Phase Components Research Articles

Effects of M & E Planning Process on Performance of County Government Funded Water Projects in Kisii County, Kenya

Purpose: Project Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is a critical component of the project management phase, which if not properly handled, may lead to project failure. Currently, Kenya faces transitional challenges from a centralized state to devolved governance system. This has prefigured both challenges and opportunities. The decentralized form of governance has exerted pressure on especially the performance of government water departments in funded water projects in counties. Despite this need most county governments initiate water projects without putting into consideration the importance of having effective M&E frameworks. One aspect that has not been given much consideration is effective implementation of M&E systems as advised by M & E experts. The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of M & E Planning process on performance of county government funded water projects in Kisii County Methodology: The study will adopt a descriptive survey design. The study target population includes 201 county water staff managing 90 water projects across the county. The census method was used to research the 201 staff involved in water projects. The primary data was collected by use of questionnaires and Key Informant interviews. Quantitative data was analyzed by employing descriptive statistics and inferential analysis, and the results were presented by tables and figures. Whereas, qualitative data was done through narrative analysis and presented in form of verbatim and narrations. Findings: M&E planning enables the construction of a logical framework that acts as a roadmap guiding the project's progress and allowing the stakeholders to understand the relationships between different project elements. The positive effect of M&E planning on project implementation affirms the pivotal role of this planning process in guiding and optimizing the execution of water-funded projects in Kisii County. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: This study was anchored in the program theory. Project managers and policymakers should emphasize the importance of these planning components, recognizing them as integral drivers of project success. Furthermore, capacity-building initiatives focusing on these planning aspects can further enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of M&E planning practices.

Distinct spectral line shifts in the Raman lines’ Stokes and anti-Stokes components with temperature in the liquid crystalline system 4DBA

An anomalous Raman phenomenon (ARP) refers to a scenario in which the Stokes and anti-Stokes frequencies of a Raman mode are different. Here we report that ARP introduces different line shifts in Stokes and anti-Stokes frequencies in 4-Decyloxy Benzoic acid with temperature across two thermally driven structural transitions: the smectic (S) to nematic (N) phase transition at 375 K and the nematic (N) to isotropic (I) transition at 390 K. Four Raman modes near 663, 773, 1128, and 1168 cm-1shift towards higher frequencies (blueshift) in the Stokes frequency and towards lower frequencies (redshift) in the anti-Stokes frequency with rise in temperature near S to N phase transitions. However, in the isotropic liquid phase, both the Stokes and anti-Stokes components exhibit a redshift as temperature increases, without any noticeable distinct spectral lineshifts. Our studies bring out the importance of phonon band structure in ARP.

Ni2+ Ion-Induced Phase and Morphology Tailoring in Nix-CuMoSe Nanorod Catalysts for Overall Water Splitting.

Copper molybdenum-based selenides (CuMoSe) as promising hydrogen evolution catalysts have been widely applied in the electrocatalytic splitting of water, while their limited active sites and relatively poor oxygen evolution activity restrict their further application as effective bifunctional electrocatalysts. Here, we report a simple hydrothermal method to fabricate rodlike NiCuMoSe arrays on nickel foam (Nix-CuMoSe/NF), the morphology of which is determined by Ni2+ ions because Ni2+ can promote the growth of the rodlike structure. Furthermore, the phase transformation from CuSe to CuSe2 is triggered by adjusting the Ni2+ ion content of the growth solution. Due to the morphology control and phase component modulation, the prepared Ni2.5-CuMoSe/NF possesses effective catalytic activities of the hydrogen/oxygen evolution reaction (HER/OER) with overpotentials of 89/183 mV at 10 mA cm-2 in 1 M KOH, and the cell (composed of Ni2.5-CuMoSe/NF as both the cathode and anode) can provide a current density of 10 mA cm-2 at a low cell voltage of 1.50 V with a stability of 110 h. This work will advance the development of transition metal electrocatalysts for effective overall water splitting.

