Comparison Of Efficiency Research Articles

Some high-energy trinitromethyl-<i>ONN</i>-furazans as binder plasticizers in model solid composite propellants

To identify promising areas for the search for high-energy materials, a comprehensive analysis of the energy potential of compounds of various classes is an urgent need. This work is devoted to the study of the energy potential of some organic compounds containing the –N=N(O)–C(NO2)3 fragment in their structure as plasticizers of a polymeric binder in solid composite propellants. Nine trinitromethyl-ONN-azoxy-derivatives of furazan and one similar methane compound were studied, four of which are actually synthesized substances, the rest are still hypothetical structures. The ballistic efficiency of solid composite propellants of three different types (without metal, with aluminum and with aluminum hydride), in which one of the studied compounds with a trinitromethyl-ONN-azoxy fragment acts as a plasticizer of the polymer binder, the values of the enthalpy of formation and density of which were determined by the calculated way, and a comparison of the ballistic efficiency of such propellants with similar compositions containing the most powerful of the currently considered energy-intensive components as a plasticizer: nitroglycerin, tetranitromethane, or dinitrofurazan. It has been shown that practically all the studied representatives of the class of trinitromethyl-ONN-diazene oxides are significantly superior in terms of ballistic efficiency to the reference plasticizers.

Profitability of Organic Versus Conventional Rice Production: An Evidence from South Asia

Rice, a staple and cash crop in South Asia, is vital for small-scale farmers, but concerns about the profitability of organic farming challenge its adoption despite its environmental benefits. The present study was conducted in the Rice-Wheat zone of three South Asian countries to make a comparison of profit efficiency in rice production under organic and conventional farming systems and to examine factors affecting profit efficiency. A multistage sampling technique was employed to collect cross-sectional data. Profit efficiency was determined by employing Cobb Douglas's functional form of stochastic profit frontier. Results show that the mean profit efficiency of organic rice growers is 0.89 less than conventional rice growers (0.910) in Pakistan. The mean profit efficiencies of organic growers are higher than conventional growers in Nepal and Bangladesh. Education and the role of the extension department are important factors in increasing the efficiency of organic and conventional farming while access to credit and experience in rice farming are significant in reducing inefficiencies in conventional rice farming. The study concludes that the education of farmers, the role of extension services, and easy credit access are key policy variables to improve profit efficiency.

Study on Efficient Operating Conditions for Bipolar Membrane Electrodialysis Using Different Ion Species and Anion-Exchange Membranes

To investigate efficient operating conditions for bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED), a comparison of current efficiency (CE) and power intensity (PI) was conducted using different anion-exchange membranes (AEMs) and salt solutions (NaCl and Na2SO4) as feed solutions in BMED. The results indicated that CE was higher and PI was lower for a commercial proton-blocking AEM (ACM) than for a standard AEM (ASE) when NaCl was used. This is because ASE has a higher water content than ACM, leading to greater H+ permeability, which reduces CE. Conversely, when Na2SO4 was used, ASE exhibited higher CE and lower cell voltage (CV) than ACM, resulting in lower PI for ASE. This is attributable to the fact that, with Na2SO4, the effect of CV was more significant than H+ permeability. These findings suggest that efficient operation can be achieved by selecting the appropriate combination of AEMs and salt solutions.

Comparison of epoprostenol and viscum album efficiencies in the treatment of avascular necrosis of the femoral head: An experimental animal study.

