bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bismuth oxyiodide-oxychloride mixed phase nanocomposites: synthesis, adsorption capacity, and photocatalytic activity under visible light
Authors: Vela-Vázquez R. , Vilchis-Nestor A. R. , Herrera-González Ana M. , Salazar-Kuri U. , Cadena-Torres E. , Pérez-Centeno A. , Tepech-Carrillo L. , Escobedo-Morales A. 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
The synthesis of bismuth oxyiodide-oxychloride mixed phase (BiO-I
x
Cl
y
) nanocomposites is reported. Their adsorption capacity and photocatalytic activity were evaluated in the removal of RhB dye from water under visible light illumination as a model system. The microstructure and optical properties of the obtained materials were studied in detail using several characterization techniques. It was found that the phase composition and resulting morphology depend on the nominal I:Cl molar ratio. The adsorption capacity/photocatalytic activity of the BiO-I
x
Cl
y
nanocomposites tends to increase with the iodide/chloride content. Adsorption efficiencies as large as 80.0% were achieved for those nanocomposites with significant Bi5O7I content; however, their photocatalytic activity is moderate (>70%). The nanocomposite with intermediate chloride content showed the highest photocatalytic efficiency (89.3%). It is ascribed to a large active phase (Bi3O4Cl) content and the formation of in-built electric fields at Bi5O7I-Bi3O4Cl heterojunctions. The synergy of photocatalytic activity and moderate adsorption capacity allows Bi5O7I-Bi3O4Cl nanocomposites to achieve a total removal efficiency as high as 96.4%. Possible physicochemical mechanisms are proposed.

Graphical Abstract
CW laser beam-based reduction of graphene oxide films for gas sensing applications
Authors: Tharwat Christen , Badr Y. , Ahmed Samah M. , Bishay I. K. , Swillam Mohamed A. 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
In this study we present a room-temperature direct reduction of graphene oxide (GO) thin films using a laser. Our suggested method reduces solution-processed GO film onto substrate non-thermally using a continuous wave (CW) laser beam, using low laser power (15 mW), and low irradiation time (1 min.) compared with other laser reduction techniques. The characteristic broad peaks at 1360 and 1608 cm−1 corresponding to D and G bands of the reduced GO lattice, respectively, were observed in the Raman spectra of all samples, and their relative intensities were found to be influenced by the laser power and the exposure time. Besides being selective, fast, and non-contact operation without catalyst, this approach is cost-effective because of utilizing a CW laser beam instead of the expensive picosecond or femtosecond laser systems and using a low power laser source comparing with the methods published in the last two years. Then, we created a vertically aligned SiNWs gas sensor that was geared towards detecting ammonia (NH3) and carbon monoxide (CO) gas at mid-infrared (MIR) wavelengths. On Si wafers, SiNWs with a diameter of just 200 nm were developed. (MIR) gas sensing is particularly helpful and user-friendly since it detects gases immediately as they pass through the sensor’s active detecting region, preventing human contact with potentially dangerous chemicals.
The effect of diameter and moisture content on biomechanical properties of four native Australian trees
Authors: Zhu Jiale , El-Zein Abbas , Miao Guien 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Background and Aims
Roots of plants have been shown to be effective in reinforcing soils against slope failures. Two key mechanical properties in such reinforcement are the root’s tensile strength (TS) and elastic modulus (EM). However, knowledge on the combined effects of root moisture content (RMC) and root diameter on these properties is scarce. The study aims to quantify these relationships for root samples of four native Australian tree (A. costata, B. integrifolia, E. reticulatus, and E. racemosa).

Methods
A series of tensile tests were conducted and the root diameter at the fracture point and RMC were measured immediately after each test. Data were analysed using both univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results
Both TS and EM declined with increasing diameter. Power-law expressions were found to describe the relationship between TS and diameter moderately well, but less so the one between TS and RMC. Multivariate analyses yielded a double power-law for TS versus diameter and RMC with a stronger fit than univariate ones. A weaker power-law was found between EM and these 2 variables. Of the four trees tested, A. costata exhibited the highest tensile strength and elastic modulus at a 1 mm diameter, while B. integrifolia yielded the lowest.

