bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selection of Optimal Path Planning Algorithm for Autonomous Robots in Structured Environment
Authors: Bashir H. , Yousaf M. H.
Published: January 2025

To determine a collision free path for a robot between start and goal positions in an environment filled with obstacles is a very challenging task in the design of an autonomous robot path planning. This paper aims to select an optimal path planning algorithm for a mobile robot in structured environment. To achieve the goal, comprehensive strengths and weaknesses of different path planning algorithm are discussed and evaluated. A wooden box with some fixed obstacles and robot inside it is basically the environment. Information about the environment is used to build a roadmap or graph of the environment. After getting a convenient representation of the environment, then graph search methods can be used to obtain shortest possible path through this roadmap. It is well known that computing shortest paths for autonomous robots is an important task in many path planning applications. Selecting a suitable algorithm from the various algorithms reported in the literature is a decisive step in many applications including path planning task. A set of three shortest path algorithms that compute optimal path from start to goal location has been identified and these are Uniform Cost Search, Greedy Search and A* algorithm. After comparing execution time and path length of path computed by these three algorithms, A * algorithm proves to be best suited for this particular application of path planning.
Elastic Properties of Lanthanum Modified Lead Zirconate Titanate Ferroelectric Ceramics
Authors: Shabbir G.
Published: January 2025

Elastic properties of lanthanum-modified lead zirconate-titanate (PLZT) relaxor ceramic oxide used as optical shutters are required for device design, storage and field purposes. Therefore, acoustic phonon mode velocity and related elastic constant of PLZT ceramic were measured by the non-destructive high-resolution Brillouin light scattering technique in the temperature range from 700 K down to 200 K. Broad anomalies were observed in the acoustic phonon velocity and the elastic constant showing minimum between 320 â€“ 240 K showing a typical relaxor ferroelectric character. A broad central peak was also observed at 200â‰¤Tâ‰¤500 K. The temperature dependence of the acoustic anomaly and central peak was associated to the fluctuations of the local polarization caused by the polar nanoregions.
Adsorption of Heavy Metals by Bio-Chars Produced from Pyrolysis of Paper Mulberry from Simulated Industrial Wastewater
Authors: Adil S. , Mashiatullah A. , Asma M. , Ghaffar A. , Khan S. , Abid J.
Published: January 2025

Paper mulberry bio-char (by-product of pyrolysis) was evaluated for the removal of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb) from simulated industrial waste water. The surface properties and surface area of the bio-char was found suitable for metal adsorption. Batch sorption studies for adsorption potential of paper mulberry bio-char for Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were investigated under different experimental conditions of pH, temperature and contact time. Maximum removal efficiency of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn was 97.8, 76.8, 85.6, and 82.2 % respectively at pH 12 while maximum removal of Cr was recorded (98%) at pH 2. The removal efficiency showed different behaviour at different contact times. Maximum removal efficiency of Cd, Cr, Zn was 81, 86, 61.4% at contact time of 3 hr. The maximum removal of Cu was 64.2% observed at a contact time of 4 hours while the maximum removal of Pb and Zn was 85% at contact time of 2 hr. The values of the thermodynamic parameters, enthalpy âˆ†Ho , Gibbs free energy âˆ†GÂ° of sorption and entropy âˆ†So were calculated to define endothermic or exothermic behavior of the sorbent used. Negative value of âˆ†GÂ° for Cd, Cu, Cr and Pb indicated paper mulberry bio-char as a feasible sorbent for the efficient removal of Cd, Cu, Cr and Pb. Negative value of âˆ†Hâ—¦ was observed for Cd and Pb indicating that the adsorption process is exothermic while positive value of âˆ†Hâ—¦ was calculated for Cu, Cr and Zn showed that the adsorption is endothermic. The results obtained showed that plant residue bio-char can act as an effective sorbent for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions.
PREDICTION OF SOLAR CYCLE 24 USING FOURIER SERIES ANALYSIS
Authors: Khalid M. , Sultana M. , Zaidi F.
Published: January 2025

Predicting the behavior of solar activity has become very significant. It is due to its influence on Earth and the surrounding environment. Apt predictions of the amplitude and timing of the next solar cycle will aid in the estimation of the several results of Space Weather. In the past, many prediction procedures have been used and have been successful to various degrees in the field of solar activity forecast. In this study, Solar cycle 24 is forecasted by the Fourier series method. Comparative analysis has been made by auto regressive integrated moving averages method. From sources, January 2008 was the minimum preceding solar cycle 24, the amplitude and shape of solar cycle 24 is approximate on monthly number of sunspots. This forecast framework approximates a mean solar cycle 24, with the maximum appearing during May 2014 (Â± 8 months), with most sunspot of 98 Â± 10. Solar cycle 24 will be ending in June 2020 (Â± 7 months). The difference between two consecutive peak values of solar cycles (i.e. solar cycle 23 & 24 ) is 165 months[Â± 6 months].
STRUCTURE AND STRATIGRAPHY OF SARHOTA, BANI NAGAL, DUNGI AND THIL AREAS OF DISTRICT KOTLI, JAMMU AND AZAD KASHMIR
Authors: Iqbal S. , Aadil N. , Parvez S.
Published: January 2025

