bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Six months of physical inactivity is insufficient to cause chronic kidney disease in C57BL/6J mice
Authors: Opurum Precious C. , Decker Stephen T. , Stuart Deborah , Peterlin Alek D. , Paula Venisia L. , Siripoksup Piyarat , Drummond Micah J. , Sanchez Alejandro , Ramkumar Nirupama , Funai Katsuhiko
Published: August 2024

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive disorder marked by a decline in kidney function. Obesity and sedentary behavior contribute to the development of CKD, though mechanisms by which this occurs are poorly understood. This knowledge gap is worsened by the lack of a reliable murine CKD model that does not rely on injury, toxin, or gene deletion to induce a reduction in kidney function. High-fat diet (HFD) feeding alone is insufficient to cause reduced kidney function until later in life. Here, we employed a small mouse cage (SMC), a recently developed mouse model of sedentariness, to study its effect on kidney function. Wildtype C57BL/6J male mice were housed in sham or SMC housing for six months with HFD in room (22°C) or thermoneutral (30°C) conditions. Despite hyperinsulinemia induced by the SMC+HFD intervention, kidneys from these mice displayed normal glomerular filtration rate (GFR). However, the kidneys showed early signs of kidney injury, including increases in Col1a1 and NGAL transcripts, as well as fibrosis by histology, primarily in the inner medullary/papilla region. High-resolution respirometry and fluorometry experiments showed no statistically significant changes in the capacities for respiration, ATP synthesis, or electron leak. These data confirm the technical challenge in modeling human CKD. They further support the notion that obesity and a sedentary lifestyle make the kidneys more vulnerable, but additional insults are likely required for the pathogenesis of CKD.
Isolation, identification, and characterisation of the malachite green detoxifying bacterial strainBacillus pacificusROC1 and the azoreductase AzrC
Authors: Bibi Shanza , Breeze Callum W. , Jadoon Vusqa , Fareed Anum , Syed Alina , Frkic Rebecca L. , Zaffar Habiba , Ali Muhammad , Zeb Iftikhar , Jackson Colin J. , Naqvi Tatheer Alam
Published: August 2024

Malachite green (MG) is used as a dye for materials such as wood, cotton, and nylon, and is used in aquaculture to prevent fungal and protozoan diseases. However, it is highly toxic, with carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic properties, resulting in bans worldwide. Despite this, MG is still frequently used in many countries due to its efficacy and economy. MG is persistent in the environment and so requires degradative intervention. In this work we isolatedBacillus pacificusROC1 strain from a salt flat in Pakistan that had the ability to aerobically detoxify MG, as determined by bacterio- and phyto-toxicity assays. We demonstrate immobilizedB. pacificusROC1 can effectively detoxify MG, which highlights a potential method for its biodegradation. Genomic sequencing identified three candidate azo-reductases withinB. pacificusROC1 that could be responsible for the MG-degrading activity. These were cloned, expressed and purified fromEscherichia coli, with one (AzrC), catalyzing the reduction of MG to leuco-MGin vitro.AzrC was crystallised and MG was captured within the active site in a Michaelis complex, providing structural insight into the reduction mechanism. Altogether, this work identifies a bacterium capable of aerobically degrading a major industrial pollutant and characterizes the molecular basis for this activity.
Gaze biases can reflect task-specific spatial memorization strategies
Authors: Chota Samson , Arora Kabir , Kenemans J. Leon , Gayet Surya , Van der Stigchel Stefan
Published: August 2024

Previous work has suggested that small directional eye movements not only reveal the focus of external spatial attention towards visible stimuli, but also accompany shifts of internal attention to stimuli in visual working memory (VWM)(van Ede et al., 2019). When the orientations of two bars are memorized and a subsequent retro-cue indicates which orientation needs to be reported, participants’ gaze is systematically biased towards the former location of the cued item (Figure 1AB). This finding was interpreted as evidence that the oculomotor system indexes internal attention; that is, attention directed at the location of stimuli that are no longer presented but are maintained in VWM. Importantly, as the location of the bars is presumably not relevant to the memory report, the authors concluded that orientation features in VWM are automatically associated with locations, suggesting that VWM is inherently spatially organized. This conclusion depends on the key assumption that participants indeed memorize and subsequently attend orientation features. Here we re-analyse Experiment 1 by van Ede et al. (2019) and demonstrate that this assumption does not hold. Instead of memorizing orientation features, participants deployed an alternative spatial strategy by memorizing bar endpoints. Although we do not call into question the conclusion that internal attention is inherently spatially organized, our results do imply that directional gaze biases might also reflect attention directed at task-relevant stimulus endpoints, rather than internal attention directed at memorized orientations.
Active foam dynamics of tissue spheroid fusion
Authors: Ongenae Steven , Svitina Hanna , Belpaire Tom E. R. , Vangheel Jef , Martens Tobie , Vanden Berghe Pieter , Papantoniou Ioannis , Smeets Bart
Published: August 2024

