bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessment of mobile mercury concentration in soils of an abandoned coalfield waste pile in Douro region: the Fojo waste pile (Portugal) study case
Authors: Monteiro Marcus , Santos Patrícia , Marques Jorge E. , Flores Deolinda , Pereira Carlos M. , Ribeiro José A. , Azenha Manuel 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Pejão Mining Complex locates in Castelo de Paiva municipality and, until its closure in 1994, was one of the most important coal mines in the Douro Coalfield. This work aims to study the presence, quantify, and evaluate the dissemination of mercury (Hg), a potentially toxic element (PTE) of major public health concern by the World Health Organization (WHO), from a waste pile affected by coal fires.

Materials and methods
Samples from areas affected and unaffected by the combustion and from surrounding soil were collected from Fojo waste pile region. First, the Hg pseudo-total concentration was estimated for all collected samples by soil microwave–assisted digestion with aqua regia (USEPA 3051A). Then, a sequential extraction procedure (SEP), the USEPA 3200, was applied for Hg fractionation and speciation aiming to evaluate Hg mobility and bioavailability to surrounding ecosystems.

Results and discussion
The results obtained showed a Hg enrichment in soil samples when compared to Portuguese and international reference values for soils. Relatively to the Hg availability and mobility, although it predominates in the semi-mobile fraction, the waste pile materials exposed to combustion showed a concerning increase of Hg levels in the mobile fraction that contains the more labile Hg species, being a major source of environmental contamination by Hg.

Conclusions
This study allowed to conclude that combustion of mining residues increased Hg mobility, toxicity, and bioavailability, increasing the contamination potential of the coal waste pile. The methodology applied in this work can be replicated in other abandoned mines to monitor, control, and/or mitigate the Hg environmental impact in the surrounding soils and waters.
SDPH: a new technique for spatial detection of path holes from huge volume high-resolution raster images in near real-time
Authors: Tasyurek Murat 
Published: April 2024

AbstractDetecting and repairing road defects is crucial for road safety, vehicle maintenance, and enhancing tourism on well-maintained roads. However, monitoring all roads by vehicle incurs high costs. With the widespread use of remote sensing technologies, high-resolution satellite images offer a cost-effective alternative. This study proposes a new technique, SDPH, for automated detection of damaged roads from vast, high-resolution satellite images. In the SDPH technique, satellite images are organized in a pyramid grid file system, allowing deep learning methods to efficiently process them. The images, generated as$$256\times 256$$256×256dimensions, are stored in a directory with explicit location information. The SDPH technique employs a two-stage object detection models, utilizing classical and modified RCNNv3, YOLOv5, and YOLOv8. Classical RCNNv3, YOLOv5, and YOLOv8 and modified RCNNv3, YOLOv5, and YOLOv8 in the first stage for identifying roads, achieving f1 scores of 0.743, 0.716, 0.710, 0.955, 0.958, and 0.954, respectively. When the YOLOv5, with the highest f1 score, was fed to the second stage; modified RCNNv3, YOLOv5, and YOLOv8 detected road defects, achieving f1 scores of 0.957,0.971 and 0.964 in the second process. When the same CNN model was used for road and road defect detection in the proposed SDPH model, classical RCNNv3, improved RCNNv3, classical YOLOv5, improved YOLOv5, classical YOLOv8, improved RCNNv8 achieved micro f1 scores of 0.752, 0.956, 0.726, 0.969, 0.720 and 0.965, respectively. In addition, these models processed 11, 10, 33, 31, 37, and 36 FPS images by performing both stage operations, respectively. Evaluations on geotiff satellite images from Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, ranging between 20 and 40 gigabytes, demonstrated the efficiency of the SDPH technique. Notably, the modified YOLOv5 outperformed, detecting paths and defects in 0.032 s with the micro f1 score of 0.969. Fine-tuning on TileCache enhanced f1 scores and reduced computational costs across all models.
‘There is still a part of me that would love to be the old me again’, how do adolescents and young adults (AYA) experience cancer-related bodily changes: a phenomenological interview study
Authors: Hendriks Robin T. J. , van Eenbergen Mies C. H. J. , de Boer Marjolein L. , Sleeman Sophia H. E. , Boll Dorry , Husson Olga , Bootsma Tom. I. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Purpose
Due to the increase in both cancer incidence and overall survival rates, more adolescents and young adults (AYAs) have to live with the effects that their cancer diagnosis and following treatments have on their bodies. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to gain more insight into the way AYAs experience these effects and how they respond to these effects.