Sol-gel synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of barium aluminoferrite for use in magnetorheological fluids

A promising area of application of micro- and nanosized magnetic particles is the creation of magnetorheological materials in which such particles are a component of a complex dispersed phase. Of greatest importance is the high shear stress in suspensions based on magnetic particles when a magnetic field is applied, as well as low value of the coercive force. The aim of the work was to study the structure, morphology, and magnetic properties of barium aluminoferrite powders, and to evaluate their effectiveness in magnetic fields by the rheological properties of magnetorheological fluids fabricated using them. Barium aluminoferrite BaAl2Fe10O19 of hexagonal structure was synthesized by the citrate sol-gel method. Using the methods of X-ray phase analysis, scanning electron microscopy, IR spectroscopy, magnetometry, its structural and microstructural features, and magnetic properties were studied. The powder had a maximum specific magnetization M = 20.4 A × m2/kg and a coercive force Hc = 4.8 kOe (at 300 K). The high shear stress (3.5 kPa) at a relatively low magnetic field induction (625 mT) makes it possible to consider the resulting material as promising for use as an additional functional filler for magnetorheological fluids.

Morphological changes of endometrial tissue in women with infertility who suffered from coronavirus disease anamnesis

The objective: to determine the morphological changes in endometrial samples in women with infertility and post-COVID syndrome.Materials and methods. 80 women with infertility and a history of post-COVID syndrome were examined, as well as 40 women with infertility without having experienced COVID-19.In all patients, endometrial samples were collected in the middle proliferative and middle secretory phases (in different menstrual cycles) by pipel biopsy or during office hysteroscopy, followed by histological and immunohistochemical examination. Antibodies to angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), SARS-CoV-2, CD138, CD56 were used for immunotyping.Results. In women with infertility and a history of post-COVID syndrome plasma cells (р = 0.027), lymphohistiocytic infiltration (р = 0.003), areas of fibrotic stroma (р=0.031) are more often detected during the study of endometrial samples in the middle proliferative phase, and in biosamples of the middle secretory phase – weakly developed stroma (p = 0.033), plasma cells (p = 0.029). When conducting an immunohistochemical study in both cohorts an increase in ACE2 protein expression was found in the middle secretory phase.In the mucous membrane of the uterus in both proliferative and secretory phase, in patients of both cohorts the expression of the CD138 immunomarker was detected, but in the middle secretory phase the signs of the expression of endometrial granulocytes were more often found in women who were diagnosed with infertility and a history of post-CIVOD syndrome (p=0.032). No expression of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 was observed in the endometrial samples of patients who had coronavirus disease.Conclusions. In women with infertility and post-COVID syndrome the main morphological features in the selected endometrial samples were the presence of plasma cells in both phases of the menstrual cycle, lymphohistiocytic infiltration of the stroma, areas of fibrosis of the stromal component in the middle proliferative phase, impaired decidualization and expression of endometrial granulocytes in the middle secretory phase, and as well as the lack of expression of the SARS-CoV-2 immunomarker.

