bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Strain-Based Degradation Model With Application to Poly-L-Lactide Acid (PLLA) Artery Stent
Authors: Lin Shengmao , Dong Pengfei , Gu Linxia 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
The permanent implantation of stents with and without carrying drugs led to the unresolvable long-term complications such as restenosis and thrombosis. There are increasing interests in bioresorbable stents, which have the potential to resume the vessel tone and mitigate complications. The bioresorbable stent served as a temporary scaffold for an expected period of 6 to 12 months. The design of both polymeric material and stent structure is acknowledged to impact the mechanical integrity of bioresorbable stent. Poly-l-lactide (PLLA), a polymer-based material, is the most adopted bioresorbable stent materials due to its sufficient strength and degradation resistance. The mechanical performances of the PLLA stents need to be evaluated before it is considered to serve in the clinical application. Because of difficulty and time-consuming of physical tests, finite element method (FEM) has become an efficient way to solve the problem. However, the mechanical performances of PLLA stents during the degradation process could not be fully captured using the existing numerical models. A strain-based degradation numerical model with consideration of stent-artery interaction was proposed based on the previous published experimental data. In this model, the elongation fracture of the PLLA material was correlated to the degradation degree, a scalar factor controlled by the time and local strain. The degradation evolution process was then fully captured after the stent implantation using the derived material model. With continuously loss of mass in material, the degradation rates were not uniform in different locations along the stent structure. Severe degradation was observed at the higher strain regions of the stent, which locates at the outer surface of the stent, near the crowns of the ring stent strut. At first stage of degradation, the stent strut thinning was observed in the model which was also found in the previous experimental study. At second stage of degradation, the degradation happened at the connection region between the link strut and ring struts which resulted in the break of mechanical integrity. The diameter of the vessel has minor change during the first stage of the degradation process, while at the second stage, with the breakdown of the ring structure, the vessel recoiled to its original diameter in one month time. The two-staged degradation process showed a vision for the ideal stent design. The developed computational model provided more insights into the degradation process, which could complement the discrete experimental data for improving the design and clinical management of the bioresorbable vascular scaffold.
Optimization of Sustainable Machining of Ti6Al4V Alloy Using Genetic Algorithm for Minimized Carbon Emissions and Machining Costs, and Maximized Energy Efficiency and Human Health Benefits
Authors: Uysal Alper , Jawahir I. S. 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Sustainable machining operations have in recent times become meaningful and viable options due to the need for significantly reducing the abundant and indiscriminate use of cutting fluids, especially petroleum-based. In this study, sustainable machining operations were performed on Ti6Al4V alloy under dry, minimum quantity lubrication (MQL), cryogenic (Liquid Nitrogen - LN2) machining and at two different hybrid cooling/lubricating conditions. In the orthogonal turning tests performed, three different cutting speeds and a constant undeformed chip thickness were used as cutting parameters. During orthogonal machining experiment, cutting force components were measured and used to calculate the consumed cutting power which was subsequently utilized to determine the carbon emissions, energy efficiency and machining costs. A multi-objective optimization algorithm was developed and used for sustainable machining of Ti6Al4V alloy to achieve minimized carbon emissions, improved energy efficiency and human health conditions, and reduced machining costs through Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II). Cutting parameters such as cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, and the cooling/lubricating methods which significantly affect the machining process were considered in the optimization of machining operations for maximizing the machining performance with minimized carbon emissions and machining costs, and maximized energy efficiency and human health benefits.
A Risk Assessment of Pathogen Transport During an Indoor Orchestra Performance
Authors: Joshi Vedant , Battaglia Francine 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that airborne pathogens and viruses have a detrimental impact on the health and well-being of an individual in an indoor space. Respiratory particles are released as droplets of varying velocities and diameters, where smaller droplets (aerosols) linger in air for prolonged periods, increasing the infection risk of individuals in an enclosed space. The pandemic has raised concerns regarding the safety of musicians due to respiratory particles released through woodwind and brass instruments. A collaboration with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra was pursued to assess the risk of infection and develop strategies to mitigate the spread of respiratory particles using computational fluid dynamics. A coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian modeling approach was employed to examine the airflow patterns and airborne particle pathogen transport induced by the musicians in the music hall. The investigation considered three brass instruments (trumpet, tuba, trombone), without and with a bell covering. It was observed that the dispersion of particles for each instrument depended on the bell design and orientation of the instrument. For example, the trumpet produced a higher concentration of respiratory particles compared to a tuba, which has its tubing wrapped. Additionally, the effect of using bell covers (cloth covering on the opening of the brass instruments) showed that the covers reduced the number of pathogens escaping the instruments by capturing large respiratory particles and reducing the escaping velocity of small particles. Reduced particle velocities at the instrument opening meant that the particles traveled shorter distances, which helped mitigate the spread of virus in the music hall. Moreover, the efficacy of using Plexiglas partitions on the sides and in front of the musicians limited the transmission of pathogens from one musician to another. Overall, the findings of this study helped strategize the location of musicians based on the type of instruments being played and the operating conditions in the music hall to decrease the airborne transmission of the novel Coronavirus.
