bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Low noise, temperature‐compensated, electrochemical cell sigma–delta current measurement readout circuit
Authors: Tahani Pegah , Habibi Mehdi , Magierowski Sebastian 
Published: August 2024

SummaryNanopore ion channels are a promising solution for certain molecular structure analyses. Large arrays of nanopore channels and their associated readout circuits are used in many molecular studies such as DNA sequencing. Readout circuits must meet challenging performance criteria such as low noise operation, low power consumption, in‐channel digitization capability, and high linearity. Previously, sigma–delta modulators have been presented to address these criteria; however, their specifications show drifts with temperature. In this paper, an approach is presented to keep modulator performance constant with temperature variations. For this purpose, the sigma–delta modulator's feedforward and feedback branches are modified so that their gain coefficient remains constant over a certain temperature range. With large sensors arrays, solutions employing high bias currents in the feedback paths are not suitable due to power consumption limitations. Here, the design gives the possibility of switching low current levels in the feedback paths without affecting the ENOB. The proposed temperature compensation solution shows good performance when temperature is swept from 27°C to 100°C. Over the mentioned temperature range, the gain and bandwidth of the modulator show a change of less than 0.4%. It is further shown that for a 10 kHz input current signal with an amplitude of 600 pA, the ENOB and power consumption are 12.9 and 4.6 mW, respectively.
NOMA‐based precoded quadrature spatial modulation in multiuser MIMO downlink transmission over correlated channel
Authors: Pratap Singh Shekhar , Mohan Pradhan Pyari 
Published: August 2024

SummaryIn this paper, a non‐orthogonal multiple access (NOMA)‐based precoded quadrature spatial modulation (PQSM) technique (NOMA‐PQSM) has been proposed for the downlink scenario. In NOMA‐PQSM, two intended receiving antennas are activated at any time instant. One antenna is activated for the in‐phase component of the transmitted signal, and another one is activated for the quadrature phase component, on the basis of data bits. NOMA‐PQSM provides benefits like improved spatial diversity and spectral efficiency in comparison with spatial modulation. This work uses zero forcing (ZF) precoding over downlink flat fading Rayleigh multiple input multiple output (MIMO) channels, to limit the channel's deteriorating effect on transmitted signal, assuming perfect channel state information (CSI) at the transmitter. A low complexity receiver based on the successive interference cancellation is used. An expression for the upper bound of average bit error probability is derived. Moreover, the expressions for the sum mutual information of users and its lower bound are also derived. The proposed scheme is compared with the preprocessing aided spatial modulation (PSM)‐based counterpart. Monte Carlo simulations reveal that the NOMA‐PQSM scheme outperforms its orthogonal counterpart and the PSM scheme.
Within‐population variation in an invasive fish’ sociability when associating with conspecifics or heterospecifics
Authors: Camacho‐Cervantes Morelia , Ojanguren Alfredo F. 
Published: August 2024

AbstractBehavioural traits are key to promote invasion success because they are easier to adjust to changing environmental conditions than morphological or life history traits. Often, research has overlooked variance in behavioural traits within populations or has assumed it to be mere noise. However, a recent focus towards individual variation of behaviour of successful invaders has revealed new and more profound insights into the invasion process. Behavioural variation within a population could lead to more successful invasions, as they include individuals with diverse behaviours, which ensures at least some individuals could be able to cope with changing conditions. The aim of this research was to examine if invasive guppies (Poecilia reticulata) present within‐population differences in their sociability (time spent associating with a shoal) when interacting with conspecifics or heterospecifics. Guppies presented significant differences in their individual tendencies to associate with conspecific or heterospecific shoals. There were among‐individual differences in the time spent shoaling with conspecifics versus heterospecifics, where most individuals did not differ in their sociability with conspecifics or heterospecifics, and only 22% of individuals presented a higher tendency to associate with conspecifics. Our results are the first to show individual differences in fish’ tendencies to associate with heterospecifics among individuals of the same population and rearing conditions. Given that associations with heterospecific natives have been found to be as beneficial as associations with conspecifics for invaders, our results contribute to the understanding of mechanisms behind heterospecific sociability between natives and invaders.
Clonal haematopoiesis is associated with major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Scolari Fernando L. , Brahmbhatt Darshan , Abelson Sagi , Lee Deacon , Kim Raymond H. , Pedarzadeh Ali , Sakhnini Ali , Adler Arnon , Chan Raymond H. , Dick John E. , Rakowski Harry , Billia Filio 
Published: August 2024