The study area lies in the adjoining areas of the District Kotli, Azad Kashmir which lies along the eastern limb of the HazaraKashmir Syntaxis in the sub-Himalaya of Pakistan. This is a part of Kashmir fold and thrust belt which is formed after the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. The lithostructural mapping of Sarhota, Bani Nagala, Dungi and Thill areas is carried out. The lithostratigraphic units exposed are Hangu of Early Paleocene, Patala of Late Paleocene, Margalla Hill Limestone of Early Eocene, Chorgali of Early Eocene, Kuldana of Late Eocene, Murree of Early Miocene, Chinji, Nagri, Dhok Pathan, Soan of Middle to Late Miocene, Mirpur of Pliocene Formations of and Recent Alluvium of Pleistocene. Structurally, the area is highly deformed. Different folds and faults are mapped. The Gawan syncline, Gawan anticline, Sarda-Sarhota syncline, Mandi syncline and Fagosh anticline are the major folds developed in the area. These are tight to open folds which extend northwest to southeast direction. Different parasitic folds along the limbs of the major folds are developed in the study area. The Riasi Fault or Himalayan Frontal Thrust and Fagosh Fault are two major faults present in the study area. The Riasi Fault separates the Early Miocene Murree Formation and Late Miocene Dhok Pathan Formation. The Fagosh Fault is an intraformational fault which lies in the core of Fagosh anticline. Primary sedimentary structures such as cross bedding, ripple marks, load casts and rip ups are used in determining the facing of the stratigraphic units.
OPTIMUM OVERCURRENT RELAY COORDINATION: A REVIEW
Authors: Raza S. A. , Mahmood T. , A. Bukhari S. B.
Published: January 2025

In power system the protective relays are coordinated optimally to ensure that only the faulted zone of the system will be detached when the abnormal operating state will occur. The interconnected system as well as deregulated environment and increase in user demand force the utilities to implement optimally coordinated protection scheme to increase reliability of the system. In this paper an overview of overcurrent relay coordination techniques is presented. Deterministic, heuristic, hybrid and trial and error optimization techniques, have been reviewed to understand their method of implementation, modes of operation, nature of power distribution system, advantages and disadvantages.
FBOS: FREQUENCY BASED OPTIMIZATION STRATEGY FOR THREAD POOL SYSTEM
Authors: Bahadur F. , Naeem M. , Javed M. , Wahab A.
Published: January 2025

Competitive multithreading models for constructing server side applications are thread-per-request and thread pool. Thread pool architecture is more efficient because of its pre-spawning and recycling a pool of threads. But tuning the thread pool system at the optimal level and dynamically changing its size is still a challenging task. This paper presents a Thread Pool System which is equipped with a dynamic optimization strategy named Frequency Based Optimization Strategy (FBOS) that reacts on the basis of clientâ€™s request frequencies. In this paper we also presented a comparison between the two best pool techniques and FBOS strategy with the help of a Request Simulator and the results of simulation have proved that FBOS is more responsive and efficient than other strategies.
ISP-BASED MPLS VPN: OVERVIEW, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS
Authors: Arshad M. J. , Ahmad H. , Samiullah M. , Basit A.
Published: January 2025

In recent years MPLS-Multiprotocol Label Switching enabled VPNs-Virtual Private Network have gained popularity as alternative to private WANs. MPLS-VPNs are more reliable, secure, scalable and cost effective than other candidate solutions. Traffic engineering (TE) is supported over MPLS, which allows network organizations to associate a LSP-Label Switched Path with the physical path they select. In this article, we present an implementation of traffic engineering over an Internet Service Prov ider (ISP)- based MPLS-VPN. We will start by defining the features, modes and preconditions for traffic engineering. Then we will explain what information needs to be disseminated to all the TE enabled routers and how the underlying routing protocol is modified to send it. Then we will define and configure MPLS TE tunnels. Finally, we will show how to achieve link protection in TE supported MPLS-VPN.
Green One Step Microwave Assisted Synthesis of ZnS Nanoparticles
Authors: Sabah A. , Javed S. , Nazir M.
Published: January 2025

Microwave radiations are used to synthesize zinc sulphide (ZnS, cubic phase) nanoparticles by using single precursor at different synthesis temperature and irradiation time. Absorption peaks of ZnS nanoparticles of size ~15 nm are found within the range of 250-320 nm by UV-Visible spectroscopy. The band gap energies of prepared ZnS nanoparticles are higher than the bulk value of ZnS. The blue shift of UV absorption peak gives evidence of decrease in particle size. Aggregates of large number of small sized spherical nanoparticles are observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM).
Designing a Solar Fuel Device: Light-Harvesting Materials and Catalytic Modules for Artificial Leaf
Authors: Joya K. S.
Published: January 2025

