are major actors in the forestry sector throughout the developing world but their representation in Nigerian forestry sector is low. Women in Nigeria face several barriers that limit access to a better stake of societal resources and services. In the light of this, it is imperative as envisioned by this paper to critically review gender issues in Nigerian forestry sector especially as it relates to sustainable development. It is recommended that incorporating gender issues into sustainable forest development would in no measure enhance the effectiveness of sustainable resource management policies and drive the equitable distribution of benefits.