Three-dimensional tissue spheroids are a key building block in biofabrication, yet the link between their material properties and active mechanics of individual cells is not fully understood. We study the material properties of small spheroids of human periosteum-derived cells as they effect spheroid fusion, an elementary operation for constructing large tissue structures. We use two-photon confocal microscopy to measure cell-cell tension and individual cell motility throughout fusion. Cytoskeletal inhibition through Y-27632 (ROCKi) results in more granular tissues with decreased cell rearrangements, but accelerated fusion. Further reducing cell contractility with blebbistatin and ROCKi increases tissue granularity, decreases rearrangements, and slows down fusion. In all conditions, complete fusion is associated with frequent cellular rearrangements. Using a novel computational model that represents tissue material as an active cellular foam, with cells depicted as viscous shells with interfacial tension and persistent, random motility, we construct a phase diagram of spheroid fusion in function of relative cell-cell tension and cell motility. Our results reveal a close relationship between microscopic tissue fluidity and the visco-elastic properties of spheroid fusion. Additionally, we find that cell-cell friction promotes arrested fusion by inducing jamming through a distinct physical mechanism. Combined, our findings offer a framework for understanding spheroid fusion dynamics that can aid in the robust generation of large tissue constructs for regenerative medicine.
SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant induces severe damages in the nasal cavity from the first day post-infection in the Syrian hamster model
Authors: Fusade-Boyer Maxime , Gambino Adèle , Merle-Nguyen Laetitia , Saint-Albin Audrey , Ando-Grard Ophélie , Boujedli Younes , Huet Hélène , Gouilh Meriadeg Ar , Martin-Latil Sandra , Klonjkowski Bernard , Meunier Nicolas , Poder Sophie Le
Published: August 2024

SARS-CoV-2 replication initiates in the nasal cavity and can spread to the lower respiratory tract. However, the early physiopathological events that occur in the nasal cavity after infection remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the initial steps of viral infection from 1 day post-infection (dpi) in Syrian hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2 D614G, Delta and Omicron (BA.1) variants and compared them with animals sacrificed at 4 dpi. While the level of viral replication in the nasal turbinates of the three groups of hamsters was equivalent at 4dpi, the amount of viral RNA at 1dpi was higher in D614G- and Delta-infected animals than in the Omicron group. No difference in viral RNA levels or inflammatory markers in the nasal turbinates was observed between D614G- and Delta-infected animals, except for a significantly higher level of IFN-λ in the Delta group at 1dpi. Additionally, histological analysis revealed a more rapid diffusion of the Delta virus reaching the posterior zone of the nasal cavity at 1dpi inducing significant damage to the olfactory epithelium. At the same time, the D614G and Omicron infections were essentially restricted to the anterior part of the nasal cavity with less damage observed. Consistently, viral replication was already effective in the lungs of all Delta- infected hamsters at 1 dpi, but only in two of the six D614G animals. Our results highlight the importance of studying viral infection in the nasal cavity very early after infection with a spatial approach to better understand the physiopathology of the different SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Thermal radiation, Soret and Dufour effects on MHD mixed convective Maxwell hybrid nanofluid flow under porous medium: a numerical study
Authors: Jayaprakash J. , Govindan Vediyappan , Santra S.S. , Askar S.S. , Foul Abdelaziz , Nandi Susmay , Hussain Syed Modassir
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Scientists have been conducting trials to find ways to reduce fuel consumption and enhance heat transfer rates to make heating systems more efficient and cheaper. Adding solid nanoparticles to conventional liquids may greatly improve their thermal conductivity, according to the available evidence. This study aims to examine the influence of external magnetic flux on the flow of a mixed convective Maxwell hybrid non-Newtonian nanofluid over a linearly extending porous flat plate. The investigation considers the effects of thermal radiation, Dufour and Soret.

Design/methodology/approach

The mathematical model is formulated based on the fundamental assumptions of mass, energy and momentum conservation. The implicit models are epitomized by a set of interconnected nonlinear partial differential equations, which include a suitable and comparable adjustment. The numerical solution to these equations is assessed for approximate convergence by the Runge−Kutta−Fehlberg method based on the shooting technique embedded with the MATLAB software.

Findings

The findings are presented through graphical representations, offering a visual exploration of the effects of various dynamic parameters on the flow field. These parameters encompass a wide range of factors, including radiation, thermal and Brownian diffusion parameters, Eckert, Lewis and Soret numbers, magnetic parameters, Maxwell fluid parameters, Darcy numbers, thermal and solutal buoyancy factors, Dufour and Prandtl numbers. Notably, the authors observed that nanoparticles with a spherical shape exerted a significant influence on the stream function, highlighting the importance of nanoparticle geometry in fluid dynamics. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that temperature profiles of nanomaterials were notably affected by their shape factor, while concentration profiles exhibited an opposite trend, providing valuable insights into the behavior of nanofluids in porous media.