Solar energy driven catalytic water splitting process using efficient light-harvesting system and catalytic materials can be exploited to generate electrons and protons that can be utilized to make clean hydrogen as a simple renewable fuel. This scheme can also be combined with a CO2 reduction module to convert it into nonfossil and easily storable liquid energy carriers. This approach is very appropriate and attractive but the major obstacle in this pursuit is to develop state-of-the art catalytic modules (both for water oxidation and proton/CO2 reduction) and their synergistic interfacing with light-harvesting materials. Recently, there is a tremendous progress in the field of visible light responsive inorganic-oxide semiconductors and water oxidation electrocatalysts, aiming to build up a stand-alone solar to fuel conversion device, â€œThe Artificial Leafâ€. Many molecular catalysts and nanoscale materials functionalized on the photoelectrode surfaces have been investigated to drive solar water oxidation reaction. Here we give a miniature account of the development of structural designs of solar fuel devices, and assembling of solar to chemical energy conversion system.
Fixed Head Short Term Hydro Thermal Scheduling using Improved Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Ali M. Umair , Habib B. , Iqbal M.
Published: January 2025

Complications of optimization problem associated with Fixed Head Short Term Hydrothermal Scheduling (STHTS) are not only greatly obscure but also enclose numerous constraints. Generally non-linear, non-convex and clustered search space is connected with STHTS problem. Number of techniques, from simplex to complex, have already been used and implemented by research scholars in order to solve STHTS and management related problems. A very powerful and robust technique is necessary to efficiently optimize STHTS problem. With this objective, Improved Particle Swarm Optimization technique implemented here to comparatively better optimize STHTS problem.
Classification of Surface and Deep Soil Samples Using Linear Discriminant Analysis
Authors: Wasim W. , Ali M. , Daud M.
Published: January 2025

A statistical analysis was made of the activity concentrations measured in surface and deep soil samples for natural and anthropogenic ï§-emitting radionuclides. Soil samples were obtained from 48 different locations in Gilgit, Pakistan covering about 50 km2 areas at an average altitude of 1550 m above sea level. From each location two samples were collected: one from the top soil (2-6 cm) and another from a depth of 6-10 cm. Four radionuclides including226Ra, 232Th 40K and 137Cs were quantified. The data was analyzed using t-test to find out activity concentration difference between the surface and depth samples. At the surface, the median activity concentrations were 23.7, 29.1, 4.6 and 115 Bq kg-1 for 226Ra, 232Th, 137Cs and 40K respectively. For the same radionuclides, the activity concentrations were respectively 25.5, 26.2, 2.9 and 191 Bq kg-1 for the depth samples. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to explore patterns within the data. A positive significant correlation was observed between the radionuclides 226Ra and 232Th. The data from PCA was further utilized in linear discriminant analysis (LDA) for the classification of surface and depth samples. LDA classified surface and depth samples with good predictability.
Glycine Betaine and Proline Production in Eucalyptus Plant under NaCl Harassing Environment
Authors: Qureshi T. M. , Bano A. , Ashraf M. Y.
Published: January 2025

An investigation has been carried out to study the production of Proline and Betaine by applying Abscisic acid (ABA) treatment under NaCl and water stressed conditions. The seeds of four provenances of Eucalyptus camaldulesnis were obtained from the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (Provenance I), Punjab Forest Research Institute, Faisalabad (Provenance II), Biosaline Research Station-I, Lahore (Provenance III) and Bio-saline Research Station-II of Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad (Provenance 1V). It was observed that Proline and Betaine accumulation increased significantly in all the provenances with increase in drought or salt stress, ABA alone and in combination with drought. Provenance II and III species remained successful in maintaining higher Proline and Betaine accumulation as compared to Provenances I and IV. From the results it can be concluded that ABA treatment remains successful in enhancing Proline and Betaine production and maintaining the physiological parameters necessary to enhance plant growth both under salt and in combination with drought condition.
Hardware Module for the Security Enhancement of Optical Telecom Network Equipment
Authors: Nadeem M. , Ali M.
Published: January 2025

The telecommunication equipment physical security threats have increased not only in Pakistan but also anywhere in the world and hence, reducing the revenue. This new challenging and alarming situation is created for the telecom network provider. The main focus of this paper is to provide a low cost economical design for reducing the theft of the costly telecommunication equipment like optical network units (ONU). This system is based on instant messaging on the mobile in the event of theft through GSM modem. The proposed security module is dynamic, flexible and can also be integrated in the existing networks and separately having its own independent low power consumption source. The module will continuously work successfully under different scenarios such as completely isolated from other devices by power break down or by fibre cut.
C++ BUG CUB: Logical Bug Detection for C++ Code
Authors: Raana A. , Azam M. A. , Ghazanfar M. A. , Javed A. , Amin Y. , Naeem U.
Published: January 2025

Quality is seen as one of the key aspects for efficient and robust Software development. One of the ways to ensure quality is to ensure that developed software systemsâ€™ code istotally free of syntax, real time and logical bugs. Despite careful development process, there is always room for these bugs to stay in developed system. Many of the syntax and logical bugs escape from detection in testing phase, which has great impact on the quality and reliability of system and business value as well. These are usually Logical Bugs, which can be difficult to find and which can lead to frustration for the development team. To alleviate the overhead of static analysis of code performed by the developer to detect logical bugs, a system is proposed to detect these bugs in C++ code. The system has been engineered using tokenization concept -prerequisite for bug detection- followed by rule-based algorithm that is designed for logical bugsâ€™ detection. A decision tree based approach has also been applied in order to classify the detected bugs. The system is also able to extract dependency among all the methods/functions written in the input code. Both tasks; bug(s) detection and function dependency are performed in one pass which makes the system efficient.
Impact of Privatization on Employee Relations at Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited
Authors: Asghar B. , Wasim A. , Jahanzaib M. , Hussain S.
Published: January 2025