Regulation mechanism of optimal bubble diameter for ozone wastewater treatment

Efforts have been made to enhance ozone utilization efficiency and reduce energy costs in ozone-aerated wastewater treatment. Microbubbles, characterized by their large interfacial area and efficient gas-liquid mass transfer, are extensively used to boost ozone utilization. However, generating microbubbles demands significant energy, and their actual efficiency requires careful evaluation due to the absence of universal strategies for designing microbubbles with optimal performance. This study established an integrated mathematical model for ozone oxidation in wastewater treatment, based on comprehensive ozone reaction kinetics, microbubble mass transfer control theory, and mass conservation equations for gas-liquid phase components. Simulation results showed a pollutant removal rate with a prediction error of less than 20%, confirming the model's reliability. Further analysis revealed that although the initial mass transfer rate of 0.5 mm bubbles is lower than that of 0.1 mm bubbles, the total mass transfer quantity is reduced by only 8.7%. This suggests that an optimal bubble diameter can balance mass transfer efficiency and energy consumption. Based on this finding, we integrated ozone production and bubble generation energy consumption to develop a regulation mechanism for optimizing bubble diameter, minimizing total energy consumption while meeting target removal rates. Results indicate that the optimal bubble diameter is closely related to water depth: as depth increases, the optimal bubble diameter also increases. At a depth of 2.1 meters, the optimized bubble diameter reduces energy consumption by 33.5% and 16.2% compared to millimeter-sized and 100-micron bubbles, respectively. Sensitivity analysis shows that total energy consumption is more sensitive to changes in specific ozone energy consumption, while variations in bubble generation energy remain relatively stable. These results underscore the feasibility of using the proposed model to guide energy-efficient bubble size selection.

Pyrolysis of industrial hemp biomass from contaminated soil phytoremediation: Kinetics, modelling transport phenomena and biochar-based metal reduction

Phytoremediation is the use of vegetation for the in situ treatment of contaminated environments. After plants have been used for phytoremediation of soils, their biomass can be used for example as value-added products or converted by thermochemical processes. Large-scale application of pyrolysis technology for phytoremediation biomass requires accurate predictive kinetic models and a characterization of the toxicity of the materials produced. The pyrolysis of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) was investigated on a laboratory scale by varying the process conditions and accurately modelled by considering four pseudo-components with first reaction order. The average value of the coefficients of determination is 0.9980. Biomass and biochar were characterized and the main components of the gas phase were monitored. We found Cd, Pb, and Zn in the roots, although in lower amounts than in the soil. Especially the leaves and stems showed negligible traces of these elements, so that these parts can be used directly, even if the hemp was grown on the polluted soil. After pyrolysis, the concentration of pollutants in the solid fraction decreased, which could be attributed to the reduction of metal oxides (or salts) to elemental form and subsequent evaporation. This pyrolysis process has the potential to treat heavy metal-rich biomass, with gas phase purification via condensation, yielding agricultural-grade biochar, CO-rich gas and a highly concentrated heavy metal stream in absorbent material.

On the lossy character of Y-branches and their analogy to Wilkinson power dividers

Y-branches are commonly used devices for power splitting and combining in various technological applications. Despite their widespread use, research on their design and analysis has been mostly focused on their characterization based on reflection and transmission when operating as power dividers, leaving aside an exhaustive consideration of all their possible modes of operation. Also, it has not been fully recognized that these devices have intrinsic losses. If these losses are not properly managed, they can negatively impact the network, but also open the door to new opportunities. In this context, this paper examines Y-bifurcation properties and their connection to Wilkinson’s power dividers. Additionally, through numerical analysis, we demonstrate the possibility of integrating these devices into more complex optical networks. We use them as components in generalized power dividers and analog optical computational systems designed to filter out the maximum common phase component and avoid backward reflections for any input signal.

Analysis of serum phase proteins and emulsifiers on the whipping capabilities of aerated emulsions: From the perspective of air-liquid interface rheology

In aerated emulsions, the serum phase plays a crucial role in determining whipping capabilities. However, the effects of serum phase components on emulsion properties remain largely unexplored and continue to be a mystery. This study takes a micro-level approach, focusing on the air-liquid interfacial rheology by incorporating different types of surfactants (proteins and emulsifiers) into the serum phase. It systematically explores the effects on the serum phase interface, emulsion properties, whipping capabilities, and foam stability in a stepwise manner. Proteins only slightly affect the strength of the air-liquid interface, primarily improving the capacity to trap bubbles at the initial whipping stage, thereby boosting the overrun of the aerated emulsion. The high viscoelastic modulus of the interface membrane is greatly influenced by the presence of solid lipid nanoparticles of glycerol monostearate (GMS SLN), leading to a reduction in whipping time and improved surface-mediated partial coalescence. This ultimately enhances the quality and stability of the foam system. Tween 80, due to its hydrophilic properties, is able to quickly adsorb at the air-liquid interface using the Gibbs-Marangoni mechanism. This helps to expedite the end of the whipping process and ultimately improves the foam quality. On the contrary, glycerol monooleate (GMO), a lipophilic emulsifier for liquids, struggles to effectively adsorb at the interface, leading to decreased stability of the air-liquid interface in the system and resulting in poor whipping capabilities. This paper delves into the mechanism by which different surfactants affect the whipping capabilities of aerated emulsions through an analysis of serum phase composition, laying the groundwork for enhancing formulation design.