Pinecone Harvesting Utilizing Combustion Engine Powered Tree Climbing Lift
Authors: Murphy Walker , Pate Keith , Heidarlou Mina Asghari , Breidi Farid 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
This work presents the design of a motorized tree climbing lift developed for pinecone farmers in Lebanon. The current process of harvesting pinecones in Lebanon consists of a two-person team; one person manually scales a sixty-foot-tall Pinus Pinea tree, using only a sling, to shear pinecones, while the other collects the fallen pinecones from the ground. While this technique is effective, the one-point contact between the sling and the tree can cause the user to slip on to the siliceous terrain, resulting in annual casualties. Furthermore, the sling is fixed to the tree by friction caused by the user’s weight, reducing mobility and reach. To provide a faster, safer, and more efficient method for harvesting pinecones, a motorized tree climbing lift was designed. The lift, with a mass of 55 kg, features a standing platform with safety rails for farmers to harness themselves to and provides a location to store harvested pinecones. The stand is fixed to a tree by three rollers: a drive roller and two guide rollers. The drive roller is directly connected to the front of the stand and is powered using a combustion engine, and the guide rollers are attached to the two retaining arms at the back side of the tree. A pneumatic actuator pushes the arms apart, pulling all three rollers and fixing the stand to the tree. The combustion engine drives a gearbox with a 15:1 gear ratio, allowing the stand to ascend and descend a 113 kg person at a maximum speed of 0.25 m/s. The retaining arms were modeled, out of Aluminum 6061-T4 Alloy, and analyzed in SolidWorks. The maximum Von Mises Stress in the arms occur where the pneumatic actuator anchors to the retaining arms and has a value of 4.214 × 107 N/m2. The yield strength of the selected aluminum alloy is 2.27 × 108 N/m2; therefore, the factor of safety is a value of 5.39. Additionally, an electrical equivalent circuit of the retaining arm is modeled in this work. This design allows the engineers to determine the maximum weight that the platform can hold and adjust the maximum speed accordingly. For a lighter person who stands on the platform, the simulation shows that the mechanical gear can be adjusted in a way that the maximum speed can be increased. This design promotes a safe alternative to the current methods of collecting pinecones in Lebanon and provides additional benefits of added storage while harvesting, reducing the need for having a two-person team.
Performance Analysis of the Direct Contact Membrane Distillation Using Sonication Effect
Authors: Ali Ussama , Sajjad Muhammad , Janajreh Isam 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) for desalination often suffers from membrane fouling, scaling, low permeate water flux and pore wetting. This study focuses on the integration of sonication with DCMD to mitigate these problems by enhancing mass flux and reducing temperature polarization. A computational fluid dynamic model has been developed for the evaluation of temperature polarization through sonication enhanced DCMD. The computational domain consists of two channels, i.e., feed and permeate. It has a length of 20 mm, with a height of 1 mm for each channel, and a membrane thickness of 130 μm. Laminar flow at a low Reynolds number is considered (Re □ 10), with feed and permeate flowing in a counter-flow arrangement at the same inlet velocity but different temperatures. The employed numerical model is unsteady non-isothermal governed by Navier–Stokes equations which are conjugated thermally with the polymeric membrane. The model is subjected to different sonication frequencies and amplitudes. It employs dynamic mesh in conjunction with temporal sound application with a very small-time step to solve the governing equations associated with the sonication effect. A sensitivity study based on the effect of different parameters on the performance of the direct contact membrane distillation is conducted. The parameters studied include the effect of sonication wave (amplitude and frequency), feed flow rate and feed temperature on temperature polarization coefficient (TPC) and mass flux. Results show that sonication definitely can ameliorate the DCMD performance seen as a gain in both TPC and mass flux.