Methods
Semi-structured interviews with a sample of 11 AYAs with an age range of 25-41 years at the time of the interview, who were diagnosed with different types of cancer, were conducted. Participants were recruited via social media and patient associations until data saturation was reached. A topic guide with open-ended questions about lived experiences was used. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was performed to analyse the transcripts.

Results
We identified six Group Experiential Themes based on different ways AYAs experience their bodies: (1) self-conscious body, (2) vulnerable body, (3) adapting to the body, (4) uncontrollable body, (5) remembering the body and (6) shared bodies.

Conclusion
This study offers in-depth insight into the bodily experiences of AYAs after cancer and how they respond to these changes from a phenomenological point of view.

Implications for Cancer Survivors
This knowledge could be beneficial to provide more guidance for AYAs during and after their illness, by focussing on personalised psychological (after)care.
Interdependency, alternative forms of mathematical agency and joy as challenges to ableist narratives about the learning and teaching of mathematics
Authors: Healy Lulu , Nardi Elena , Biza Irene 
Published: April 2024

AbstractCatering for the mathematical needs of disabled learners equitably and productively requires the anti-ableist preparation and professional development of teachers. In CAPTeaM (Challenging Ableist Perspectives on the Teaching of Mathematics), we design tasks that emulate inclusion-related challenges from the mathematics classroom, and we engage teachers with these tasks in workshop settings. In this paper, we focus on evidence from one type of task in which participants engage in small groups with solving a mathematical problem while at least one of them is temporarily and artificially deprived of access to a sensory field or familiar channel of communication. In this paper, we focus on evidence of emerging resignification – discursive and affective shifts in the participating teachers’ sense-making about what makes the construction of mathematical meaning possible and valuably different – as they work on the tasks. By linking Vygotsky’s vision about the educational changes required to empower and include disabled learners with more contemporary ideas from embodied cognition and disability studies, our analyses show how engagement with the tasks affects participants’ realisation and appreciation of interdependencies between learners, teacher, resources, and emotions, highlights alternative forms of mathematical agency and gives opportunities to turn initial sense of impasse and despair into joy.
Inhibition of p70 Ribosomal S6 Kinase (S6K1) Reduces Cortical Blood Flow in a Rat Model of Autism-Tuberous Sclerosis
Authors: Chi Oak Z. , Liu Xia , Fortus Harvey , Werlen Guy , Jacinto Estela , Weiss Harvey R. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe manifestations of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) in humans include epilepsy, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disability. Previous studies suggested the linkage of TSC to altered cerebral blood flow and metabolic dysfunction. We previously reported a significant elevation in cerebral blood flow in an animal model of TSC and autism of young Eker rats. Inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) by rapamycin could restore normal oxygen consumption and cerebral blood flow. In this study, we investigated whether inhibiting a component of the mTOR signaling pathway, p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (S6K1), would yield comparable effects. Control Long Evans and Eker rats were divided into vehicle and PF-4708671 (S6K1 inhibitor, 75 mg/kg for 1 h) treated groups. Cerebral regional blood flow (14C-iodoantipyrine) was determined in isoflurane anesthetized rats. We found significantly increased basal cortical (+ 32%) and hippocampal (+ 15%) blood flow in the Eker rats. PF-4708671 significantly lowered regional blood flow in the cortex and hippocampus of the Eker rats. PF-4708671 did not significantly lower blood flow in these regions in the control Long Evans rats. Phosphorylation of S6-Ser240/244 and Akt-Ser473 was moderately decreased in Eker rats but only the latter reached statistical significance upon PF-4708671 treatment. Our findings suggest that moderate inhibition of S6K1 with PF-4708671 helps to restore normal cortical blood flow in Eker rats and that this information might have therapeutic potential in tuberous sclerosis complex and autism.
Stigmatisierung und geschlechtsspezifische Eigenschaftszuschreibungen
Authors: Frischknecht Ulrich 
Published: April 2024