Experimental decomposition of nonlinear hydrodynamic loads and hydroelastic responses in wave–structure interactions of monopile wind turbines

This study explores the nonlinear effects of hydrodynamic loads and hydroelastic responses in monopile-supported offshore wind turbines, with a focus on their harmonic structures. High-quality experimental data were collected in a shallow water basin across various irregular waves. Their harmonic components up to the fourth order were successfully isolated using a novel four-phase decomposition technique, which effectively extracts harmonics from random time series. The results highlight significant contributions of higher-order harmonics across various sea states. Specifically, two physical models were employed: a flexible monopile to capture structural hydroelastic deformations during large wave events and a rigid monopile to accurately estimate hydrodynamic loads without hydroelastic effects. Additionally, numerical results from fully nonlinear potential-flow calculations were compared, revealing that while the potential-flow solver underestimates total wave loading, especially for higher harmonics. In terms of the free-surface elevations and hydrodynamic forces, this study confirms that their higher-order harmonics align well with the scaling of their corresponding linear components in both amplitude and phase. This enables the prediction of higher-order profiles based solely on their linear components. However, this efficient model is inadequate for accurately estimating the higher-order harmonics of monopile's hydroelastic responses during these extreme wave events, highlighting the need for further refinement.

Evaluation of the components in pre-conflict and post-conflict phases of peace-building

This work presents the evaluation of the components in pre-conflict and post conflict phases of peace-building. The paper identified some research problems which includes the difficulty in peace building agents in determining the right kind of intervention measures that addresses the various phases of peace-building. The study main objective is to determine the component of the various phases of peace-building measures. The methodology applied is the qualitative research design which includes the use of secondary sources such as journals and text books in data generation and qualitative analysis. Among the findings reached is that, the components of the pre-conflict phase of peace-building include peace advocacy and conflict prevention measures. Components of conflict phase include peace-keeping, peace-enforcement, and ceasefire measures, and the post-conflict phase include Demobilization, Disarmament and Rehabilitation (DDR) of ex-combatants and reconstructive recovery projects. Among the recommendation made is that, there should be increased peace advocacy, conflict prevention in the pre-conflict phase, quick use of peace-keeping, peace-enforcement, ceasefire, buffer zone, in the conflict phase, and high level of reconstructive recovery projects in the post conflict phase of any peace-building measure. Keywords: Conflict, Intervention, Peace, Components, Peace-Building, Evaluation.

FFS-Net: Fourier-based segmentation of colon cancer glands using frequency and spatial edge interaction

The morphological features of glands provide a reliable basis for pathologists to diagnose colon cancer correctly. Currently, most methods are limited in their ability to address blurred edges, adhesions, and morphological differences in glands when working in the spatial domain. In this study, a new perspective is proposed to segment glands by utilizing the interaction between Fourier and spatial domain features. Specifically, a Fourier transform is used to analyze the frequency characteristics of pathological images in which the phase component is related to image structural information and the amplitude component contains image intensity information. A Fourier-based colon cancer gland segmentation network (FFS-Net) is proposed, which gradually constructs feature representations in both the spatial and frequency domains through spatial frequency edge interactions. This network comprises spatial subnetworks, frequency subnetworks, and an edge phase fusion module (EPFM). To alleviate the interference of complex background information in feature discrimination, the spatial subnetwork collects high-frequency contour information regarding the glands. Then, the EPFM completes the spatial-frequency feature interaction to add edge-related constraints to the extracted features, enhance edge representation, and obtain global features from the frequency domain, thereby, addressing significant differences in gland morphology. Finally, learnable Gabor filters are introduced to enhance edge texture detail information in the frequency subnetwork, which further improves the segmentation of glands exhibiting blurred edges. The experimental results demonstrate that FFS-Net’s performance on two representative datasets was competitive and highly interpretable.