Conclusion
Considering both diameter and RMC as explanatory variables of TS and EM yield better accounts of experimental data. This work contributes to a better understanding of reinforcement capacity of trees generally, as well as the specific performance of roots of four native Australian trees.
Did Zhuangzi Criticize Mengzi?
Authors: Chong Kim-chong 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Mengzi 孟子 and Zhuangzi 莊子 lived around the same time in the mid–Warring States period of ancient China. The historical relation between them is unclear. There is no mention of each other in the texts named after them. But some authors have claimed that characterizations of deformed bodies, the heart-mind, and qi 氣 in the Inner Chapters of the Zhuangzi are directly critical of Mengzi. I argue that there is no good reason for this claim. Although their philosophies are conceptually opposed, this does not mean that there is a directly critical relation between them.
Profit allocation in agricultural supply chains: exploring the nexus of cooperation and compensation
Authors: Bekolli Anjeza , Guardiola Luis A. , Meca Ana 
Published: December 2024

AbstractIn this paper, we focus on decentralized agricultural supply chains consisting of multiple non-competing distributors satisfying the demand of their respective markets. These distributors source a single product from a farmer through an agricultural cooperative, operating in a single period. The agents have the ability to coordinate their actions to maximize their profits, and we use cooperative game theory to analyze cooperation among them. The distributors can engage in joint ordering, increasing their order size, which leads to a decrease in the price per kilogram. Additionally, distributors have the opportunity to cooperate with the farmer, securing a reduced price per kilogram at the cost price, while compensating the farmer for any kilograms not acquired in the cooperation agreement. We introduce multidistributor-farmer games and we prove that all the agents have incentives to cooperate. We demonstrate the existence of stable allocations, where no subgroup of agents can be better off by separating. Moreover, we propose and characterize a distribution of the total profit that justly compensates the contribution of the farmer in any group of distributors. We also explore the conditions under which the farmer can be compensated to maximize their revenues when cooperating with all players. Finally, we include a case study demonstrating the application of the model using data gathered from local distributors and farmers.
Microbotanical analyses of dental calculus and caries occurrence at Neolithic Tepecik-Çiftlik, Türkiye: insights into diet and oral health
Authors: Santiago-Marrero Carlos G. , Büyükkarakaya Ali Metin , Küçükel Ezgi , Řídký Jaroslav 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
The transition to agriculture-based economies and sedentary lifeways during the Neolithic brought significant changes in oral health and diet. Despite the influence of physiological and cultural factors, the frequency of dental pathologies, such as caries and dental calculus, is a common consequence of carbohydrate-rich diets. Caries result from bacterial activity that transforms carbohydrates into lactic acid, leading to the demineralisation of tooth enamel. In contrast, dental calculus can trap and preserve biomolecules and microremains—such as phytoliths and starch grains—making it a valuable resource for investigating past diets and lifeways. Although microbotanical analyses of dental calculus and caries occurrence are common in archaeology, these methods are rarely applied together in the same case study. This paper presents the results of the analyses of microbotanical remains, such as phytoliths and starch grains, retrieved from dental calculus, as well as caries occurrence in 11 individuals from Tepecik-Çiftlik, a Neolithic settlement in southwestern Cappadocia, Turkey. Caries prevalence aligns with previous studies highlighting the poor oral health of the Neolithic Tepecik-Çiftlik community and suggests a high reliance on carbohydrate-rich diets. Microbotanical remains showed contrasting results, with phytoliths indicating the presence of cereals but an absence of starch grains of cereal origin. This lack of cereal starch grains could point towards the influence of culinary and foodway practices on the preservation and occurrence of microbotanical remains in dental calculus, variables often overlooked in the study of ancient diets. These findings contribute to our understanding of the lifeways and oral health of the Neolithic Tepecik-Çiftlik community while drawing attention to how foodways and culinary practices may influence or bias the archaeological record.
A collaborative system of systems simulation of urban air mobility
Authors: Naeem Nabih , Ratei Patrick , Prakasha Prajwal Shiva , Asmer Lukas , Jaksche Roman , Pak Henry , Schweiger Karolin , Velieva Asija , Naser Fares , Swaid Majed , Pertz Jan , Niklaß Malte 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThe implementation of urban air mobility represents a complex challenge in aviation due to the high degree of innovation required across various domains to realize it. From the use of advanced aircraft powered by novel technologies, the management of the airspace to enable high density operations, to the operation of vertiports serving as a start and end point of the flights, urban air mobility paradigm necessitates significant innovation in many aspects of civil aviation as we know it today. To understand and assess the many facets of this new paradigm, a collaborative simulation is developed to holistically evaluate the system of systems through the modeling of the stakeholders and their interactions as per the envisioned concept of operations. To this end, models of vertiport air-side operations, unmanned/manned airspace management, demand estimation and passenger mode choice, vehicle operator cost and revenues, vehicle design, and fleet management are brought together into a system of systems simulation of urban air mobility. Through collaboration, higher fidelity models of each domain can be integrated into a single environment achieving fidelity levels not easily achievable otherwise. Furthermore, the integration enables the capture of cross-domain effects and allows domain-specific studies to be evaluated at a holistic level. This work demonstrates the collaborative simulation and the process of building it through the integration of several geographically distributed tools into an agent-based simulation without the need for sharing code.
Finite Groups with Some Subgroups of Prime Power Order Satisfying the Partial $$ \Pi $$-property
Authors: Qiu Zhengtian , Ballester-Bolinches Adolfo 
Published: December 2024