Originality/value

A distinctive aspect of the research lies in its novel exploration of the impact of external magnetic flux on the flow of a mixed convective Maxwell hybrid non-Newtonian nanofluid over a linearly extending porous flat plate. By considering variables such as solar radiation, external magnetic flux, thermal and Brownian diffusion parameters and nanoparticle shape factor, the authors ventured into uncharted territory within the realm of fluid dynamics. These variables, despite their significant relevance, have not been extensively studied in previous research, thus underscoring the originality and value of the authors’ contribution to the field.
The impact of COVID-19 stringency measures on emerging stock market stability: Does economic resilience matter?
Authors: Lebdaoui Hind , Kiyadi Ikram , Bendriouch Fatima Zahra , Chetioui Youssef , Lebdaoui Firdaous , Alhayki Zainab
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The current research aims to investigate the impact of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) evolution, government stringency measures and economic resilience on stock market volatility in the Middle East and North African (MENA) emerging markets. Other macroeconomic factors were also taken into account.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on financial data from 10 selected MENA countries, we tested an integrated framework that has not yet been explored in prior research. The exponential generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (E-GARCH) was adopted to analyze data from March 2020 to February 2022.

Findings

Our research illustrates the direct and indirect effects of the virus outbreak on stock market stability and reports that economic resilience could alleviate the volatility shock. This finding is robust across the various proxies of economic resilience used in this study. We also argue that the negative impact of the pandemic on equity market variation gets more pronounced in countries with higher level of stringency scores.

Practical implications

Policymakers ought to strengthen their economic structures and reinforce the economic governance at the national level to gain existing and potential investors’ trust and ensure lower stock market volatilities in times of crisis. Our study also recommends some key economic factors to consider while establishing efficient policies to tackle unexpected shocks and prevent financial meltdowns.

Originality/value

Our findings add to the evolving literature on the reaction of economic and financial markets to the sanitary crisis, particularly in developing countries where research is still scarce. This study is the first of its kind to investigate the stock market reaction to stringency measures in the understudied MENA region.
Letter: Resmetirom for treatment of MASH with children and adolescents
Authors: Zhou Yong‐Hai , Kehar Mohit , Ng Nicholas Beng Hui , Zheng Ming‐Hua
Published: August 2024

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Harrison et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17734 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.18022
Fear of Childbirth After Major Orthopedic Traumas: A Nationwide Multi‐Register Analysis
Authors: Vaajala Matias , Liukkonen Rasmus , Kuitunen Ilari , Ponkilainen Ville , Mattila Ville M. , Kekki Maiju
Published: August 2024

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between previous major traumas and the prevalence of fear of childbirth (FOC) and the subsequent effects of FOC on the intended mode of delivery.

Methods

In this nationwide retrospective register‐based cohort study, data from the Care Register for Health Care were linked with the National Medical Birth Register (MBR) to evaluate the prevalence of FOC after major traumas. A total of 18,573 pregnancies met the inclusion criteria. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess the effects of FOC on the intended mode of delivery. Women with major traumas before pregnancy were compared to individuals with wrist fractures. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% CIs between the groups were compared.

Results

Of those pregnancies that occurred after major traumas, 785 (6.2%) women were diagnosed with FOC after traumatic brain injury (TBI), 111 (6.1%) women after spine fracture, 38 (5.0%) women after pelvic fracture, 22 (3.2%) women after hip or thigh fracture, and 399 (5.2%) women in the control group. Among those women diagnosed with FOC, the adjusted odds for elective CB as an intended mode of delivery were highest among women with previous spine fractures (aOR 2.28, CI 1.45–3.60) when compared to the control group.

Conclusions

We found no evidence of differences in maternal FOC in patients with preceding major traumas when compared to the control group. Therefore, it seems highly likely that the major trauma itself is the explanatory factor for the increased rate of elective CB.
Genetic testing for familial hyperaldosteronism type 1 in Aotearoa/New Zealand
Authors: Elston Marianne S. , Tamatea Jade A. U. , King Richard I. , Florkowski Chris M. , Boyle Veronica
Published: August 2024

Background

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common secondary endocrine cause of hypertension with familial hyperaldosteronism type 1 (FH‐1), a rare heritable subtype. Timely identification of FH‐1 is important because of an increased risk of vascular events in affected individuals and because it provides the opportunity to guide appropriate treatment. Genetic testing is recommended if onset is at a young age (<20 years), there is a family history of PA or early cerebrovascular events occur.

Aims

To assess national rates of testing for FH‐1, whether this varied over time and by region.

Methods

De‐identified data were obtained on genetic testing performed for FH‐1 from 1 April 2010 to 30 October 2023 (163 months) from the Canterbury Health Laboratories database, the sole national testing laboratory for FH‐1.

Results

A total of 147 tests were performed, of which 19 (12.9%) were positive. Eleven of the positive tests were requested by one region. Testing rates varied from 0.00 to 0.63 per 100 000 people per annum. Most tests were requested by endocrinology services. Testing increased over time from an average of 4.6 tests per annum in the first 5 years of the period studied to 17.7 tests in the most recent 5 years. Limitations include lack of ethnicity data, information on testing indications and testing rates for other familial PA subtypes.