A Quantitative Approach to Assess the Likelihood of Supply Chain Shortages
Authors: Pandit Priyanka , Earthperson Arjun , Tezbasaran Alp , Diaconeasa Mihai A. 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
We define supply chains (SCs) as sequences of processes that link the demand and supply of goods or services within a network. SCs are prone to shortages in delivering their output goals due to several factors such as personnel undersupply, inefficient processes, policy failure, equipment malfunction, natural hazards, pandemic outbreaks, power outages, or economic crises. Recent notable supply-chain failures include the 2021 Texas power crisis, personal protection equipment shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, and regional or global food chain shortages. The consequences of such shortages can range from negligible to devastating. The Texas power crisis resulted in the death of 70 people and left approximately 4.5 billion homes and businesses without power for multiple days.
In this paper, we presented a methodology to quantify the failure probability of the throughput of a supply chain. We divided the methodology into two major categories of steps. In the first step, we converted the given or assumed supply chain data into fault trees and quantify them. In the second step, we iterated the quantification of the fault tree to build a supply chain shortage risk profile. We introduced the notion of success criteria for the output from a facility, based on which we included or excluded the facility for quantification.
With the inclusion of relevant field data, we believe that our methodology can enable the stakeholders in the supply-chain decision-making process to detect vulnerable facilities and risk-inform prevention and mitigation actions. Applications for this methodology can include construction, inventory stocking, assessing manufacturing quantities, policy changes, personnel allocation, and financial investment for critical industries such as nuclear, pharmaceutical, aviation, etc.
Advances in Noninvasive Diagnosis Based on Body Sounds and Vibrations – A Review
Authors: Taebi Amirtahà , Khalili Fardin 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
This paper provides a brief overview of the advances in the area of early identification of different types of abnormalities and diseases, including respiratory illnesses and cardiovascular diseases, using noninvasive screening of biomedical acoustic signals. These signals include sounds and vibrations generated by different human body organs and systems that can be measured on the body surface using sensors such as stethoscopes and accelerometers. In this study, the measurement methods and signal processing algorithms for customized feature extraction and classification as well as clinical potentials, current limitations, and future directions are briefly reviewed and discussed.
Role of Earth-Moon rotational dynamics in the shaping of the surface of our planet
Authors: Borom* Marcus P. 
Published: January 2022

ABSTRACT
The age of the Moon (1.55–1.78 b.y. old) as calculated from its regression as a function of geological time is much younger than the currently accepted age (ca. 4.52 Ga) determined by radiometric dating of lunar samples collected by Apollo astronauts. This discrepancy has posed a serious challenge for planetary scientists to account satisfactorily for the formation and subsequent breakup of Pangea. Conventional orbital models of the Earth-Moon system cannot explain why Pangea formed on only one hemisphere of Earth, whereas this study’s proposed two-stage rotation model can provide a plausible explanation. Calculations and a plot of the Earth-Moon separation distance against geologic age suggest that, during their first ~3.0 b.y., Earth and the Moon were mutually tidally locked, rotating as an integrated unit about a barycenter (designated as stage I rotation). Beginning 1.55 Ga, however, Earth disengaged from its tidal lock with the Moon and entered its current orbital mode (designated as stage II rotation). The dynamics associated with the two rotational modes of the Earth-Moon system throughout Earth’s history are hypothesized to constitute the driving forces for the migration and coalescence of landmasses during stage I rotation to create Pangea, and its ultimate breakup and drifting during stage II rotation.
Improving the experience of obtaining repeat complex paediatric prescriptions in the UK
Authors: Tse Yincent , Trivedi Ashifa , Mee Abigail , Santosh Paramala , Moss James , Batra Dushyant , Hawcutt Daniel B , Tomlin Stephen 
Published: January 2022

In the UK, medicines for chronic conditions in children and young people (CYP) are typically initiated within secondary or tertiary care, with responsibility for ongoing supply often then passed to the child’s general practitioner (GP) and community pharmacist. The patient should then be reviewed in regular specialist clinics, with two-way communication for any changes in medications or clinical status undertaken between primary and secondary/tertiary care. This arrangement allows long-term medications to be obtained close to home.Although this is what parents expect, the reality is often messy, with families regularly needing to source some medicines from the GPs and others via hospitals or homecare services. In addition, these arrangements are not uniform, they vary across different areas of the UK and depend on individual GP or hospital prescriber acceptance. When neither primary, secondary or tertiary care accepts it is their responsibility to prescribe, or patients are under multiple specialists, families often feel left to navigate this complex and variable supply system themselves. Obtaining a prescription is only the start of the process for families as dispensing from a community pharmacy can also be challenging.In this article, we set out the barriers and potential solutions to this complex issue. We use the term specialist prescribers to include not only paediatricians but all other specialists looking after CYP including child and adolescent psychiatrists, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, surgeons, etc, as well as non-medical prescribers.