ZusammenfassungStigmatisierung und Vorurteile sind verwandte Konzepte. Menschen mit einer Suchterkrankung werden durch Stigmatisierung in vergleichbarer Weise benachteiligt, wie andere Menschen, die unter Vorurteilen leiden. Genderspezifische Vorurteile und das Stigma von Suchterkrankungen stellen eine Intersektion dar, die auch bei zukünftigen Fachkräften bedacht werden muss, wenngleich die Richtung der geschlechtsbezogenen Vorurteile im Zusammenhang mit Sucht differenziert betrachtet werden muss. Elternschaft ist für Menschen mit Suchterkrankungen ein besonders sensibles Thema. Es werden vorläufige Daten gezeigt, dass hier geschlechtsspezifische Zuschreibungen von positiven und negativen Persönlichkeitseigenschaften gemacht werden.
The effect of harmonization on the variability of PET radiomic features extracted using various segmentation methods
Authors: Hosseini Seyyed Ali , Shiri Isaac , Ghaffarian Pardis , Hajianfar Ghasem , Avval Atlas Haddadi , Seyfi Milad , Servaes Stijn , Rosa-Neto Pedro , Zaidi Habib , Ay Mohammad Reza 
Published: April 2024

AbstractPurposeThis study aimed to examine the robustness of positron emission tomography (PET) radiomic features extracted via different segmentation methods before and after ComBat harmonization in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).MethodsWe included 120 patients (positive recurrence = 46 and negative recurrence = 74) referred for PET scanning as a routine part of their care. All patients had a biopsy-proven NSCLC. Nine segmentation methods were applied to each image, including manual delineation, K-means (KM), watershed, fuzzy-C-mean, region-growing, local active contour (LAC), and iterative thresholding (IT) with 40, 45, and 50% thresholds. Diverse image discretizations, both without a filter and with different wavelet decompositions, were applied to PET images. Overall, 6741 radiomic features were extracted from each image (749 radiomic features from each segmented area). Non-parametric empirical Bayes (NPEB) ComBat harmonization was used to harmonize the features. Linear Support Vector Classifier (LinearSVC) with L1 regularization For feature selection and Support Vector Machine classifier (SVM) with fivefold nested cross-validation was performed using StratifiedKFold with ‘n_splits’ set to 5 to predict recurrence in NSCLC patients and assess the impact of ComBat harmonization on the outcome.ResultsFrom 749 extracted radiomic features, 206 (27%) and 389 (51%) features showed excellent reliability (ICC ≥ 0.90) against segmentation method variation before and after NPEB ComBat harmonization, respectively. Among all, 39 features demonstrated poor reliability, which declined to 10 after ComBat harmonization. The 64 fixed bin widths (without any filter) and wavelets (LLL)-based radiomic features set achieved the best performance in terms of robustness against diverse segmentation techniques before and after ComBat harmonization. The first-order and GLRLM and also first-order and NGTDM feature families showed the largest number of robust features before and after ComBat harmonization, respectively. In terms of predicting recurrence in NSCLC, our findings indicate that using ComBat harmonization can significantly enhance machine learning outcomes, particularly improving the accuracy of watershed segmentation, which initially had fewer reliable features than manual contouring. Following the application of ComBat harmonization, the majority of cases saw substantial increase in sensitivity and specificity.ConclusionRadiomic features are vulnerable to different segmentation methods. ComBat harmonization might be considered a solution to overcome the poor reliability of radiomic features.
Design and optimization of a continuous purification process using ion-exchange periodic counter-current chromatography for a low-titer enzyme
Authors: Ko Kwanyoung , Kim Min-Jung , Kim Dasom , Seo Kangyun , Lee Sangho 
Published: April 2024