Conclusions

Testing for FH‐1 has increased over time but remains low. Testing for familial forms of PA should be considered in those in whom PA was diagnosed at a young age or with a suggestive family history.
Associations between sex, race/ethnicity, and age and the initiation of chronic high‐risk medication in US older adults
Authors: Jungo Katharina Tabea , Choudhry Niteesh K. , Chaitoff Alexander , Lauffenburger Julie C.
Published: August 2024

Background

High‐risk medication use is associated with an increased risk of adverse events, but little is known about its chronic utilization by key demographic groups. We aimed to study the associations between age, sex, and race/ethnicity with new chronic use of high‐risk medications in older adults.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed data from older adults aged ≥65 years enrolled in a national health insurer who started a high‐risk medication between 2017 and 2022 across 16 high‐risk medication classes. We used generalized estimating equations to estimate the associations between sociodemographic classifications and the onset of chronic high‐risk medication use after initiation (≥90 days' supply across ≥2 fills within 180 days). We adjusted the analyses for sociodemographic and clinical patient characteristics and added three‐way interaction terms for race/ethnicity, sex, and age to explore whether the outcome varied across different subgroups of race/ethnicity, age, and sex.

Results

Across 2,751,069 patients (mean age: 74 years [SD = 7], 72% White, 60% Female), 406,075 (15%) became new chronic users of ≥1 high‐risk medication. Compared to White older adults, Asian (RR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.79–0.84), Black (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.90–0.94), and Hispanic (RR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.83–0.86) older adults had a lower risk of becoming new chronic users. Men had a higher risk compared to women (RR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.08–1.10). Age was not significantly associated with new chronic high‐risk medication use (≥75 years: RR = 1.00, 95% CI: 1.00–1.01). We observed differences across some medication classes, like benzodiazepines, first‐generation antihistamines, and antimuscarinics for which non‐White older adults were at a higher risk. The joint presence of specific age, sex, and race/ethnicity characteristics decreased the risk of becoming a new chronic user (e.g., Hispanic/Female/65–74 years: RR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.94–0.99).

Conclusions

New chronic high‐risk medication use varied across older adults by sociodemographic characteristics, suggesting the need to individualize medication optimization approaches and better understand how systematic barriers in access to health care may influence differences in high‐risk medication use in older adults.
Frail Older Adults' Needs and Preferences for Mobile Health Exercise Interventions Guided by Nudge Theory: AQualitative Analysis
Authors: Peng Ruotong , Cao Zeng , Hu Shaolong , Liu Xinzhou , Guo Yongzhen , Li Xiaoyang , Zhang Chi , Feng Hui
Published: August 2024

Aim

To explore frail older adults' preferences and needs regarding mobile health (mHealth) exercise interventions in China. Additionally, it sought to identify the nudge strategies necessary for initiating and sustaining exercise behaviours among frail older adults.

Design

A qualitative study.

Method

The semi‐structured interviews were conducted between April and May 2024 from two communities in Changsha, China. The data were analysed using a deductive framework analysis aligned to nudge theory, and an inductive thematic analysis to gather relevant needs and preferences.

Results

This study involved 14 participants with pre‐frailty or frailty, aged 60–82 years (median age of 64 years). While participants were generally receptive to new technologies, lower levels of health literacy and competing priorities often hindered their participation. Three primary functionality requirements were as follows. (1) Profession engagement: tailored exercise prescription, professional and timely feedback and guidance; (2) personalised knowledge encompassing pain management, successful cases and inspiration; (3) beneficial, tailored, dynamic, fragmented, challenging exercise courses. Participants showed positive attitudes towards simplification nudges, gamification nudges, social nudges, trustworthy nudges, reminder nudges, economic nudges, feedback nudges and pre‐commitment nudges. Addressing privacy concerns was essential to build trust and acceptance among older adults.

Conclusion

These findings emphasised the importance of designing mHealth interventions that address frail older adults' specific needs and preferences while incorporating effective nudge strategies to promote engagement and adherence. Future researchers should explore wearables, ChatGPT language models, virtual coaching assistants, exercise snack to further optimise the experience and analyse the effects of nudges in mHealth exercise interventions among older adults.

Implication for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Exercise systems or app development for frail older adults should meet three basic functionality and essential nudge strategies.

Reporting Method

The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) guidelines were used for reporting.