The aim of our study is to compare the efficacy of epoprostenol and viscum album in the treatment of femoral head avascular necrosis with an experimental study. Our hypothesis is that viscum album, which has similar properties to epoprostenol on the vascular system, is as effective as epoprostenol in the treatment of avascular necrosis. Avascular necrosis was created on the femoral heads of 45 New Zealand type rabbits by surgical vascular deprivation method. The rabbits were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 was designed as a control group, in group 2 Ilomedin (epoprostenol analogue) was administrated to subjects and in group 3, Helixor (viscum album extract) was administrated. At the end of the study, there were nine subjects in each group. Osteocyte necrosis, bone marrow necrosis, new bone formation and cartilage degeneration were evaluated microscopically. The extent of bone necrosis and repair and involvement of epiphysis, the bone marrow cellularity ratio and trabecular bone volume were investigated. Subchondral necrosis was seen in more animals in the control group (p=0.03). Osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity were more prominent in the Ilomedin group (p=0.25 and 0.07, respectively). It was seen that the cartilages of the subjects in the Helixor and Ilomedin groups were less damaged. In the Ilomedin group, more animals were seen in the chronic phase of the repair process than in the other groups (p=0.07). Bone marrow cellularity was higher in treatment groups (22% and 20,6% for Ilomedin and Helixor, respectively, p=0,04). Trabecular volume was found to be increased in damaged femoral heads in the treatment groups, the highest increased observed in the Helixor group (p=0.01). Viscum album seems to be effective in decreasing the extention of necrosis and protecting the articular cartilage, and epoprostenol in increasing repair and regeneration.

Effectiveness and Efficiency Comparison of One-Day vs Eight-Day Methotrexate Protocols in Managing Low-Risk Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia.

Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia (GTN) has a high incidence in Bandung, Indonesia, with a mortality rate between 31% and 51%. The most common type is low-risk GTN with various treatment protocols available. The 8-day Methotrexate (MTX) 50 mg protocol has been implemented at our center; however, due to limitation of government insurance, this study aims to compare its effectiveness against the 1-day Methotrexate (MTX) 300 mg/m² protocol. A retrospective cohort study compared two protocols for low-risk GTN treatment at Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital from January 2020 to December 2023: a 1-day Methotrexate (MTX) 300 mg/m² protocol and an 8-day MTX protocol (50 mg MTX IM on days 1, 3, 5, 7 with folinic acid 15 mg orally 24h after MTX on days 2, 4, 6, 8) and repeat every 2weeks. Data on patient characteristics, chemotherapy response, side effects, and treatment costs were analyzed. The 1-day MTX 300 mg/m² protocol achieved similar remission with fewer cycles, milder side effects, and reduced costs compared to the 8-day MTX 50 mg protocol, supporting it as an effective treatment option for low-risk GTN. The 1-day MTX 300 mg/m² protocol is as an effective treatment option for low-risk GTN compared to the 8-day MTX 50 mg protocol.

Efficiency comparison of maximum likelihood estimation in log–logistic distribution using median ranked set sampling

Efficiency comparison of maximum likelihood estimation in log–logistic distribution using median ranked set sampling

Intelligent automatic registration: is it feasible and efficient for application of ultrasound fusion imaging in liver?

To evaluate the feasibility and efficiency between the two intelligent auto-registrations (based on hepatic vessels or based on liver surface) and manual registration for US-CT/MR fusion imaging of liver tumours. From May 2017 to December 2017, 30 patients with 30 liver tumours were enrolled in this prospectively study. Two intelligent auto-registrations (based on hepatic vessels or based on liver surface) and manual registration were randomly performed, the registration success rate and efficiency were compared. In terms of success rate, auto-registrations based on the hepatic vessels (80%) was lower than auto-registration base on liver surface and manual registration (96.67%), but with no statistical difference (P = 0.125). In comparison of the registration efficiency, the efficiency of the auto-registration based on the hepatic vessels was superior to auto-registration based on liver surface and manual registration (P < 0.05). The one-step success rate of auto-registration based on the hepatic vessels (53.33%, 16/30) was higher than that of other two registrations (P < 0.05). Stratified analysis showed that, for the lesion with display of hepatic vessels in grade 3, the success rate of auto-registration based on vessels (0%) was lower than that of auto-registration based on liver surface and manual registration (100%) (P = 0.031). Intelligent auto-registration based on hepatic vessels is a feasible and efficient registration method for US-CT/MR fusion imaging of liver tumours for the patients with clear hepatic vessels. The auto-registration based on liver surface and manual registration can be an effective supplement for cases with poor hepatic vessels display.