The use of interphacial energies to estimate the spreading coefficients of organic liquids by the solid polymer surface of polytetrafluoroethylene

In the article, using equations previously obtained by the author, calculations were made of the interfacial energies of a solid polymer – polytetrafluoroethylene in contact with organic liquids and their vapors. Based on the calculation results, the spreading coefficients in the studied systems were calculated. Since Young’s derivation of the equation for the cosine of the contact angle, many researchers have attempted to determine the surface energy of solids, which would, in turn, make it possible to determine the interfacial energy at the solid-melt (liquid) interface. However, on the way to solving this problem there were obstacles associated with various processes that accompany phenomena occurring on the surface of a solid body in the presence of a liquid (melt) of another body on its surface. This is not the place to list all types of processes. They are well known to specialists in the field of surface phenomena. Here are just a few of them that affect the surface properties of bodies: chemical reactions, mutual dissolution of components of solid and liquid phases, deformation of solid phases, etc. In the case of contact of the polymer with organic liquids, such obstacles do not exist. Also, since it is impossible to dwell on all publications devoted to the determination of the surface energy of solids, the article discusses specific works on determining the interfacial energy at contact angles close to or equal to zero. Since the question of the behavior of interfacial energy at a contact angle equal to zero is of fundamental importance, and there are conflicting opinions in the literature on this matter, giving the correct answer to this question is an urgent task. Using examples of calculations of interfacial energies of homologous series of organic liquids on a solid surface of polytetrafluoroethylene, we have shown that only at zero contact angle the interfacial energy is zero. In this article, using interfacial energy values, we are the first to calculate the spreading coefficients of organic liquids over the surface of a solid polymer, which, in our opinion, is also an urgent task.

Complex-valued image reconstruction for compressed sensing MRI using hierarchical constraint

In Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), the sequential acquisition of raw complex-valued image data in Fourier space, also known as k-space, results in extended examination times. To speed up the MRI scans, k-space data are usually undersampled and processed using numerical techniques such as compressed sensing (CS). While the majority of CS-MRI algorithms primarily focus on magnitude images due to their significant diagnostic value, the phase components of complex-valued MRI images also hold substantial importance for clinical diagnosis, including neurodegenerative diseases. In this work, complex-valued MRI reconstruction is studied with a focus on the simultaneous reconstruction of both magnitude and phase images. The proposed algorithm is based on the nonsubsampled contourlet transform (NSCT) technique, which offers shift invariance in images. Instead of directly transforming the complex-valued image into the NSCT domain, we introduce a wavelet transform within the NSCT domain, reducing the size of the sparsity of coefficients. This two-level hierarchical constraint (HC) enforces sparse representation of complex-valued images for CS-MRI implementation. The proposed HC is seamlessly integrated into a proximal algorithm simultaneously. Additionally, to effectively minimize the artifacts caused by sub-sampling, thresholds related to different sub-bands in the HC are applied through an alternating optimization process. Experimental results show that the novel method outperforms existing CS-MRI techniques in phase-regularized complex-valued image reconstructions.