Patient or Public Contribution

Older adults' engagement and interview data contribute a lot.
An evaluation of the effectiveness of four chemical additives on the fermentation characteristics, in vitro digestibility and aerobic stability of total mixed ration silage based on soy sauce residue
Authors: Xu Guofeng , Li Xinbao , Hu Junfeng , Dong Zhihao , Jia Yushan , Shao Tao
Published: August 2024

The study aimed to compare the impact of four chemical additives on fermentation characteristics, aerobic stability and in vitro digestibility of total mixed ration (TMR) silage based on soy sauce residue. The TMR (35% soy sauce residue + 45% Napier grass + 20% concentrate) was placed into silos (10 L). The experiment followed the completely random design, treated with different chemical additives: (1) distilled water (control); (2) 0.1% potassium sorbate (SP); (3) 0.1% sodium benzoate (SS); (4) 0.5% calcium propionate (SC); (5) 0.5% sodium diacetate (SD). Total of 100 silos (5 treatments × 4 aerobic exposure days × 5 replicates) were ensiled for 60 days. After exposure to the air, the samples were analyzed for the dynamic change of fermentation parameters at 4, 9 and 15 days, and the data was analyzed as repeated measures. The content of butyric acid and ammonia nitrogen was maintained at a low level. The highest (p < 0.05) lactic acid (LA) content and the lowest (p < 0.05) pH value were measured in SP. At the first 4 days of aerobic exposure, TMR silages treated with four chemical additives were more stable relative to the control, as indicated by the low pH value and yeast counts. Furthermore, the highest (p < 0.05) LA content and the lowest (p < 0.05) pH value indicated that SP performed superior aerobic stability compared with other chemical additives. The SP shows higher (p < 0.05) 72 h cumulative gas production (GP72) and in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility (IVNDFD) relative to the control. In conclusion, the SP performed superior in improving fermentation characteristics, aerobic stability and in vitro digestibility of TMR silages based on soy sauce residue.
The integration paradox: Does awareness of the extent of ethno‐racial discrimination increase reports of discrimination?
Authors: Schaeffer Merlin , Kas Judith
Published: August 2024

The “integration paradox” posits that seemingly well‐established immigrants and their descendants tend to report more discrimination compared to their more marginalized peers. This study investigates one potential mechanism for this paradox, namely, the increasing awareness of their group's enduring ethno‐racial minority status. Through a survey experiment with approximately 1000 randomly sampled immigrants and their descendants in Germany, this study provides the first causal evidence for this awareness mechanism. Participants were randomly assigned to read either a news article highlighting ethno‐racial hiring discrimination in the German labor market or an unrelated news article on astrophysics. Our findings demonstrate that exposure to the discrimination‐related article elicits a significant increase in reports of discrimination experienced by members of the groups with whom minorities identify, but also in self‐reported personal experiences of discrimination. This suggests that increased awareness can alter how minorities frame their personal experiences or encourage them to disclose instances of discrimination that they would have previously kept private. The study further reveals that heightened awareness does not translate into a corresponding increase in political demands for improved antidiscrimination policy. Finally, a third experimental condition dispels concerns that news reports downplaying ethno‐racial labor market penalties could stifle minorities' propensity to report discrimination experiences.
Does government response to natural disasters explain violence? The case of the Sendero Luminoso and conflict in Peru
Authors: Mitchell Sara McLaughlin , Pizzi Elise , Millerd Carly , Choi Jeongho
Published: August 2024

Objective

We consider how the Peruvian government's responses to natural disaster events shaped political violence patterns from 1989 to 2020.

Methods

We gather data on government disaster response and compare the effect of positive disaster responses, such as reconstruction and regulation of domestic/international aid, and negative disaster responses, such as neglect or placing restrictions on movement near the affected areas, on violent conflict. To address the endogeneity between armed conflict and disaster responses, we estimate a structural equation model where we allow armed conflicts and disaster responses to be fully endogenous.

Results

Using a structural equation model at the province‐year level, we show that negative disaster responses increase the risks for political violence, while positive disaster responses do not affect the risks for armed conflict. Armed conflict in turn makes negative policy responses to disasters more likely but has no effect on positive disaster responses.

Conclusions

The results suggest that poor government response to natural disasters can foster grievances and aid rebel recruitment, increasing the risks for armed conflicts.
Investigating the Potential of Nighttime Light Data to Estimate Travel Demand
Authors: Sun Chao , Lu Jian
Published: August 2024

Taking the bike‐sharing travel demand (BSTD) as an example, this study investigates the potential of Nighttime Light (NTL) data to optimize forecasting performance and replace the land use factors. Stepwise regression is trained with the travel demand in each unit as the dependent variable, and land use factors are introduced as the independent variable one by one, which finds the set of independent variables. Five machine learning algorithms driven by ensemble learning and decision trees including the GBDT, Random Forecast, Adaboost, Extratrees, and Catboost, are employed and evaluated to achieve comparative analysis of “before considering‐after considering NTL data”. The methodological verification of Beijing city shows: (1) Adaboost and GBDT are superior to all other algorithms, since they generally have the highest R2, lowest RMSE, and lowest absolute MAPE. (2) All methods by employing NTL data obviously optimize the performance of BSTD forecast with decreased RMSE, decreased MAPE, etc. In particular, GBDT performs the best in reducing MSE, with a percentage of −99.99% in the training set and −86.985% in the test set, which AdaBoost, Extratrees, and Catboost follow. (3) Land use factors no longer make sense in predicting BSTD after employing NTL data, and NTL data has covered the roles of land use factors to ensure accuracy. The conclusions presented here enrich our understanding of the relative roles of land use factors and NTL data in travel demand and boost our optimization in traffic prediction in the future.
PROCESSING PARAMETERS OPTIMIZATION OF VACUUM-BAGGING PREFORMING IN OVEN CURE FOR INTER-LAMINAR SHEAR STRENGTH (ILSS) IN GLASS/EPOXY COMPOSITE LAMINATE
Authors: Md Hanafiah Nur Hafzareen , Othman Abdul Rahim
Published: August 2024