AbstractAimsThe heterogeneous phenotype of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is still not fully understood. Clonal haematopoiesis (CH) is emerging as a cardiovascular risk factor potentially associated with adverse clinical events. The prevalence, phenotype and outcomes related to CH in HCM patients were evaluated.Methods and resultsPatients with HCM and available biospecimens from the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre Cardiovascular Biobank were subjected to targeted sequencing for 35 myeloid genes associated with CH. CH prevalence, clinical characteristics, morphological phenotypes assessed by echocardiogram and cardiac magnetic resonance and outcomes were assessed. All patients were evaluated for a 71‐plex cytokines/chemokines, troponin I and B‐type natriuretic peptide analysis. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were defined as appropriate implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator shock, stroke, cardiac arrest, orthotopic heart transplant and death. Among the 799 patients, CH was found in 183 (22.9%) HCM patients with sarcomeric germline mutations. HCM patients with CH were more symptomatic and with a higher burden of fibrosis than those without CH. CH was associated with MACE in those HCM patients with sarcomeric germline mutations (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 6.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.78–26.6; p = 0.005), with the highest risk among those that had DNMT3A, TET2 and ASXL1 mutations (adjusted HR 5.76, 95% CI 1.51–21.94; p = 0.010). Several cytokines (IL‐1ra, IL‐6, IL‐17F, TGFα, CCL21, CCL1, CCL8, and CCL17), and troponin I were upregulated in gene‐positive HCM patients with CH.ConclusionsThese results indicate that CH in patients with HCM is associated with worse clinical outcomes. In the absence of CH, gene‐positive patients with HCM have lower rates of MACE.
Polyaniline‐based synergetic electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction reaction: A review
Authors: Yesudas K Yashly , Buvaneswari Gopal , Senthil Kumar Annamalai 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe increasing impact of industrialization on climate change, primarily due to the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), underscores the urgent need for effective strategies for CO2 fixation and utilization. Electrochemical CO2 reduction holds promise in this regard, owing to its scalability, energy efficiency, selectivity, and operability under ambient conditions. However, the activation of CO2 requires suitable electrocatalysts to lower energy barriers. Various electrocatalysts, including metal‐based systems and conducting polymers like polyaniline (PANi), have been identified to effectively lower this barrier and enhance CO2 reduction efficiency via synergistic mechanisms. PANi is particularly notable for its versatile interaction with CO2, cost‐effectiveness, stability, and tunable properties, making it an excellent catalyst option for CO2 reduction reactions (CO2RR). Recent advancements in research focus on enhancing PANi conductivity and facilitating electron transfer through metal and metal oxide doping. Leveraging PANi's π–π electron stabilization ensures high conductivity and stability, rendering it suitable for real‐time applications. Strategic dopant selection and optimization of Lewis acid‐base interactions are crucial for selective CO2‐to‐hydrocarbon conversion. Tailored electrode modifications, especially metal/metal oxide‐loaded PANi electrodes, outperform conventional approaches, underscoring the importance of catalyst design in advancing CO2 electroreduction technologies. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the systematic methodology involved in preparing PANi‐modified electrodes and explores the enhancements achieved through the incorporation of metals and metal oxides onto PANi‐modified electrodes. It highlights the superior efficiency and selectivity of CO2RR facilitated by these modified electrodes through profound synergistic approach compared to conventional metal electrodes such as platinum.
A simulation approach in analyzing performance of fly ash nanofluid for optimizing battery thermal management system used in EVs
Authors: Thorat Prajwal , Sanap Sudarshan , Gawade Shashank , Patil Sateesh 
Published: August 2024