This study aims to understand the impact of privatization on employee relations by focusing on ethics, fair treatment, labor relations and unionization. Currently many developing nations face the pressures and demand for privatization which is creating new opportunities and challenges also for the service providers. Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) is selected as study subject and Telecommunication sector of Pakistan as study area. A Pre-Post comparison is carried out and a close ended questionnaire is designed for survey. The Pre Privatization period spans from 1998-2005 and Post spans from 2005-2012. Around 725 questionnaires are distributed and 375 complete responses are collected back with response rate of 51%. North Region of PTCL is selected due to easy access and data availability where majority permanent employees selected for this study are Technicians, engineering supervisors, technical officers and assistant managers. Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test (Non- Parametric Test) is used for analysis as the data collected is non normal (Q-Q plot for normality testing).The findings reveal that ethics and fair treatment has a significant difference in the pre & post privatization era with pre results better than post. Same results are seen in labor relations and unionization factors also.
Implementation of OFDM-RoF at 60 GHz with DCF for Long Haul Communication
Authors: Rashid M. F. , Qamar F. , Rashid F. , Ahmad S.
Published: January 2025

In this paper, a new design of optical system is proposed and analyzed which combine coherent OFDM with radio over fiber (RoF) for achieving data rate of 40 Gbps over 150 km Single Mode Fiber (SMF). Optical heterodyne method is used for generation of 60 GHz Millimeter wave. The transmitted RF signal through optical fiber using RoF method is degraded and to compensate it, post compensation scheme of Dispersion Compensating Fiber (DCF) is used. Constellation diagram has been observed after 150 km with and without DCF for performances evaluation of OFDM RoF system. The BER at receiver end is evaluated and from the results it can be concluded that the transmission distance and data rate has been increased
A Navigational Evaluation Model for Content Management Systems
Authors: Gilani S. , Majeed A. , Muzammal M. , Rehman A. U. , Zaheer H. , Jan Z.
Published: January 2025

Web applications are widely used world-wide, however it is important that the navigation of these websites is effective, to enhance usability. Navigation is not limited to links between pages, it is also how we complete a task. Navigational structure presented as hypertext is one of the most important component of the Web application besides content and presentation. The main objective of this paper is to explore the navigational structure of various open source Content Management Systems from the developer’s perspective. For this purpose three CMS are chosen which are WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. Objective of the research is to identify the important navigational aspects present in these CMSs. Moreover, a comparative study of these CMSs in terms of navigational support is required. For this purpose an industrial survey is conducted based on our proposed navigational evaluation model. The results shows that there exist correlation between the identified factors and these CMSs provide helpful and effective navigational support to their users.
Evaluating Suppliers’ Efficiency using Conjoint Analysis
Authors: Iqbal Z. , Ali H. M.K. , Wasim A. , Hussain S. , Jahanzaib M.
Published: January 2025

One of the main challenges for leading manufacturing industries to retain their competitiveness is selection of appropriate suppliers. In developing countries like Pakistan, industries need reinforcement of the supplier selection decisions using scientific techniques. This study utilizes conjoint analysis (CA), a mathematical and statistical modeling based multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methodology, for evaluation of supplier efficiency in a real world manufacturing organization. Six attributes are extracted from respective literature with the help of expert opinions. The developed mathematical models are solved in respective CA software by using actual data. Results reveal that product performance is the most important attribute in supplier evaluation for the concerned industry followed by costs, quality, financial stability, delivery time and technical ability respectively. The findings are beneficial for both the selected manufacturing industry and the market suppliers.
Risk Estimation of Karachi Stock Exchange via Conditional Autoregressive Value-at-Risk by Regression Quantiles
Authors: Iqbal F.
Published: January 2025

This paper examines the market risk of Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) by employing the Conditional Autoregressive Value-at-Risk by Regression Quantiles (CAViaR) model. The CAViaR model interprets the Value-at-Risk (VaR) as the quantile of future portfolio values conditional on current information and directly compute this quantile instead of inverting the distribution of returns. An asymmetric conditional heteroscedastic specification for CAViaR is proposed and applied along with four commonly used CAViaR specifications for the one-day-ahead VaR estimation of KSE for the period 1998 – 2010. The in-sample and out-of-sample predictive performance of alternative CAViaR specifications are compared and evaluated. The proposed model that accounts for asymmetry of risk is found to produce better and reliable estimates for VaR of KSE.
A Penalty Function Based Differential Evolution Algorithm for Constrained Optimization
Authors: Wazir H. , Jan M. A. , Mashwani W. K. , Shah T. T.
Published: January 2025