Autoclave had been restricted to immense production expenses and overabundant residual stress. These disadvantages had prompted development on the alternative of out-of-autoclave (OoA) processing. The optimization on vacuum-bagging-only (VBO) pre-forming process in producing high inter-laminar shear strength (ILSS) of composite laminate was proposed. The effects of individual and combined pre-forming parameters of VBO-oven cure processing for the conventional low-cost glass/epoxy composite material towards ILSS of cured laminates were quantified. 20 composite panels were manufactured following the designated parameter combinations based on central composite design in fractional factorial for response surface model. Three factors of vacuum debulk duration, edge breather number of sides and intensifier weight were investigated. For validation, two laminates without additional processing parameters were produced via oven (baseline) and autoclave. ILSS test was conducted based on ASTM D 2344. The interaction between combined parameters was analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Lowest ILSS was found in laminates where intensifier was absent, while highest ILSS was measured with edge breather, debulk and intensifier at different levels. An optimum combination of 30 minutes debulk, each sides of edge breather and 1kg intensifier were validated to produce laminate with highest ILSS of 38.96 MPa, which was 23.53% higher than baseline laminate.
THE EFFECT OF NACL ADDITION TO TiO2/NiSe/NC PHOTOCATALYTIC FOR HYDROGEN GAS PRODUCTION
Authors: Ardianti Tiara , Kusumawati Yuly
Published: August 2024

The widespread utilization of fossil fuel has resulted in fuel scarcity due to population growth and increased industrialization, driving the evolution of new renewable energy sources (NRE). Alternatively, hydrogen production through solar water splitting and TiO2 as a potential photocatalyst can be developed due to its good stability, environmental friendliness, and economic viability. However, TiO2 has the disadvantage of a wide bandgap that requires high energy and fast recombination. Therefore, in this research, TiO2/NiSe (TN) was synthesized with N doped carbon dopant modified with NaCl as a photocatalyst material through a solvothermal method. The characterized material using XRD, SEM, UV-DRS, BET, and FTIR. Photocatalytic activity tests were conducted to determine hydrogen production using an MQ8 sensor integrated with an Arduino microcontroller system. The synthesized materials are TN, TNC-0, and TNC-10. The addition of NaCl in carbon doped nitrogen materials of photocatalyst TNC-10 shows a reduction of the bandgap that is the lowest bandgap value obtained was 3.09eV. The photocatalytic activity test results showed a hydrogen production of 120 ppm for TNC-10, which is six-times higher compared to bare TiO2 as a photocatalyst. The increase in hydrogen gas production is due to the addition of NaCl to NC, which can enhance the photocatalytic activity and hydrogen adsorption on the catalyst surface during hydrogen production.
THE EFFECTS OF NaClO2 AND H2O2 AS BLEACHING AGENTS IN THE SYNTHESIS OF CELLULOSE ACETATE FROM OIL PALM EMPTY FRUIT BUNCH
Authors: Sari Odina Nadya , Rahmawati Yeni , Taufany Fadlilatul , Chiu Yu-Cheng , Nurkhamidah Siti
Published: August 2024

Indonesia is one of the largest palm oil-producing countries in the world. The results of palm oil processing produce a lot of waste, such as oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB). The utilization of OPEFB in Indonesia is minimal, so it needs further development. OPEFB has a very high α-cellulose content, so that it can be used as raw material for manufacturing cellulose acetate. Making cellulose acetate from OPEFB consists of three main steps: delignification, bleaching, and acetylation. This study aims to compare the effects of the concentration of NaClO2 or H2O2 in the bleaching process on the physical properties of cellulose acetate from OPEFB. In the delignification process, 100 mesh-sized OPEFB powder is reacted with 5% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 100oC for 2 hours. The residue from deliglinfication was washed using distilled water until pH 7, filtered using filter paper, and dried using an oven at 50oC. The next step is the bleaching process using NaClO2 or H2O2 with concentration variations (1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5%). The bleaching process was carried out at 90oC for 1.5 hours. After filtration, the bleached residue was washed using distilled water until pH 7, filtered using filter paper, and dried using an oven at 50oC. After the bleaching process, α-cellulose powder was produced. The next step is acetylation, containing three main steps. The first step is the reaction between α-cellulose powder with acetic acid (CH3COOH) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) at 40oC for 1.5 hours to perform activation. The second step is the addition of anhydrous cellulose in a ratio of 1:10 and mixed at 40oC for 1.5 hours. The third step is the addition of distilled water, acetic acid, and sodium acetate (CH3COONa) at 40oC for 5 minutes. Then, followed by filtration, the residue was washed using distilled water and methanol until pH 7 and dried at 50oC. The best result is using NaClO2 as a bleaching agent with a concentration of 2%, resulting in cellulose acetate yielding 98.85%, density of 1.954 g/mL, and L value of 91.897 for colorimetric test results. The density and L-value were close to commercial cellulose acetate (Sigma Aldrich). From the results of FTIR analysis, it can be concluded that the acetylation of α-cellulose into cellulose acetate has been successful, as evidenced by the formation of carbonyl groups (C=O).
HYDROGEN GAS RECOVERY THROUGH THE PERMEATION MEMBRANE BASED BIMETALLIC PALLADIUM ALLOY
Authors: Taufany Fadlilatul , Rahmawati Yeni , Altway Ali , Susianto Susianto , Nurkhamidah Siti , Putra Ricky Utama , Rizkullah Faiz , Provito Wahyu Tri Amaliah , Haykal Muhammad Husin
Published: August 2024