AbstractElectric vehicles (EVs) are a fundamental paradigm shift in the automotive industry, driven by the desire to achieve sustainable mobility, ameliorate climate change, and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Electric vehicle (EV) technology has advanced significantly in recent years, with improvements in battery efficiency, range, and charging infrastructure among them. Lithium‐ion battery technology has evolved tremendously, boosting energy density and cutting costs as the primary energy storage option for electric vehicles. The advancement of fast‐charging stations and smart grid integration, which have significantly resolved concerns with convenience and charging time, has also fostered a wider acceptance of EVs. Nonetheless, the operating temperature range of the lithium‐ion cells currently in use is 15°C‐35°C. The vehicle's range and battery performance can be impacted by temperatures above or below. For efficient cooling and to keep the cells within the operational temperature range, a suitable Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS) must be implemented. The utilization of fly ash nanoparticles dispersed in water‐ethylene glycol base fluid as coolant in indirect liquid cooling systems is the main topic of the current work. For 14 LFP cylindrical cells with a 2S7P configuration and a serpentine cooling channel between the cells, an ANSYS FLUENT model has been created. The goal of the current study is to comprehend the rise in temperature at the outlet for various flow velocities by using fly ash nanofluid with 5% particle concentration as cooling. When the fluid flow rate was 0.1 m/s, the cooling performance was better, resulting in an outlet temperature rise of 311.976 K and a 4% temperature rise above the 300 K inlet fluid flow temperature. Indicating efficient cooling at lower fluid flow velocities, the percentage difference between the rise in temperature of the fluid's outflow at 0.1 and 3 m/s is 3.07%. Compared to the current coolant, ethylene glycol, the average increase in temperature difference (∆T)% is between 0.9% and 1.2% using fly ash nanofluid. Thus, the use of Fly ash as a nanofluid in battery cooling applications will certainly help to reduce the temperature of the battery pack and can provide a sustainable solution leading to lesser degradation of the environment.
COVID‐19 vaccination in low and middle‐income countries: Creating a sustainable roadmap for promoting public health intervention
Authors: Oladapo Rasaq Kayode , Obidiro Onyinyechi Patience , Oyetola Afeez Babatunde , Olajide Adekunle , Oladapo Mariam Olaitan , Lawrence Usen Stephanie , Hasan Mohammed Mehedi , Islam Zarmina , Mustapha Abdulhafeez Ayodele , Osuagwu‐Nwogu Eze , Ghazanfar Shamas , Olaleye Modinat Aderonke , Monisola Igbalajobi , Ibraheem Bakare , Afolayan Abiola Abidemi , Barakat Akinrinde , Adewole Mary Omotola 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic is a global public health threat ravaging the health systems. In low and middle‐income countries (LMICs), COVID‐19 and several other challenges concurrently worsen the health outcome indicators. Interestingly, vaccines have been identified as the most reliable and cost‐effective public health intervention, and the governments in LMICs have instituted an array of plans to ensure every eligible person gets vaccinated. However, there is still considerable apathy around the use of the available COVID‐19 vaccines in LMICs which is impeding the fight against the COVID‐19 pandemic. In this paper, we explore the multiple interrelated factors behind low COVID‐19 vaccination coverage in LMICs. It is therefore recommended that the governments in LMICs embrace multicomponent and wide‐ranging strategies. This should involve utilising community‐based approaches such as community pharmacy‐led vaccination to promote community access to COVID‐19 vaccines and to revive trust in national health authorities by offering population‐specific, target‐driven, transparent, and timely communication to the community who they serve about the safety and efficacy of the COVID‐19 vaccine. Communication strategies should be tailored to reflect diverse political orientations as this can enhance vaccine acceptance. Additionally, local political parties and representative should be engaged in broad alliances to facilitate community mobilisation and support for vaccination campaigns. Also, relevant Nongovernmental Organisations and Community‐based Organisations should institute programs at the grassroots that incorporate the gatekeepers to the community aimed at influencing population behaviour regarding COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy. Besides, the public health department in the ministry of health in LMICs should create more awareness, through social and mass media, particularly in the rural, semi‐urban, and slum communities about the pivotal role of vaccination. Thus, we opined that these strategies will help LMICs achieve the COVID‐19 vaccination target and further reposition the healthcare systems, and promote other public health interventions now and in the future.
Tobacco control policies and the multidimensional context of tobacco use by gender: The case of Türkiye
Authors: Caglayan‐Akay Ebru , Ertok‐Onurlu Merve , Komuryakan Fulden 
Published: August 2024