AbstractA continuous purification process can be beneficial to the purification of biologics due to its higher productivity and efficiency than a conventional batch purification process. However, regulatory issues and lack of established cases render deployment of the continuous process difficult in industrial settings. Here we report a case study for design and optimization of an advanced continuous process for purifying a low-titer enzyme as a model biologic. To convert a conventional batch process to an advanced continuous one in purification of biologics, conventional unit operations (UOs), including ultrafiltration/diafiltration (UF/DF) and batch chromatography, were replaced by advanced ones such as in-line dilution conditioning (IDC) and periodic counter-current chromatography (PCC). The UF/DF UO was changed to IDC UO to adjust pH and conductivity. The mixing ratio of the sample and the conditioning buffer in IDC was determined by experiments with three buffers. PCC was optimized with two variables, column height and sample loading residence time, as the delta pressure in the columns was less than 1.0 bar. A graph indicating the operating area was plotted to efficiently control the PCC. Although the sample volume increased in IDC, PCC had a complementary advantage in that purification was performed faster than batch chromatography. We observed at least 25% increase in economic advantage when the advanced continuous process was applied to purify a low-titer enzyme. We propose not only a continuous process with the substitution of UF/DF and batch chromatography with IDC and PCC but also a method to optimize PCC by plotting operating areas.
Unexpected gaps in knowledge of familial hypercholesterolaemia among Dutch general practitioners
Authors: Ibrahim Shirin , de Goeij Jim N. , Nurmohamed Nick S. , Pang Jing , van den Bosch Sibbeliene E. , Martens Fabrice M. A. C. , Roeters van Lennep Jeanine E. , Corpeleijn Willemijn , Tumkaya Talip , Hovingh G. Kees , Watts Gerald F. , Stroes Erik S. G. , Reeskamp Laurens F. 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Background
Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) warrants early diagnosis to prevent premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, underdiagnosis and undertreatment of FH persist. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of FH care among general practitioners (GPs) in the Netherlands.

Methods
An internationally standardised, online questionnaire was sent to Dutch GPs between February 2021 and July 2022. The survey assessed knowledge and awareness of FH, encompassing general familiarity, awareness of management guidelines, inheritance, prevalence, CVD risk, and clinical practice related to FH. Comparative analysis was performed using data on primary care physicians from Western Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and the United Kingdom.

Results
Of the 221 participating GPs, 62.4% rated their familiarity with FH as above average (score > 4 on a 1–7 scale), with 91.4% considering themselves familiar with FH treatment and referral guidelines. Correct identification of the FH definition, typical lipid profile, inheritance pattern, prevalence and CVD risk was reported by 83.7%, 87.8%, 55.7%, 19.5%, and 13.6% of the respondents, respectively. Of the participants, 58.4% answered fewer than half of the 8 knowledge questions correctly. Dutch GPs reported greater FH familiarity and guideline awareness compared with their international counterparts but exhibited similar low performance on FH knowledge questions.

Conclusion
Despite the Netherlands’ relatively high FH detection rate, substantial knowledge gaps regarding FH persist among Dutch GPs, mirroring global trends. Enhanced FH education and awareness in primary care are imperative to improve FH detection and ensure adequate treatment. Targeting the global suboptimal understanding of FH might require international efforts.
Immigration, Growth and Unemployment: Panel VAR Evidence From Ε.U. Countries
Authors: Dritsaki Melina , Dritsaki Chaido 
Published: April 2024