Signal amplification strategy electrochemiluminescence based on porous graphite-phase carbon nitride: A novel ECL sensor for ultrasensitive detection of tigecycline

Tigecycline (TGC) is a third-generation tetracycline antibiotic known for its broad-spectrum antibacterial properties. However, the misuse of tigecycline can lead to significant issues, including environmental concerns and the escalation of drug resistance. Consequently, it is essential to develop an efficient and sensitive detection method for tigecycline. In this study, a novel solid-state electrochemical luminescence sensor was firstly developed for highly sensitive detection of TGC. The sensor incorporated porous graphite-phase carbon nitride (PCN) as a luminescent reagent, triethanolamine (TEA) as a co-reagent, Fe3O4 and ZIF-8@Ag NPs as luminescence accelerators, resulting in a robust and stable luminescence signal. Detailed characterization of PCN, comparison of ECL efficiency between PCN and g-C3N4, and optimization of experimental conditions were conducted to showcase the superior ECL performance of PCN. The sensor exhibited a linear relationship between the change of ECL signal and the logarithm of tigecycline concentration in the range of 1.0 × 10−14 to 1.0 × 10−7 mol/L, with a low detection limit of 3.33 × 10−15 mol/L (S/N = 3). Furthermore, the sensor demonstrated excellent stability, selectivity, and reproducibility, making it suitable for detecting TGC in milk samples.

Clinical study of a new nutritional index for predicting long-term prognosis in patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease following percutaneous coronary intervention

Abstract Background and Objective Some patients continue to experience major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in frigid places. Indexes of inflammation and nutrition alone were shown to predict outcomes in patients with PCI. However, the clinical predictive value of mixed indicators is unclear. This study aimed to assess the predictive value of the albumin/neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on the long-term prognosis of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods A total of 608 post-PCI CHD patients were categorized into low- and high-index groups based on the optimal cut-off values for albumin and NLR. The primary outcome was a composite endpoint comprising all-cause mortality and major adverse cerebrovascular events. The secondary outcome was the comparison of the predictive efficiency of the new nutritional index, albumin/NLR, with that of albumin or NLR alone. Results Over the five-year follow-up period, 45 patients experienced the composite endpoint. The incidence of endpoint events was significantly higher in the low-index group (12%) compared to the high-index group (4.9%). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the albumin/NLR index had a larger area under the curve (AUC: 0.655) than albumin (AUC: 0.621) or NLR (AUC: 0.646), indicating superior predictive efficiency. The prognostic nutritional index had an AUC of 0.644, further supporting the enhanced predictive value of the albumin/NLR index over individual nutritional and inflammatory markers. Conclusion The albumin/neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio is independently associated with the long-term prognosis of CHD patients post-PCI and demonstrates superior predictive efficiency compared to individual nutritional and inflammatory markers.

Comparison of clinical efficiency between pendulum and distal jet appliance - A randomized control trial

The study was to compare the clinical efficiency of Pendulum and distal jet appliances using both cephalometric parameters as well as dental cast analysis at two-time intervals T1-pre-treatment and T2-post-distalization. 10 patients with Angle's Class II malocclusion were enrolled in the study. The patients were divided into two groups: pendulum group &amp; distal jet group (n = 5) for intra oral molar distalization. Lateral cephalogram and dental cast were obtained at T1 and T2. Molar distalization of 4.4 ± 1.1 mm in 4.68 ± 0.67 months in pendulum group and of 3.8 ± 0.4 mm in 5.84 ± 0.7 months in distal jet group. Relative intrusion of upper incisors was found to be more in pendulum group as compared to distal jet group. Mesial tipping of premolars and distal tipping of first molar was observed with both the groups. The transverse expansion at the level of first molars was significantly more in distal jet group as compared to pendulum group. Thus, Pendulum and distal jet appliances were found to be equally effective clinically in distalizing the maxillary molars, although the distalization period was shorter in pendulum group as compared to distal jet group owing to more distal tipping of maxillary first molars in pendulum group. The expansion was significantly more in distal jet group compared to the pendulum group which could be beneficial for patients who have Class II malocclusion with mild posterior crossbite.

Ergot alkaloids: comparison of extraction efficiencies for their monitoring in several cereal-solvent combinations by UPLC-MS/MS.