AbstractObjectiveThis study aims to determine the indicators of tobacco use in Türkiye within a multidimensional context as socio‐demographic, physical, behavioural, and psychological as a response to the tobacco control policies.MethodsThe Turkish Health Survey data in 2014 and 2019 are employed within a probit model approach and the differences in tobacco are decomposed use by gender in order to reveal the gender differences. The samples in 2014 (total n = 19,129; males = 8 721, females = 10,408) and 2019 (total n = 17,084; males = 7 784, females = 9300) were restricted to 15‐year‐old and above.ResultsThe findings indicate that being in the 30–49 age cohort, having lower education, and being married increase the likelihood of tobacco use. Future policies and campaigns should specifically target the single, pre‐obese, employed males who consume alcohol. For females, the gender‐specific policies should aim to reduce the prevalence of smoking, especially among separated or widows, obese, and out of the labour force. The contribution of mental health indicators on tobacco use has declined over the 5 years, which could be a result of the supportive free health services in Türkiye. The findings provide evidence for a significant and increasing gender difference in tobacco use in Türkiye along with reporting that the most significant contributors to gender differences in tobacco use are alcohol consumption and education level.ConclusionEven though the Ministry of Health and the government have been implementing anti‐tobacco policies, legislations, and campaigns for years, the tobacco use prevalence has remained high and even increased in Türkiye.
Consent for interventions during childbirth: A national population‐based study
Authors: Jacques Marianne , Chantry Anne Alice , Evrard Anne , Lelong Nathalie , Le Ray Camille ,   the ENP2021 Study Group
Published: August 2024

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the frequency and determinants of medical interventions during childbirth without women's consent at the population level.MethodsThe nationwide cross‐sectional Enquête Nationale Périnatale 2021 provided a representative sample of women who delivered in metropolitan France with a 2‐month postpartum follow‐up (n = 7394). Rates and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of interventions during childbirth (oxytocin administration, episiotomy or emergency cesarean section) without consent were calculated. Associations with maternal, obstetric, and organizational characteristics were assessed using robust variance Poisson regressions, after multiple imputation for missing covariates, and weighted to account for 2‐month attrition.ResultsWomen reporting failure to seek consent were 44.7% (CI: 42.6–47.0) for oxytocin administration, 60.2% (CI: 55.4–65.0) for episiotomy, and 36.6% (CI: 33.3–40.0) for emergency cesarean birth. Lack of consent for oxytocin was associated with maternal birth abroad (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.20; 95% CI: 1.06–1.36), low education level, and increased cervical dilation at oxytocin initiation, whereas women with a birth plan reported less frequently lack of consent (aPR 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68–0.92). Delivery assisted by an obstetrician was more often associated with lack of consent for episiotomy (aPR 1.46; 95% CI: 1.11–1.94 for spontaneous delivery and aPR 1.39; 95% CI: 1.13–1.72 for instrumental delivery, reference: spontaneous delivery with a midwife). Cesarean for fetal distress was associated with failure to ask for consent for emergency cesarean delivery (aPR 1.58; 95% CI: 1.28–1.96).ConclusionWomen frequently reported that perinatal professionals failed to seek consent for interventions during childbirth. Reorganization of care, particularly in emergency contexts, training focusing on adequate communication and promotion of birth plans are necessary to improve women's involvement in decision making during childbirth.
Application of climate change projections in drainage project planning for agricultural infrastructure in Japan
Authors: Takigawa Takuya , Watanabe Yasuhiro , Tsuruda Shinya , Yuasa Kazuhiro , Hotta Naoyuki , Washino Kenji 
Published: August 2024