Abstract
Migration is primarily propelled by economic and security considerations. As of 2021, the European Union (EU) housed 23.7 million non-EU citizens, emphasizing the crucial need to evaluate the economic ramifications of migration within the EU. This research seeks to scrutinize the impact of migration on economic development and unemployment across the 27 EU nations from 1990 to 2020, utilizing a PVAR model. The Pesaran CIPS test (2007) was employed for second-generation unit root testing, while cointegration was examined using the ARDL panel model. The ARDL panel model and error correction model were employed to assess causal relationships and their directions. Initial tests indicated that the fixed effects model was the most suitable, and there existed cross-sectional dependency and heterogeneity among EU countries. Furthermore, second-generation unit root tests indicated that the variables were integrated at order I(0) or I(1). The study’s findings demonstrate a significant positive correlation between both GDP per capita and the unemployment rate with the net migration rate to EU countries. Causal effects revealed a bidirectional long-term causal relationship between migration and unemployment, as well as a unidirectional long-term causal relationship between growth and migration, and growth and unemployment. Short-term Granger causality indicated a bidirectional causal relationship among all the variables under examination.
Enhancing baffle columns’ performance to mitigate sedimentation at intake structures
Authors: Fahmy Wail A. , Ali Abdelazim M. , El-Bahlol Mohamed N. , Ibrahim M. M. , Samy Abeer 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe improvement and capacity increasing of hydropower stations have brought attention to the intake structures of water-cooling systems, which suction water from alluvial channels. The accumulation of sediment in the vicinity of these intake structures poses significant operational challenges, such as strong vortices, and irregular flow distribution at pump intakes. One effective approach is the implementation of a sediment deflector system using baffle columns as avoided wall (L-Shape profile) with specific dimensions and arrangement to allow water to go through while preventing sediment ingress into the power station intakes. L-Shape profile means double voided walls, one of them parallel to flow direction while the other wall perpendicular to the flow direction in the upstream of the intake structure. The objective of this study is to optimize the performance of the baffle columns of the deflector system in mitigating sedimentation in front of the intake structures. To achieve this, an undistorted physical model with scale 1:50 is utilized to analyze the impact of a defined angle between the two voided walls of the deflector system. Three trials by changing the angle of the double voided walls (L-Shape profile) from 90° to 120°,135°, and 150°. The results of this study indicate that as the inclination angle of the deflector system increased to 150°, it resulted in uniform flow efficiency in the direction of the flow, less accumulative sedimentation ingress the intake.
A geometric analysis-based approach toward mechanical analytics of multi-packer completion tubular string
Authors: Deng Tiannan , Zeng Ziqiang , Xu Jiuping , Wen Jinxing 
Published: April 2024

AbstractMulti-packer completion strings have played a pivotal role in secure exploitation of oil and gas, increasing production and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. While the integration of multi-packer structures has proven advantageous in oil and gas exploration, it has introduced complexities in load distribution, consequently giving rise to safety concerns. This study undertakes a thorough examination of the mechanical analysis pertaining to multi-packer completion strings. We present an analytical model for predicting the axial forces acting on the multi-packer string, utilizing the geometric constraint arising from the immobility of packers. It is demonstrated that the pressure differentials at the packers exhibit uniqueness in relation to both initial and boundary conditions, as well as the geometrical constraint. This paper provides an analytical solution for these pressure differentials. Novel concepts regarding the eigen-matrix of an N-packer completion string, influenced solely by Poisson’s ratio, a virtual $$(N+1)$$

(
N
+
1
)

th packer and the eigen-depth and eigen-ratio of two adjacent packers, are proposed and their applications are discussed. Furthermore, this paper delves into a deeper examination of the multi-packer string’s underlying mechanism. A consistent algorithm grounded in geometric analysis is developed based on the analytical model. Validation of our model is performed using three practical cases across various operation conditions, and the results demonstrate the efficacy of this methodology in accurately predicting failure occurrences. Sensitivity analysis results further substantiate the robustness of this method in practical applications. Additionally, it has been shown that strategically positioning the packers in areas where the string is highly prone to fractures significantly enhances the safety of the multi-packer string system. The findings presented in this paper offer a foundational framework for analyzing the mechanical behavior of constrained strings. Furthermore, there is potential for the development of the analytical model to incorporate additional factors, such as string system with packers of semi-free or free movement. The proposed method is also of fundamental significance for safety evaluation of string systems in carbon storage projects, which is obtaining increasing attention in the context of carbon neutralization.