MRI-based brain volumes of preterm infants at term: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Romberg Julia , Wilke Marko , Allgaier Christoph , Nägele Thomas , Engel Corinna , Poets Christian F , Franz Axel 
Published: January 2022

BackgroundMRI allows a detailed assessment of brain structures in preterm infants, outperforming cranial ultrasound. Neonatal MR-based brain volumes of preterm infants could serve as objective, quantitative and reproducible surrogate parameters of early brain development. To date, there are no reference values for preterm infants’ brain volumes at term-equivalent age.ObjectiveSystematic review of the literature to determine reference ranges for MRI-based brain volumes of very preterm infants at term-equivalent age.MethodsPubMed Database was searched on 6 April 2020 for studies reporting MR-based brain volumes on representative unselected populations of very preterm and/or very low birthweight infants examined at term equivalent age (defined as 37–42 weeks mean postmenstrual age at MRI). Analyses were limited to volumetric parameters reported in >3 studies. Weighted mean volumes and SD were both calculated and simulated for each parameter.ResultsAn initial 367 publications were identified. Following application of exclusion criteria, 13 studies from eight countries were included for analysis, yielding four parameters. Weighted mean total brain volume was 379 mL (SD 72 mL; based on n=756). Cerebellar volume was 21 mL (6 mL; n=791), cortical grey matter volume 140 mL (47 mL; n=572) and weighted mean volume of unmyelinated white matter was 195 mL (38 mL; n=499).ConclusionThis meta-analysis reports pooled data on several brain and cerebellar volumes which can serve as reference for future studies assessing MR-based volumetric parameters as a surrogate outcome for neurodevelopment and for the interpretation of individual or cohort MRI-based volumetric findings.
Impact of conditional and unconditional cash transfers on health outcomes and use of health services in humanitarian settings: a mixed-methods systematic review
Authors: van Daalen Kim Robin , Dada Sara , James Rosemary , Ashworth Henry Charles , Khorsand Parnian , Lim Jiewon , Mooney Ciaran , Khankan Yasmeen , Essar Mohammad Yasir , Kuhn Isla , Juillard Helene , Blanchet Karl 
Published: January 2022

BackgroundCash transfers, payments provided by formal or informal institutions to recipients, are increasingly used in emergencies. While increasing autonomy and being supportive of local economies, cash transfers are a cost-effective method in some settings to cover basic needs and extend benefits of limited humanitarian aid budgets. Yet, the extent to which cash transfers impact health in humanitarian settings remains largely unexplored. This systematic review evaluates the evidence on the effect of cash transfers on health outcomes and health service utilisation in humanitarian contexts.MethodsStudies eligible for inclusion were peer reviewed (quantitative,qualitative and mixed-methods). Nine databases (PubMed, EMBAS, Medline, CINAHL, Global Health, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, SciELO and LiLACS) were searched without language and without a lower bound time restriction through 24 February 2021. The search was updated to include articles published through 8 December 2021. Data were extracted using a piloted extraction tool and quality was assessed using The Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal Tool. Due to heterogeneity in study designs and outcomes, results were synthesised narratively and no meta-analysis was performed.Results30 673 records were identified. After removing duplicates, 17 715 were double screened by abstract and title, and 201 in full text. Twenty-three articles from 16 countries were included reporting on nutrition outcomes, psychosocial and mental health, general/subjective health and well-being, acute illness (eg, diarrhoea, respiratory infection), diabetes control (eg, blood glucose self-monitoring, haemoglobin A1C levels) and gender-based violence. Nineteen studies reported some positive impacts on various health outcomes and use of health services, 11 reported no statistically significant impact on outcomes assessed and 4 reported potential negative impacts on health outcomes.DiscussionAlthough there is evidence to suggest a positive relationship between cash transfers and health outcomes in humanitarian settings, high-quality empirical evidence, that is methodologically robust, investigates a range of humanitarian settings and is conducted over longer time periods is needed. This should consider factors influencing programme implementation and the differential impact of cash transfers designed to improve health versus multipurpose cash transfers.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021237275.