Generally, the H2 gas produced from the industrial processes is not in a pure state but is mixed with other compounds. For example, the off-gas produced in the oil refinery process still contains CH4, H2, and other gases. Thus, the process of separating as well as recovering the valuable H2 gas from other gas compounds is of essential process. Currently, the H2 separation process is being developed with relatively low costs with good efficiency, namely using the permeation membranes separation process, in which the compounds with high permeability tends to be more easily separated. Here we report the hydrogen recovery process from the mixed H2/N2 off-gas contains 61 % hydrogen and 39% balancing nitrogen, by using the bimetallic Pd-Ag membrane, where the effect of the gas feed pressure (1 and 2 bar) and operating temperature (373.15, 423.15, 473.15, and 523.15, 573.15 K) on the resulting permeate flux is comprehensively studied. We found that the flux and permeability increased with the increase in the gas feed pressure and temperature. Under the same gas temperature of 373.15 K, the permeation flux at the 2 bar gas feed pressure was found to be 2.047 mol.s-1.m-2, which was 166% greater than that of 1 bar pressure, i.e. 1.204 mol.s-1.m-2. Meanwhile, under the same gas feed pressure of 2 bar, the permeation flux at the operating temperature of 573.15 K was found to be 2.103 mol.s-1.m-2, which is 104,9% greater than that of 373.15 K operating temperature, i.e. 2.047 mol.s-1.m-2. These findings suggest the breakthrough advantages of the Pd-Ag alloy membrane for its high hydrogen permeability at low pressure.
IMPROVING FRESHWATER YIELD FROM SIMPLE SEAWATER DISTILLATION DISPENSERS THROUGH CONDENSER PIPE MODIFICATIONS
Authors: Koswara Engkos , Sonawan Hery , Nuraeni Suryaman Nia
Published: August 2024

The primary objective of this study is to enhance the freshwater production efficiency of a basic seawater distillation apparatus by modifying the condenser pipe. Seawater, initially possessing a salt level of 20%, has undergone treatment via a distillation procedure facilitated by a distillation dispenser. The empirical findings indicated that the utilization of both single and double condenser pipes yielded notable disparities in the generation of freshwater. The initial quantity of freshwater generated by the single condenser pipe was comparatively lower during the course of the trial, whereas the double condenser pipe yielded a greater volume of freshwater over an extended duration. Hence, the careful choice of condenser pipes has the potential to significantly impact the effectiveness and operational capabilities of the distillation dispenser system. The findings of this research offer significant contributions towards the advancement of distillation dispenser technologies that are more efficient, particularly in coastal regions reliant on seawater as a primary water resource. This study has the potential to enhance the accessibility of potable water in regions where obtaining freshwater from natural sources is challenging.
Atypical fractures of the lower extremities in two patients with rheumatoid arthritis: clinical presentations of presumed methotrexate osteopathy
Authors: Petersen Christian Lund , David Marc , Stilgren Lis , Ennis Zandra Nymand
Published: August 2024

We present two patients who developed multiple lower limb stress fractures. Potential causes, such as osteoporosis, malignancies and disturbances in calcium metabolism were investigated. This led the physicians to consider whether methotrexate (MTX) exposure posed a risk of atypical fractures.

The association between MTX and lower limb fractures has been described in at least 80 cases in the literature. Stress fractures associated with MTX treatment are atypical of osteoporosis and located in the lower extremities, most often the tibia. The limited data suggest that discontinuation of MTX may improve symptoms and chances of fracture healing, while antiresorptive or osteoanabolic therapies have not proven clinically efficient. It seems evident, however, that the benefits of MTX treatment in rheumatological disease clearly outweigh the risk of MTX osteopathy and related fractures.
Central congenital diaphragmatic hernia presenting as intestinal obstruction
Authors: Farhan-Alanie Ziad , Sreedharan Loveena
Published: August 2024