Mozart: A Mobile ToF System for Sensing in the Dark Through Phase Manipulation

Sensing in low-light and dark environments has a wide range of applications. However, existing sensing technologies suffer several major challenges, such as excessive noise and low resolution. In this work, we propose Mozart - a new mobile sensing system that leverages off-the-shelf Time-of-Flight (ToF) depth cameras to generate high-resolution and rich-in-texture maps for applications in dark scenarios. The design of Mozart is based on our key observation that the phase components of ToF measurements can be manipulated to expose texture information. Through in-depth analysis of the physical reflection model, we show that the textures can be exposed and enhanced using highly compute-efficient phase manipulation functions. Moreover, by exploiting the physics texture models, we propose an autoencoderbased unsupervised learning approach that can automatically learn efficient representations from phase components to generate high-resolution maps. We implemented Mozart on several Android smartphone models and an edge testbed with standalone ToF camera platforms for various applications in the dark. The results show that Mozart can work in real time and delivers significant improvement over existing sensing technologies. The demo video at https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_sxyTZxIdU shows that Mozart offers a low-cost, highperformance sensing technology for nextgeneration applications in the dark.

Assessment of the influence of glycol and alcohol on the morphology and protective properties of iron carbonate in carbon dioxide corrosion of gas pipelines

The potential effect of hydrate formation inhibitors (glycols, alcohols) — components of the liquid phase of gas pipeline operating media — on carbon dioxide corrosion during the transport of aggressive gas has not been sufficiently studied. The paper presents the results of a study of the corrosive effect of glycol (alcohol) present in the liquid phase on the composition and properties of corrosion products on steel when modeling the main aggressive factors under conditions of transport of CO2-containing gas. On a corrosion stand, the aggressive conditions of alternating wetting of gas pipeline walls with water were reproduced. The fluid circulation characteristic of a partially filled pipeline can have an effect on preventing the formation or destruction of films of corrosion products (iron carbonate, siderite) on the steel surface. In places of cracking and peeling of siderite formed in the presence of CO2, conditions will be created for the formation of general and local corrosion damage. During simulation tests, monoethylene glycol and isopropanol, as well as their aqueous solutions of different concentrations, were used. For the first time, data on the formation and composition of non-stoichiometric siderite in water-glycol and water-alcohol media at CO2 partial pressures and temperature were obtained. By processing diffraction patterns obtained by X-ray diffraction, the degree of substitution of iron ions in non-stoichiometric siderites by other cations was determined. The dependence of the degree of substitution on the concentration of alcohol (glycol) in their aqueous solutions was analyzed. It was revealed that with an increase in glycol concentration, a decrease in the rate of local corrosion is observed. With a high glycol content, internal corrosion is completely suppressed in the presence of CO2. It has been established that in aqueous-alcoholic media at elevated temperatures, local carbon dioxide corrosion does not occur. This is apparently due to the uneven distribution of water and alcohol in the mixture. The results obtained can be used in assessing internal carbon dioxide corrosion in the presence of glycol (alcohol), used at gas facilities as an inhibitor of hydrate formation.

Electric Vehicle Thermal System Concept Development for Multiple Variants Using Digital Prototype and AI

The automotive industry is experiencing a surge in system complexity driven by the ever-growing number of interacting components, subsystems, and control systems. This complexity is further amplified by the expanding range of component options available to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). OEMs work in parallel on more than one vehicle model, with multiple vehicle variants for each vehicle model. With the increasing number of vehicle variants needed to cater to diverse regional needs, development complexity escalates. To address this challenge, modern techniques like Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), digitalization, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are becoming essential tools. These advancements can streamline concept development, optimize thermal and HVAC system design across variants, and accelerate the time-to-market for next-generation EVs. The development of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) needs a strong focus on thermal management systems (TMSs) and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. These systems play a critical role in maintaining optimal battery temperature, maximizing range and efficiency, and ensuring passenger comfort. This article proposes a digital prototype (DP) and AI-based methodology to specify BEV thermal system and HVAC system components in the concept phase. This methodology uses system and variant thinking in combination with digital prototype (DP) and AI to verify BEV thermal system architecture component specifications for future variants without extensive simulation. A BEV cabin cooling requirement of 22 °C to be achieved within 1800s at a high ambient temperature (45 °C) is required, and its verification is used to prove this methodology.