AbstractIn Japan, agricultural drainage facilities such as pumping stations and drains are designed by calculating an approximately 10–30‐year return period based on observed precipitation in the past. However, damage to farmlands and agricultural facilities caused by heavy rainfall has become more severe and frequent in Japan. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (MAFF) is urged to develop new design standards in consideration of projected future precipitation, keeping in mind that MAFF needs to avoid building unnecessarily large‐scale facilities. Therefore, more accurate and reasonable projection methods for precipitation are needed. Based on recent advancements and discussions of climate change projections through the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Japanese universities and research institutes are developing datasets for future precipitation projections, especially for assessing weather extremes in small areas. In light of the above, we conducted a case study in a model area to design drainage facilities using the latest climate change outlook. This study introduces how to apply climate change projection in drainage project planning for agricultural infrastructure in Japan and shows the result of future projections in the selected area.
Effects of integrating deficit irrigation and carbonate foliar fertilizers into the system of rice intensification on water productivity
Authors: Aseru Gloria , Tarimo Andrew K. P. R. , Silungwe Festo Richard 
Published: August 2024

AbstractThe use of the system of rice intensification (SRI), deficit irrigation and foliar fertilizer application has proven to be effective in enhancing water productivity (WP) individually. However, information on their combined effects is limited. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of integrating deficit irrigation and carbonate foliar fertilizer (Lithovit) application into the SRI on WP. This study was conducted under the Mkindo Irrigation Scheme in Mvomero, Morogoro, Tanzania, during the dry and wet seasons (October 2020 to June 2021). The experiment was laid out in a split‐plot design with three levels of irrigation for the main plots, which were 100% of the irrigation water requirement (40 mm) imitating the SRI alternate wetting and drying pattern and induced deficit irrigation applied at 80% and 50% of the irrigation water requirement as IR100, IR80 and IR50, respectively. In addition, there were five subplot fertilizer treatments: (A) diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea (normal practice); (B) DAP, urea and 100% of the recommended foliar fertilizer (Lithovit standard); (C) DAP, 50% (Lithovit and urea); (D) Lithovit standard only; and (E) no fertilizer. The combined irrigation and fertilizer treatments tested were IR100A, IR100B, IR100C, IR100D, IR100E, IR80A, IR80B, IR80C, IR80D, IR80E, IR50A, IR50B, IR50C, IR50D and IR50E. The highest and lowest WP were 0.851 kg/m3 and 0.562 kg/m3 for IR80B and IR80E, respectively, for the dry season. For the wet season, the highest and lowest WP were 0.540 kg/m3 and 0.306 kg/m3 for IR50B and IR50E, respectively. WP is attributed to the SRI and Lithovit, which act as long‐term reservoirs for carbon dioxide, especially during water stress periods. Thus, integrating deficit irrigation and carbonate foliar fertilizers improves WP in rice cultivation. This study demonstrated that this approach can lead to significant water savings while improving rice yields. This integrated approach can be adapted and optimized based on the specific conditions and requirements of different agroecological contexts.
Intelligent skin‐removal photoacoustic computed tomography for human based on deep learning
Authors: Wang Ning , Chen Tao , Liu Chengbo , Meng Jing 
Published: August 2024

AbstractPhotoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) has centimeter‐level imaging ability and can be used to detect the human body. However, strong photoacoustic signals from skin cover deep tissue information, hindering the frontal display and analysis of photoacoustic images of deep regions of interest. Therefore, we propose a 2.5 D deep learning model based on feature pyramid structure and single‐type skin annotation to extract the skin region, and design a mask generation algorithm to remove skin automatically. PACT imaging experiments on the human periphery blood vessel verified the correctness our proposed skin‐removal method. Compared with previous studies, our method exhibits high robustness to the uneven illumination, irregular skin boundary, and reconstruction artifacts in the images, and the reconstruction errors of PACT images decreased by 20% ~ 90% with a 1.65 dB improvement in the signal‐to‐noise ratio at the same time. This study may provide a promising way for high‐definition PACT imaging of deep tissues.