AbstractLet H be a subgroup of a finite group G. We say that H satisfies the partial $$ \Pi $$
Π
-property in G if there exists a G-chief series $$ \varGamma _{G}: 1 =G_{0}< G_{1}< \cdot \cdot \cdot < G_{n}= G $$

Γ
G

:
1
=

G
0

<

G
1

<
·
·
·
<

G
n

=
G

of G such that $$ | G / G_{i-1}: N _{G/G_{i-1}} (HG_{i-1}/G_{i-1}\cap G_{i}/G_{i-1})| $$

|
G
/

G

i
-
1

:

N

G
/

G

i
-
1

(
H

G

i
-
1

/

G

i
-
1

∩

G
i

/

G

i
-
1

)

|

is a $$ \pi (HG_{i-1}/G_{i-1}\cap G_{i}/G_{i-1}) $$

π
(
H

G

i
-
1

/

G

i
-
1

∩

G
i

/

G

i
-
1

)

-number for every G-chief factor $$ G_{i}/G_{i-1} $$

G
i

/

G

i
-
1

of $$ \varGamma _{G} $$

Γ
G

, $$1\le i\le n$$

1
≤
i
≤
n

. In this paper, we investigate the structure of a finite group G under the assumption that some subgroups of prime power order satisfy the partial $$ \Pi $$
Π
-property.
Quantitative analysis of Streptococcus mutans, Bifidobacterium, and Scardovia Wiggsiae in occlusal biofilm and their association with Visible Occlusal Plaque Index (VOPI) and International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS)
Authors: Thitisakyothin P. , Chanrat S. , Srisatjaluk R. L. , Mitrakul K. 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Aims
To quantitatively detect S. mutans, Bifidobacterium, and S. wiggsiae in occlusal biofilm from permanent first molars based on the Visible Occlusal Plaque Index (VOPI), and to analyse the association between their levels and the occlusal enamel caries occurrence following the diagnosis of the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS).

Study design
One hundred twenty plaque samples were collected from children aged 6–8 years and divided into four groups (n = 30 each group) according to VOPI scores (0 = no visible plaque, 1 = thin plaque, 2 = thick plaque, and 3 = heavy plaque). Scores 0 and 1 were identified by running dental probe on the groove. Scores 2 and 3 were visually identified. ICDAS scores were recorded by scoring 0–3 (0 = sound tooth surface, 1 = opacity or discoloration of enamel after air drying, 2 = visual change in enamel when wet, and 3 = localised enamel breakdown).

Methods
DNA was extracted from plaque samples and performed quantitative real-time PCR using SYBR green and specific primers for total bacteria including the 16S rRNA gene sequences conserved in all bacteria (BAC16S), S. mutans, Bifidobacterium, and S. wiggsiae.

Results
Ages of the children were different amongst VOPI groups (p < 0.001). Levels of total bacteria (p < 0.001) and S. mutans (p = 0.026) increased when VOPI increased. The ratio of S. mutans to total bacteria (p = 0.015) and the ratio of Bifidobacterium to total bacteria (p < 0.001) decreased from VOPI 0 to VOPI 3. Significant differences in total bacteria (p < 0.001) and S. mutans (p = 0.018) were detected from VOPI 0 to VOPI 2. A difference in Bifidobacterium (p < 0.001) was detected from VOPI 0 to VOPI 1.