Essential components of the maintenance phase of complex decongestive therapy.

Complex decongestive therapy is the current gold standard for non-surgical clinical lymphedema management and consists of manual therapy, compression exercise, skincare, and education. Complex decongestive therapy involves an intensive volume reduction phase (Phase I) followed by a maintenance phase (Phase II). The aim of the maintenance phase is to promote life-long control of lymphedema through use of self-management strategies and the provision of ongoing reduction therapies as needed. Compression therapies are the mainstay of lymphedema self-management. Poor adherence to self-management practices has been associated with increased volume and progression of lymphedema to more advanced stages, supporting the importance of education and regular monitoring to promote adherence to the Phase II maintenance recommendations. In this editorial, we provide consensus recommendations on the essential components of the maintenance phase, including education, skin care practices, managing infection/cellulitis, compression therapies, health and weight management, exercise, and ongoing follow-up care.

SFDiff: Diffusion model with sufficient spatial‐Fourier frequency information interaction for low‐light image enhancement

AbstractDiffusion models are increasingly applied in low‐light image enhancement tasks due to their exceptional capability to model data distributions, but most current methods focus only on the original pixel space and neglect the potential of Fourier frequency information. In this article, SFDiff is proposed, a novel low‐light image enhancement method that integrates Fourier frequency information into the diffusion process. Specifically, Fourier transforms are applied at both the image and feature levels to separately enhance the amplitude and phase components, which restores global illumination degradation and positional information. Then a Spatial‐Frequency Fusion (SFF) block is used to fully integrate and interact with the information across spatial and frequency domains. Since illumination degradation is primarily manifested in the amplitude component, a loss function based on maximum likelihood learning is employed to constrain the amplitude component at each step of the sampling process, ensuring that the reverse process maintains an optimal trajectory. Owing to the streamlined network design and the fact that the Fourier transform requires no extra parameters, SFDiff achieves a reduction in parameters of over compared to several state‐of‐the‐art (SOTA) diffusion models and delivers high‐quality enhancement results on multiple real‐world datasets. The code is available at https://github.com/MrWan001/SFDiff.

How Well Are Surgical Quality Improvement Projects Planned? Review of 242 Surgical Improvement Efforts Across Five American College of Surgeons Quality Programs.

Structured preparation is necessary to conduct quality improvement (QI) strategies that are relevant to the problem, feasible, appropriately resourced, and potentially effective. Recent work suggests improvement efforts are sub-optimally conducted. Our goal was to determine how well preparation for surgical QI is undertaken, including detailing the problem, setting project goals, and planning an intervention. This retrospective cross-sectional study included QI efforts submitted in 2019 to the American College of Surgeons (ACS) during review for accreditation across five ACS Quality Programs: Children's Surgery Verification (CSV), the Commission on Cancer (CoC), the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgical Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), and the Trauma Verification Program. Projects were scored for alignment with three components of the pre-conduct phase of the ACS Quality Framework: problem detailing, goal specification, and strategic planning. 242 projects satisfied inclusion criteria and were scored. Most projects in the final cohort were from MBSAQIP (36%), CoC (31%), or NAPBC (29%) programs. The average overall pre-conduct score was 52% (Standard Deviation (SD)=17). On average, projects performed best in the 'Goal Specification' component (65% SD=27), followed by 'Problem Detailing' (52% SD=16), and 'Strategic Planning' (44% SD=25). Within these components, identification of possible limitations (5%) and consideration of contextual issues (12%) were among the least frequently reported items. Thorough planning is a critical component of effective QI, and our study reflects significant opportunity for its improvement. The ACS Quality Framework may serve as a guide to improve QI planning, thereby promoting efficiency and effectiveness of these efforts.