To date, there are more than 80 ergot alkaloids identified; their distribution depends on different factors (e.g. geographic regions, host plants). These toxins can cause acute and chronic toxic effects on human health and commonly infect cereal crops such as triticale and rye, wheat, barley and oats. Considering the growing consumption of plant-based foods, the European Food Safety Authority has highlighted the need to develop risk assessment strategies. This work focused on the optimization of extraction efficiency, to quantify the main ergot alkaloids and their epimers, that are available on the market without any legal restriction (ergosine, ergocristine, ergocriptyne, ergocornine, ergosinine, ergocristinine, ergocriptinine and ergocorninine). Considering the quantification of 8 out of 12 regulated compounds by EU (sum of -ine and -inine forms), this approach can be defined as a screening method for a reliable estimation of the risk, specifically devoted to industrial stakeholders that can then possibly outsource to authorized external labs only the samples suspected of significant positivity. The effectiveness of three different extraction conditions (acidic, alkaline and neutral) followed by a rapid clean-up using dispersive solid-phase extraction with C18 sorbent was evaluated by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), resulting in a short chromatographic run (16min). The method was developed and validated in five different cereal production chains (rye, oat, wheat, wheat gluten and baby food). The applicability of the method was examined by analyzing a set of 54 samples, including also other cereals like spelt, tritordeum and triticale, and evaluating also some reference materials.

Symptoms Burden as a Clinical Outcomes Assessment in HeartFailure Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Safe and effective pharmacologic therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF) in heart failure (HF) is an unmet need. In AF clinical trials, the standard primary endpoint of time to first symptomatic AF event (TTFSE) has several disadvantages, which could theoretically be overcome by measurement of AF-specific symptoms burden during an entire follow-up period. The authors sought to develop and validate a method of measuring symptom burden of AF in a HF population. The authors constructed a patient-reported outcome instrument (Atrial Fibrillation Symptoms Questionnaire [AFSQ]) to function in the setting of AF/HF, and used it to measure symptoms throughout long-term follow-up. The AFSQ queries the presence of 10 new or worsening symptoms, equally divided between those associated with AF or HF. In a 267 patient AF/HF trial comparing 2 AF prevention treatments, the AFSQ was linked to electrocardiography documented AF to form a 2-component clinical outcome assessment (SxBAF) that was subjected to psychometric testing, anchor validation, and endpoint efficiency comparison to TTFSE. SxBAF exhibited greater efficiency than time to first symptomatic event for treatment difference detection, resulting in smaller projected clinical trial sample sizes. SxBAF correlated well with device-detected AF burden (Spearman's ρ=0.74; P< 0.0001), while permitting gradation in symptom severity. SxBAF also identified treatment group differences in cardiovascular serious adverse events and AF interventions and in recent-onset AF provided specificity for AF- or worsening HF-associated symptoms (P< 0.001 for each). Measurement of symptoms burden throughout clinical trial follow-up is feasible in AF/HF and should be useful for evaluating patient-centered outcomes in AF prevention trials. (Genetically Targeted Therapy for the Prevention of Symptomatic Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With HeartFailure [GENETIC-AF]; NCT01970501).

An improved efficient adaptive method for large-scale multi-explosives explosion simulations

Shock wave caused by a sudden release of high-energy, such as explosion and blast, usually affects a significant range of areas. The utilization of a uniform fine mesh to capture sharp shock wave and to obtain precise results is inefficient in terms of computational resource. This is particularly evident when large-scale fluid field simulations are conducted with significant differences in computational domain size. In this work, a variable-domain-size adaptive mesh enlargement (vAME) method is developed based on the proposed adaptive mesh enlargement (AME) method for modeling multi-explosives explosion problems. The vAME method reduces the division of numerous empty areas or unnecessary computational domains by adaptively suspending enlargement operation in one or two directions, rather than in all directions as in AME method. A series of numerical tests via AME and vAME with varying nonintegral enlargement ratios and different mesh numbers are simulated to verify the efficiency and order of accuracy. An estimate of speedup ratio is analyzed for further efficiency comparison. Several large-scale near-ground explosion experiments with single/multiple explosives are performed to analyze the shock wave superposition formed by the incident wave, reflected wave, and Mach wave. Additionally, the vAME method is employed to validate the accuracy, as well as to investigate the performance of the fluid field and shock wave propagation, considering explosive quantities ranging from 1 to 5 while maintaining a constant total mass. The results show a satisfactory correlation between the overpressure versus time curves for experiments and numerical simulations. The vAME method yields a competitive efficiency, increasing the computational speed to 3.0 and approximately 120,000 times in comparison to AME and the fully fine mesh method, respectively. It indicates that the vAME method reduces the computational cost with minimal impact on the results for such large-scale high-energy release problems with significant differences in computational domain size.