Conclusion
Quantities of total bacteria (p < 0.001), S. mutans (p = 0.02) and ICDAS scores (p < 0.001) and VOPI scores were positively correlated. Quantities of ratio of S. mutans to total bacteria (p = 0.003) and ratio of Bifidobacterium to total bacteria (p < 0.001) and VOPI scores and ICDAS scores (p < 0.001) were negatively correlated.
Financial Institutions in Distress–When Banks Need an Investor
Authors: Schelo Sven 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThis article addresses the scenarios in which a financial institution runs into a distressed situation and seeks an investor. Banks are special entities. On the one hand, they are large corporates, many of which are also listed entities. General rules of corporate law apply. On the other hand, they constitute a deeply regulated industry and especially in a crisis the regulator will be closely involved. The intensity of such involvement will depend on the intensity of the crisis. Banks are very sensitive entities and confidence is their biggest asset. Any search for an investor must take that into account. There are various ways a bank can find an investor: it can sell assets, increase its capital or orchestrate a share deal or merger in various ways. The bank might also consider preparing for exit through resolution using one of the resolution tools under Directive 2014/59/EU (BRRD) or can be subject to a facilitated merger. Below, these options will each be assessed in more detail. However, first, we will explore when a bank is actually considered to be in distress.
Comparing Care Pathways Between COVID-19 Pandemic Waves Using Electronic Health Records: A Process Mining Case Study
Authors: Georgiev Konstantin , Fleuriot Jacques D. , Papapanagiotou Petros , McPeake Joanne , Shenkin Susan D. , Anand Atul 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused rapid shifts in the workflow of many health services, but evidence of how this affected multidisciplinary care settings is limited. In this data study, we propose a process mining approach that utilises timestamped data from electronic health records to compare care provider patterns across pandemic waves. To investigate healthcare patterns during the pandemic, we collected routine events from Scottish hospital episodes in adults with COVID-19 status, generating treatment logs based on care provider input. Conformance checking metrics were used to select the Inductive Miner infrequent (IMi) algorithm for downstream analysis. Visual diagrams from the discovered Petri Nets indicated interactions on provider- and activity-level data subsets. Measures of “cross-log conformance checking” and graph edit distance (GED) further quantified variation in care complexity in adverse subgroups. Our baseline cohort included 1153 patients with COVID-19 linked to 55,212 relevant care provider events. At the conformance checking stage, the IMi model achieved good log fitness (

$$\overline{LF }$$

LF

¯

$$=0.95$$

=
0.95

) and generalisation (

$$\overline{G }$$

G
¯

$$=0.89$$

=
0.89

), but limited precision (

$$\overline{PR }$$

PR

¯

$$=0.27$$

=
0.27

) across all granularity levels. More structured care procedures were present in Wave 1, compared to limited multidisciplinary involvement in Wave 2. Care activities differed in patients with extended stay (

$$GED=348, \overline{ PR }$$

G
E
D
=
348
,

PR

¯

$$=0.231$$

=
0.231

vs

$$GED=197, \overline{PR }$$

G
E
D
=
197
,

PR

¯

$$=0.429$$

=
0.429

in shorter stays). We demonstrated that process mining can be incorporated to investigate differential complexity in patients with COVID-19 and derive fine-grained evidence on shifts in healthcare practice. Future process-driven studies could use clinical oversight to understand operational adherence and driving factors behind service changes during pressured periods.
Some computational results on Koszul–Vinberg cochain complexes
Authors: Liu Hanwen , Zhang Jun 
Published: December 2024

AbstractAn affine connection is said to be flat if its curvature tensor vanishes identically. Koszul–Vinberg (KV for abbreviation) cohomology has been invoked to study the deformation theory of flat and torsion-free affine connections on tangent bundle. In this Note, we compute explicitly the differentials of various specific KV cochains, and study their relation to classical objects in information geometry, including deformations associated with projective and dual-projective transformations of a flat and torsion-free affine connection. As an application, we also give a simple yet non-trivial example of a left-symmetric algebra of which the second cohomology group does not vanish.
Mechanical constraint to extend the operational range of (011)-oriented Mn-doped PIN–PMN–PT single crystals
Authors: Kim Hwang-Pill , Lim Soohyun , Je Yub , Lee Sang-Goo , Joh Chee-Young , Cho Yohan , Seo Hee-Seon 
Published: December 2024