Differential evolution (DE) and its various dialects are basically designed for solving unconstrained optimization problems and have been widely used .Adaptive differential evolution with optional external archive (JADE)is one of the efficient and updated versions of DE. This paper enhances the capability of JADE to solve constrained optimization problems (COPs). The enhancement is based on introducing a static penalty function in the selection scheme of JADE to handle constraints. The performance of the modified algorithm, abbreviated as CJADE-S is tested on a well-known test suit of COPs, CEC2006. The experimental results show the better performance of CJADE-S on most of the test problems of CEC2006.
Modeling Radiation Doses for a Hypothetical Contaminated Site Using RESRAD-OFFSITE Code Faisalabad, Pakistan
Authors: Rafique Q. , Hussain M. , Wazir Z. , Khan F.
Published: January 2025

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs) are one of the main sources of radiation exposure to humans and environment. To assess the impact of NORMs on human health and environment, different approaches (Deterministic & Probabilistic) are used globally. The radiological doses to the public from NORMs depend on the level of radioactivity, type of usage of the site, nature of the deposition and the location of the population with respect to the contaminated site. Different international organizations like International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have established international safety standards regarding protection from man-made and natural sources of ionizing radiations. In the current research work, the radiological doses to public, off-site, from the soil of a hypnotically contaminated area with radionuclides (40K, 137Cs, 226Ra and 232Th) at Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB), Faisalabad, Pakistan has been estimated using (RESRAD-OFF) code.The radiation doses due to different exposure pathways have also been estimated. The relation of different exposure pathways with the doses has also been analyzed
Hydrocarbon Evaluation and New Well Prognosis Based on Seismic and Petrophysical Analysis of Ghauspur Area, Central Indus Basin, Pakistan
Authors: Shakir U. , Ali M. , Hussain M. , Fahd M. , Abuzar M.K. , Khan M.A. , Amjad M.R. , Siyar S.M. , Tahir A.R.
Published: January 2025

Reservoirs are characterized by significant heterogeneity at numerous scales ranging from exploration to production and enhanced production scale. The variations of primary depositional facies could be identified using seismic and well log data as it controls the architecture of a reservoir. Seismic data helps in accurate reservoir characterization. The present research is based upon 2D seismic interpretation, attribute and petrophysical analysis of Ghauspur area, Central Indus Basin, Pakistan. Interpretation of seismic lines shows negative flower structure bounded by two normal faults dipping in the northwest (NW) to southeast (SE) direction. Attribute analysis improved geologic visualization and shows the presence of hydrocarbons at well Indus-1B because of low frequency and low amplitude values. Petrophysical characterization of Sui Main Limestone (SML) penetrated in Indus-1B and Badar South-01 wells was evaluated which proved it to be water-wet with no economic potential for hydrocarbons. On the basis of seismic data interpretation, attribute and petrophysical analyses, a new well location is proposed on the crustal part of the structure.
A Technique of Code Clone Detection based on Defined Mechanism for Threshold Calculation
Authors: Mehboob R. , Shabbir S. , Javed A.
Published: January 2025

Over the past few years the revolution in the technology and use of programming languages for product development has made code reusability a common practice. Consequently the problem of code cloning is also increasing leading to redundancy and increased maintenance cost. The real motivation of the proposed research work is to identify code clones from pair of codes that are going to be utilized for a project under consideration. Existing practices such as control flow graphs (CFGs) and abstract syntax tree (AST) promote a high level of abstraction by masking the inner details of the code. Therefore, a strategy is needed to define the mechanism for calculation of the threshold value to identify clones by considering the inner details of the code. This paper presents a defined mechanism for the computation of threshold for code clone detection. Moreover, the inner details of the code are examined by performing the comparative analysis of tokens and conditional clauses. The proposed technique eliminates high level of abstraction caused by the use of CFGs. The proposed method is tested on custom dataset of different sorting algorithms. Experimental results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed method for code clone detection.
Automatic Segmentation of the Aorta in Cardiac Medical Images
Authors: Rahman H. , Rahman S.U. , Din F.
Published: January 2025

Automatic aorta segmentation from three dimensional image data is very important for treatment planning and diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death in the developed countries. A number of techniques are available but most of them need user interaction and require very high contrast of input images that increase the patient exposure time inside the machine. In this paper, we have proposed a novel segmentation pipeline that can automatically segment the aorta from low contrast three-dimensional data. Input images are pre-processed using gradient and sigmoid techniques in order to identify real edges and increase contrast of the image. Hough transform is used for automatic detection of circular shape of aorta that is followed by a three dimensional connected threshold algorithm to delineate the aorta from other objects. The results show that our technique can automatically segment the aorta faster than existing techniques. The algorithm uses low contrast image data, requires no user interaction and no parameters tuning. The proposed technique, with minor modifications, can also be used for semi-automatic segmentation of other organs in the human body.
A Comparative Study of Classifier Based Mispronunciation Detection System for Confusing
Authors: Maqsood M , Habib H. A. , Anwar S. M. , Ghazanfar M. A. , Nawaz T.
Published: January 2025