Distribution models of antennas in radio astronomy: Efficiency comparison of the golden spiral interferometry

This work compares the performance of different antenna configurations in radio astronomy interferometry, including the golden spiral, a grid, a random arrangement, and the “Y” configuration similar to the Very Large Array. One hundred antennas are simulated in each configuration, and the resulting UV coverage and image quality are analyzed. The results show that the golden spiral provides more uniform UV coverage without significant gaps, which improves image quality by reducing sidelobes and artifacts. In comparison, the grid exhibits periodic structures in the UV coverage that can degrade image quality due to gaps and artifacts. The random arrangement offers more natural coverage but is less efficient in terms of resolution and sidelobe control. The “Y” configuration proves effective in achieving high resolution along its arms but lacks complete coverage in certain directions, which can negatively affect image quality at those angles. The self-similar nature of the golden spiral allows for efficient capture of both large and small structures in observed sources, maximizing the spatial information obtained. We conclude that, for applications where resolution and sensitivity are critical, the golden spiral represents the optimal configuration, followed by the “Y” configuration, with the grid being the least suitable.

GeSeNet: A General Semantic-Guided Network With Couple Mask Ensemble for Medical Image Fusion.

At present, multimodal medical image fusion technology has become an essential means for researchers and doctors to predict diseases and study pathology. Nevertheless, how to reserve more unique features from different modal source images on the premise of ensuring time efficiency is a tricky problem. To handle this issue, we propose a flexible semantic-guided architecture with a mask-optimized framework in an end-to-end manner, termed as GeSeNet. Specifically, a region mask module is devised to deepen the learning of important information while pruning redundant computation for reducing the runtime. An edge enhancement module and a global refinement module are presented to modify the extracted features for boosting the edge textures and adjusting overall visual performance. In addition, we introduce a semantic module that is cascaded with the proposed fusion network to deliver semantic information into our generated results. Sufficient qualitative and quantitative comparative experiments (i.e., MRI-CT, MRI-PET, and MRI-SPECT) are deployed between our proposed method and ten state-of-the-art methods, which shows our generated images lead the way. Moreover, we also conduct operational efficiency comparisons and ablation experiments to prove that our proposed method can perform excellently in the field of multimodal medical image fusion. The code is available at https://github.com/lok-18/GeSeNet.

Comparison of Utilization Efficiency of Airports in Southwest China

Comparison of Utilization Efficiency of Airports in Southwest China

Efficient Growth of 1D Van der Waals Heterostructures on Zeolite-Supported SWCNTs.

The controlled synthesis of 1D van der Waals (1D vdW) heterostructures, specifically single-walled carbon nanotubes encapsulated within boron nitride nanotubes (SWCNT@BNNT), presents a challenge due to an incomplete understanding of the factors influencing BNNT growth. This study investigates the growth yield of SWCNT@BNNT heterostructures produced using zeolite-supported SWCNT templates on SiO2-coated Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) grids, which enable in situ synthesis and thorough evaluation of each step without compromising the nanotube structure. The high-resolution TEM analysis reveals a significant improvement in BNNT coverage on individual nanotubes, increasing from 9% to 42%, through optimization of the ammonia borane precursor amount. A thorough comparison of BNNT growth efficiency is performed using zeolite-supported SWCNT templates against the current benchmark of free-standing SWCNT films, highlighting comparable synthesis yields despite different morphologies and SWCNT diameter distributions. By integrating all Raman and TEM data from the studied SWCNT@BNNT samples, a correlation between BNNT coverage and the intensity of the buckling R-mode of BNNTs is established, providing a reliable criterion for evaluating BNNT growth efficiency in 1D vdW heterostructures. This work advances the understanding and characterization of 1D vdW heterostructures, offering insights into synthesizing hetero-nanotubes using other types of SWCNT templates and paving the way for their diverse applications.