AbstractWe investigated mechanical stress-dependent behaviors of (011)-oriented Mn-doped PIN–PMN–PT single crystals to further improve their stabilities for high-power piezoelectric applications. In contrast to the common belief that mechanical constraint induces depolarization of active piezoelectric materials, the (011)-oriented single crystals demonstrated up to 44% of enhancements in their coercive field when mechanical stress is loaded on the specific flank surfaces of the single crystals. Furthermore, the suggested strategy is also feasible over practical operational temperatures for electroacoustic sensors (5–60 °C), which is beneficial to high-temperature applications. Nevertheless, consistent with the generally accepted trade-off, their electromechanical responses are inevitably degraded at constrained states due to less shear deformation which is key in piezoelectricity of relaxor-PT single crystals. We hope that the current work will elucidate mechanical stress-dependent behaviors of domain-engineered anisotropic relaxor-PT single crystals and provide a clue for a proper selection of prestress levels to achieve better performances of electroacoustic transducers in a variety of environments.
Individual- and community-level correlates of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy in Ghana: further analysis of the 2019 Malaria Indicator Survey
Authors: Sarfo Jacob Owusu , Doe Patience Fakornam , Mireku Dickson Okoree 
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Background
Ghana adopted the policy on Intermittent Preventive Treatment of malaria in pregnancy using Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) in 2004. Notwithstanding the government’s and other stakeholders’ efforts in Ghana, optimal uptake (three or more doses of IPTp-SP) has slightly declined since 2016. The study examined the individual and community-level correlates of pregnant women who take optimal or none/partial doses (less than three doses) of IPTp-SP using the Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey (GMIS) 2019.

Methods
We conducted a secondary analysis of the GMIS 2019 data. Our analytical sample included 1,151 women aged 15-49 with their most recent birth in the last two years before the survey.

Results
The overall uptake among participants was approximately 8.2% for none, 30.15% for 1–2 (partial), and 61.6% for 3 or more (optimal) doses of IPTp-SP. The level of uptake differs depending on the individual rather than community-level characteristics of pregnant women. Individual-level demographic factors— residents in Upper East (OR 3.0, 95% CI; 1.2–7.3) and Upper West (OR 5.3, 95% CI; 1.9–14.7) —and health-related factors—the four or more antenatal (ANC) visits (OR 3.3, 95% CI; 1.8–6.0) were associated with optimal IPTp-SP uptake among pregnant women in Ghana. However, late scheduling of the first ANC visit in the second trimester (OR 0.7, 95% CI; 0.5–1.0)— predicted less IPTp-SP uptake.

Conclusions
Few regions (Upper East and West) are doing better than the capital, Greater Accra Region, in terms of optimal uptake. Also, early scheduling of ANC in the first trimester and increased ANC attendance are key for increased uptake. There is a need for policy, interventions, and research on malaria prevention in pregnancy to improve the decline in uptake.
Hierarchical geofencing for location-aware generative audio tours
Authors: Sasaki Iori , Arikawa Masatoshi , Lu Min , Utsumi Tomihiro , Sato Ryo 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThis study aims to restructure a location-aware audio guide mobile application designed for urban walking tours. Traditional points of interest-based geofencing, which triggers automatic guide delivery as users approach specific locations, struggle to provide continuous and consistent storytelling in areas with limited notable spots, thereby diminishing tourist experiences. To address this challenge, we propose a hierarchical geofencing framework that forms the basis for seamless audio guide experiences through scale-based feature switching and the definition of story serialization rules. In addition, this study proposes geofence-to-conversation techniques utilizing text-to-speech engines and large language models to dynamically adapt guide document resources to dynamic tourists’ movements. A demonstration conducted in a historic urban park area highlighted that the guide generation time in both English and Japanese guide modes is significantly shorter than playback duration, confirming technical feasibility for seamless regional storytelling. Furthermore, we define metrics such as starting time errors, ending time errors, undelivered time to evaluate the real-time performance of location-aware audio guide applications. The experimental results demonstrate effective strategies for geofence configuration and operations, enhancing user experiences in our generative audio tours. This intelligent guide approach, designed for complex urban environments, is expected to enrich tourism and foster regional learning.