Pronunciation training systems detect mispronunciations from language learner’s speech and provide useful feedback. Mispronunciation detection systems can either be developed using Confidence Measures (CM) or using classifiers with Acoustic Phonetic Features (APF). This paper presents an APF based computer assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) system for most confusing Arabic phoneme pairs (/ ? / vs/ ?/)and (/ ? / vs / ? / or / ? /) developed for subjects of  Pakistani origin. A super-vector is formed based on APF consisting of Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) along with its first and second derivative, energy, zero-cross, spectral features and pitch. A large dataset has been recorded from 200 speakers of Pakistani origin learning Arabic as their second language. Four different machine learning classifiers; Random Forest, Naïve Bayes, Ada-boost and K-NN have been used for mispronunciation detection. A comparison has been conducted between these classifiers and standard Goodness of Pronunciation (GOP) method. The results show that Random Forest outperforms all other methods by a significant margin.
Pattern of Industrial Growth and Revolutions
Authors: Hussain T. , Aziz M. H.
Published: January 2025

The world begun industrial development in eighteenth century and experienced four industrial revolutions which made a huge impact on economic growth. Those countries rise as an economic power which adopt and worked on advance technology in each industrial revolution. Advent of technology could be attributed to chance, choice or crises that could be either disruptive or sustaining in nature. We have used two theories to discuss the growth pattern of economy named as: Theory of long waves and Theory of production revolutions. Kondratieff and Juglar cycles have applied to map each revolutions along with its elements that have prevailed the economy. There is a link between industrial growth patterns and GDP. Further, these revolutions have three phases (pre, during and post revolution) which effect the micro, meso and macro level in both positive and negative way. However, as far as overall industrial development cycle is concerned, theory of production revolution proposes that we are now in the intermediate phase of industrial growth and most probably its falling phase will start in 2070. Moreover, theory of long waves suggest that fourth revolution is now in rising phase and will reach to peak in coming 50-60 years in the form of decentralized self-regulating system. Circumstances suggest that increase of autonomous system and bio-technology will raise unemployment along with life expectancy. As a result, world might face safety, security, health, food and accommodation issues. Industries will tend towards micro-economy and they may face reliability, data security, employee loyalty and flexibility problems. According to corresponding relationship of industrial growth and revolution, we expect that next industrial revolution would be crises based and bio-technology would concentrate on control of humanâ€™s emotions. Scientific progress and research will enhance due to the rise of Quantum Informatics.
Investigating the Adoption of Telemedicine Services: An Empirical Study of Factors Influencing Physiciansâ€™ Perspective in Pakistan
Authors: Kamal S. A , Hussain S. , Shafiq M. , Jahanzaib M.
Published: January 2025

Â Telemedicine services are increasingly becoming an integral part of health care system of many countries around the globe. However, despite its emergent proliferation its acceptance hasnâ€™t been strikingly popular in clinical settings of developing countries, where shortage of practicing medical professionals is prevalent. The objective of this research study is to develop a theoretical model based on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and then empirically testing it for determining the key factors influencing doctorsâ€™ intention to adopt and use Telemedicine Services in clinical settings of a developing country. The partial least square model obtained from data of 220 doctors reflects that Perceived Usefulness (Î² = 0.30) and Perceived Ease of Use (Î² = 0.26), are the most significant drivers for doctors to use Telemedicine services in their practice, confirming the validity of original TAM constructs. In addition, new predictive constructs including Legal and Ethical Concerns ((Î² = -0.23) and Response Cost (Î² = -0.15) are found to have significant negative effects on usage intention of doctors. The survey findings reflect that telemedicine services are still in its infancy in Pakistan. Rigorous awareness and training programs are required to increase its acceptance among medical professionals. Effective financial and legal solutions also need to be devised leading physicians to uptake the adoption of telemedicine service.
Rock Fractures Characterization in Khairi Murat Range, Sub Himalayan Fold and Thrust Belt, North Pakistan
Authors: Dasti N. , Akram S. , Akram S. , Ahmad I. , Ahmad I. , Usman M. , Usman M.
Published: January 2025

The Potwar fold and thrust belt is an area of active oil and gas exploration and production. Fractures are the main contributors toward permeability and enhancing hydrocarbon productivity particularly in carbonates in the region. The migration and accumulation data from the hydrocarbon reservoirs indicate a well-developed fracture system in the area. 2700 individual fractures were measured along 106 scanlines, and 1260 fractures were measured at 27 sample stations using the circle inventory method. 8 fracture sets, named as â€œset-1â€ to â€œset-8â€ have been identified in the study area. Fracture properties i.e. spacing, aperture, density, porosity and permeability are estimated, which ranges from 8 m-1 to 76 m-1, 1.1 cm to 13.4 cm, 0.04 cm-1 to 0.22 cm-1, 0.06% to 2.30% and 0.24Ã—08 Darcy to 1446Ã—108 Darcy respectively. A wide range of fracture orientations occurs, creating connected fractures networks. The directional character of connectivity depends upon the direction of the dominant fractures orientation, i.e.,Â  NE-SW and NW-SE. The fracture aperture and spacing data show that these parameters statistically follow the Normal and log-Normal distributions respectively.Â  The maximum values of fracture porosity (2.30%), fracture permeability (1446.114Ã—108 D) and density (0.217 cm-1) of fractures are related to the vicinity of faults and regionally extended lineaments. Three fracture sets have also been identified and established their relationship with the tectonic stress field in the study area. It is concluded that this study would enhance the data for hydrocarbon production and exploring the groundwater prospects in the area.
Reservoir characterization of Paleocene Clastics and Carbonates in Chanda-01 Well, Kohat Basin, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: A Petrophysical Approach
Authors: Siyar S. M. , Awais M. , Zafar M. , Waqas M. , Faisal S.
Published: January 2025