Improving the CSIDH Protocol for Multi-party Cryptography: Rigorous Mathematical Analysis, Efficiency, and Security Comparison

This paper introduces a novel Distributed Key Generation (DKG) protocol based on the Commutative Supersingular Isogeny Diffie-Hellman (CSIDH) framework for secure multi-party cryptography. Our proposed protocol is designed to address scalability and security concerns, particularly in post-quantum cryptographic systems. The main contributions include the introduction of Piecewise Verifiable Proofs (PVPs) for non-interactive zero-knowledge verification of secret shares, and the provision of rigorous security analysis, including resistance to quantum adversaries via Shor’s and Grover’s algorithms. We analyze the protocol’s efficiency, ensuring low computational overhead even in large-scale systems, and compare it with other distributed cryptographic protocols such as RSA-based and lattice-based schemes. Through mathematical proofs and complexity analysis, we demonstrate that our protocol offers enhanced security, efficiency, and scalability in a post-quantum environment. The results presented in this paper provide a strong foundation for implementing secure multi-party computations in quantum-resistant systems.

Evaluating the Performance of Taiwan Airport Renovation Projects: An Application of Multiple Attributes Intelligent Decision Analysis

Performance evaluation is a vital tool for measuring whether construction projects meet their established objectives, particularly in complex tasks. It helps identify key areas for improvement and enhances resource allocation efficiency. Through precise performance evaluation, managers can make optimal decisions regarding resource use, ultimately increasing project productivity and overall performance. The objective of this study is to measure the production efficiency of airport renovation projects in Taiwan using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and to apply artificial neural networks (ANN) for predicting project quality. DEA effectively handles scenarios with multiple inputs and outputs, providing relative efficiency comparisons among projects and quantifying the potential for improvement. ANN, on the other hand, can learn nonlinear patterns from the data, allowing for accurate predictions of project quality. As construction projects become more complex, ensuring efficient operation within limited resources becomes increasingly crucial. Traditional performance evaluation methods are inadequate for addressing scenarios involving multiple inputs and outputs; therefore, using DEA and ANN offers a more accurate framework for analysis and prediction. The results of this study indicate that, through the DEA model, five projects achieved an efficiency score of 1, while twelve inefficient projects need to reduce defect frequency by 54.76% and increase the progress and budget implementation efficiency by an average of 10.33% to improve performance. The ANN model achieved a classification accuracy of 94.1% and a mean squared error (MSE) of 0.11 in regression predictions. By adopting a data-driven approach, ANN facilitates intelligent decision making and forecasting throughout the construction process. This study provides construction managers with concrete guidelines for resource allocation and quality prediction, thus enhancing project management effectiveness.

Performance Analysis of Reconnaissance Coverage for HUAV Swarms under Communication Interference Based on Different Architectures

In environments with unknown communication interference, the mission efficiency of heterogeneous unmanned aerial vehicle (HUAV) swarms is often impacted by communication disruptions due to regions of strong interference encountered when executing reconnaissance and coverage missions. Existing research has rarely focused on communication interference or on the differences in HUAV characteristics under various control architectures; thus, in this paper we explore the performance differences between HUAV swarms based on centralized, distributed, and centralized-distributed architectures when executing reconnaissance and coverage missions in environments with unknown communication interference. First, a communication model in an unknown interference environment is constructed to reflect the real-time communication status of the swarm. Second, in response to the limitations of the traditional artificial potential field (APF) algorithm in this environment, a coverage-oriented artificial potential field (COAPF) algorithm is proposed. Finally, based on the COAPF algorithm, a multi-dimensional comparison of the mission completion efficiency of HUAV swarms with three different architectures is conducted. Our simulation results indicate that the distributed architecture is suitable for large-scale environments with strong interference, while the centralized–distributed architecture performs better in small-scale environments with weak interference. Conversely, the centralized architecture exhibits poor performance in all interference scenarios due to its lack of decision-making capabilities.