The present study deals with the reservoir characterization of Paleocene reservoirs in Chanda-01 well drilled in the Kohat Basin, Pakistan. The petrophysical evaluation of the Paleocene Hangu Formation (Clastics) and Lockhart Limestone (carbonates) have been carried out using conventional Petrophysical logs. The petrophysical parameters estimated includes volume of shale (Vsh), density porosity (?D), neutron porosity (?N), sonic porosity (?S), average porosity (?A), effective porosity (?E), qualitative permeability, water saturation (Sw) and hydrocarbon saturation (Shc). One possible pay zone with 14 m thickness has been marked in the Hangu Formation and one having 10 m thickness in Lockhart Limestone after detailed interpretations. In Zone A the average petrophysical values like Vsh, ?A, ?E and Shc  are 4 %, 24 %, 22 % and 88 % respectively. The reservoir zone of   Lockhart Limestone has the average values of Vsh 4%, ?A5%, ?E4 % and Shc 85 %. Between the studied Paleocene reservoirs Hangu Formation has high porosity, while the other Lockart one has less porosity. Based on the ?N and bulk density cross-plot, the lithology of Hangu Formation and Lockhart Limestone is dominated by sandstone and limestone respectively.
Computing Shortest Path in a Single Valued Neutrosophic Hesitant Fuzzy Network
Authors: Saad M. , Mahmood T. , Ullah Kifayat , Jan N.
Published: January 2025

In engineering, computer sciences and many other applied sciences, finding shortest path in a networkis one of the famous problems. The aim of this manuscript is to develop a novel algorithm for findingshortest path in a network where nodes and edges have some uncertainty. Firstly, the concept of singlevaluedneutrosophic hesitant fuzzy graph (SVNHFG) has been introduced with some related graphtheoretic results. Some examples are provided to understand the defined concepts. Then, the newalgorithm for solving shortest path problems (SPPs) has been introduced followed by a flowchart for astepwise description. A numerical example is provided in the environment of SVNHFGs to demonstratethe proposed algorithm. The advantages of proposed method over the existing techniques are alsostudied.
PERFIL EPIDEMIOLÓGICO E QUALIDADE DE VIDA DE PACIENTES COM FERIDAS CRÔNICAS
Authors: Stefanello Larissa , Dias Queiroz Brito Jussara , Rios Oliveira Rios Oliveira , Peixoto Rodrigues Tatyanni
Published: January 2025

As feridas são danos dermatológicos, que independente de sua etiologia ou extensão, são consideradas crônicas quando apresentam dificuldade no processo cicatricial, sem resposta ao cuidado habitual, ultrapassando o período de seis semanas. Os fatores que interferem no processo de cicatrização da lesão são classificados em intrínsecos, que são aqueles relacionados à condição clínica do paciente, no caso, as doenças crônicas preexistentes, e extrínsecos, que estão relacionados à condição da ferida e o tratamento recebido. Assim, a necessidade de conhecimento científico e cuidado planejado é essencial para melhorar a qualidade da assistência prestada, sendo que por muito tempo essa assistência foi dada como uma atividade empírica, baseada em tradições, conhecimentos comuns e experiências. O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar o perfil clínico e epidemiológico dos pacientes com feridas crônicas. Trata de uma pesquisa aplicada em campo, de estudo descritivo, transversal, de natureza quantitativa, realizado na Clínica de Enfermagem Florence Nightingale. Os dados do estudo são provenientes da análise do prontuário dos pacientes, das respostas aos questionários WHOQOL-bref e Perfil Sociodemográfico e Clínico. Os resultados e discussão ressaltam a importância contínua de desenvolver e nutrir relacionamentos saudáveis, bem como fomentar uma rede de apoio social, indicam áreas específicas que podem ser aprimoradas para promover um bem-estar mais completo e uma qualidade de vida mais elevada, principalmente no que diz respeito às relações sociais e ao domínio físico. Diante do exposto, foi possível identificar que os pacientes apresentaram uma qualidade de vida moderada nos diferentes domínios avaliados.
Multimodal mismatch responses in mouse auditory cortex
Authors: Solyga Magdalena , Keller Georg B
Published: January 2025

Our movements result in predictable sensory feedback that is often multimodal. Based on deviations between predictions and actual sensory input, primary sensory areas of cortex have been shown to compute sensorimotor prediction errors. How prediction errors in one sensory modality influence the computation of prediction errors in another modality is still unclear. To investigate multimodal prediction errors in mouse auditory cortex (ACx), we used a virtual environment to experimentally couple running to both self-generated auditory and visual feedback. Using two-photon microscopy, we first characterized responses of layer 2/3 (L2/3) neurons to sounds, visual stimuli, and running onsets and found responses to all three stimuli. Probing responses evoked by audiomotor mismatches, we found that they closely resemble visuomotor mismatch responses in visual cortex (V1). Finally, testing for cross modal influence on audiomotor mismatch responses by coupling both sound amplitude and visual flow speed to the speed of running, we found that audiomotor mismatch responses were amplified when paired with concurrent visuomotor mismatches. Our results demonstrate that multimodal and non-hierarchical interactions shape prediction error responses in cortical L2/3.
Correction factors for prey size estimation from PenguCams
Authors: Dabkowski Owen , Ellenberg Ursula , Mattern Thomas , Pütz Klemens , Garcia Borboroglu Pablo
Published: January 2025

The use of animal-borne cameras enables scientists to observe behaviours and interactions that have until now, gone unseen or rarely documented. Researchers can now analyse prey preferences and predator-prey interactions with a new level of detail. New technology allows researchers to analyse prey features before they are captured, adding a new dimension to existing prey analysis techniques, which have primarily relied on examining partially or fully digested prey through stomach flushing. To determine prey size, the video footage captured needs a correction factor (pixel:mm ratio) that allows researchers to measure prey dimensions using image measuring software and convert the pixels to actual measurements. This in turn will help estimating the prey energy content. This method requires a reference object with known dimensions (such as beak measurements) to ground truth your distance. Using PenguCams we determined the correction factor by measuring a 2 cm section of 1 mm grid paper from video footage taken at known distances (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 cm) in different salinities ranging from air and fresh water, up to 35 psu in 5 psu increments while controlling for temperature and pressure. We found no significant difference between correction factors of water at different salinities. However, due to their considerable differences in refraction index, correction factors contrast between water and air. Linear equations modelled from correction factors at tested distances help predict correction factors between tested distances and, therefore, enable a wider application of this research. We provide examples from PenguCam footage taken of Humboldt (Spheniscus humboldti), Tawaki (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus) and King (Aptenodytes patagonicus) penguins to illustrate the use of identified correction factors. This study provides a tool for researchers to further enhance their understanding of predator-prey interactions.
Postoperative Outcomes of Modified Carnoy’s Solution versus 5-Fluorouracil for Chemical Cauterisation following Enucleation and Peripheral Ostectomy in Patients with Odontogenic Keratocyst: A Research Protocol
Authors: Bodiwala Nidhi Vijay Kumar , Bhola Nitin
Published: January 2025

Introduction: An Odontogenic Keratocyst (OKC) is always a topic of debate due to its distinct biological behaviour to recur after surgical procedure. Also, it has an odyssey cyst-tumourcyst from 1956 to 2005 to 2017. For this reason, number of treatment modalities was cited in the literature. Modified Carnoy’s Solution (MCS) is commonly used due to its effectiveness, while 5FU, an antimetabolite used in cancer treatment, presents a newer approach.

Need of the study: The varying Recurrence Rate (RR) and postoperative complications associated with different treatment modalities for OKC. While MCS is a commonly used adjuvant therapy due to its effectiveness, and bone resection minimises recurrence but leads to severe functional and aesthetic issues, there is limited data comparing the efficacy of MCS to newer agents like 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) in reducing recurrence. Evaluating the effectiveness of 5FU, a promising chemotherapeutic agent, could potentially offer a less invasive and equally effective treatment option for reducing recurrence and improving patient outcomes in OKC management.

Aim: To compare and evaluate the postoperative outcomes, specifically the RR, of MCS vs 5FU used for chemical cauterisation following enucleation and peripheral ostectomy in patients with OKC.

Materials and Methods: An experimental in-vivo study will be conducted in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Sharad Pawar Dental College, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research (DMIHER), Sawangi (M), Wardha, Maharashtra, India, from April 2023 to March 2024. The approach involves categorising 12 histologically proven cases of OKC into two groups according to distinct adjunct techniques used (six patients in each group). Group A includes subjects treated with MCS. Group B includes subjects with 5FU. Postoperative outcomes will be evaluated and compared among the groups. The data will be analysed and compared using Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. It will be used at a 5% level of significance (p-value ≤0.05).
Sociodemographic Correlates and Prevalence of Work-Related Stress among Child Healthcare Workers in Nigeria
Authors: C. Okechukwu
Published: January 2025

Background: Work-related stress (WRS) refers to the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when job demands exceed workers' capabilities, resources, or needs. WRS in healthcare is associated with low job satisfaction, reduced efficacy, and poor health outcomes. This study aimed to assess WRS and its sociodemographic correlates among child healthcare workers in Nigeria.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 231 child healthcare workers attending the 51st Paediatric Association of Nigeria conference in Kano, Nigeria. Respondents were from all six geopolitical zones and included pediatric consultants, residents, and nurses. WRS was assessed using a validated Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.
Results: Of the respondents, 138 (59.7%) were female, and 93 (40.3%) were male. Consultants made up 41.6% of the sample, while 83.1% were married. Most respondents (41.6%) were aged 30-39 years. WRS prevalence was 37.7%. It was significantly higher among females, participants aged 30-39, unmarried individuals, and those working in facilities below secondary care level.
Conclusion: Work-related stress among child healthcare workers in Nigeria is prevalent, particularly in women, younger professionals, and those in primary healthcare settings. Regular stress management programs and interventions aimed at improving work-life balance are recommended to mitigate WRS in this group.