Presentation of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in adulthood is rare. Further, most cases are attributable to Bochdalek and Morgagni hernias with central tendon hernias being particularly uncommon. We report a case of central congenital diaphragmatic hernia in an adult presenting as large intestinal obstruction and respiratory failure. Open repair of the hernia was performed, which brought about the resolution of the patient's symptoms. This case report highlights the possibility for congenital diaphragmatic hernia to present in adulthood and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment in these situations.
Atypical presentation of oral and laryngeal tuberculosis in an adolescent
Authors: Medhi Ratan , Akhtar Hanifa , Shunyu Neizekhotuo Brian , Jamil Md
Published: August 2024

Extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis (TB) in the adolescent population in the head and neck region may be atypical in the site of involvement, symptomatology and clinical presentation. We report a case of the management of oral and laryngeal TB in an early adolescent female who presented with ulceration over the palate and tonsillar region with uvula destruction and laryngeal symptoms and aim to highlight the atypical extrapulmonary manifestations of TB in the head and neck region in adolescent age group.
Research on Innovative Modes of College English Teaching Based on Data Mining and Intelligent CAI
Authors: Feng Jie
Published: August 2024

In the era of big data, student learning data have become an important basis for evaluating teaching effectiveness and guiding teaching direction. However, in the current English teaching process in many universities, there is still insufficient collection, organization, and analysis of student learning data. This makes it difficult for teachers to comprehensively and accurately grasp the learning situation and needs of students, thus being unable to provide targeted teaching guidance. Data mining technology provides teachers with the possibility of gaining a deeper understanding of student learning by collecting and analyzing a large amount of teaching data. The intelligent CAI system can automatically adjust teaching content and difficulty based on students’ English proficiency and learning progress, providing tailored learning resources for students. This study proposes an innovative English teaching model based on data mining and intelligent CAI. By collecting learning data from students, including learning duration, grades, interactive behavior, etc., data mining algorithms are used for in-depth analysis to reveal their learning characteristics, difficulties, and interests. These analysis results not only help teachers better understand the learning status of students, but also provide strong support for optimizing teaching content and personalized teaching. Meanwhile, this study also focuses on the application of intelligent CAI technology in college English teaching. The intelligent CAI system provides personalized learning resources and real-time feedback to students by simulating the teaching behavior of human teachers. The system can intelligently recommend learning materials and arrange learning plans based on the learning situation and needs of students, and provide timely guidance and assistance when students encounter problems. This personalized learning approach can stimulate students’ interest in learning and improve learning efficiency.
Magnetized dissipative Soret-Dufour effects on Walter’s-B fluid flow over a stretching sheet with nonuniform heat source/sink and thermal radiation under chemical reaction
Authors: Naduvinamani N. B. , Basha Hussain , Singh Vithal
Published: August 2024

The main motivation behind this numerical analysis is to disclose the salient magneto-thermo characteristic features of two-dimensional viscous incompressible magnetized Soret and Dufour effects on the boundary layer flow of Walter’s-B fluid over a stretching sheet under the influence of viscous dissipation. The novel physical effects such as nonuniform heat source/sink and magnetic Ohmic heating are included in the governing equations. Further, prescribed surface temperature condition is introduced in the boundary conditions to describe the thermal transport features. However, the deployed non-Newtonian Walter’s-B fluid rheology model finds its innumerable applications in numerous areas of science and engineering including electronic cooling, polymer processing, nuclear reactor cooling, extraction of polymer sheet, plastic sheet drawing, chemical engineering, metallurgy, injection molding and many more. Therefore, authors have motivated with these applications and advantageous of considered fluid model. Hence, an effort is made to describe the dynamic characteristic features of non-Newtonian Walter’s-B rheology model about a stretching sheet. However, present physical flow model produces highly nonlinear coupled two-dimensional partial differential equations and which are not acquiescent to available analytical methods. Owing to this, a robust MATLAB-based BVP4C technique is deployed to produce the appropriate numerical solutions through suitable similarity transformations. The graphical representations of velocity, temperature and concentration profiles along with skin-friction coefficient, Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are presented. Magnifying magnetic number decays the velocity profile and enhances the thermal and concentration fields. Rising viscoelastic parameter diminishes the thermal and concentration fields and magnifies the velocity field. Rising the radiation parameter diminish the thermal field. Magnifying Soret number raises the concentration field. Rising the space and temperature dependent heat source/sink coefficient amplifies the thermal diffusion field. Magnifying Dufour and Eckert numbers amplifies the thermal field. Finally, the guarantee and accuracy of the investigated problem is presented through a comparison with previous studies.
Quadratic Systems Possessing an Infinite Elliptic-Saddle or an Infinite Nilpotent Saddle
Authors: Artés Joan C. , Mota Marcos C. , Rezende Alex C.
Published: August 2024

This paper presents a global study of the class [Formula: see text] of all real quadratic polynomial differential systems possessing exactly one elemental infinite singular point and one triple infinite singular point, which is either an infinite nilpotent elliptic-saddle or a nilpotent saddle. This class can be divided into three different families, namely, [Formula: see text] of phase portraits possessing three real finite singular points, [Formula: see text] of phase portraits possessing one real and two complex finite singular points, and [Formula: see text] of phase portraits possessing one real triple finite singular point. Here, we provide a comprehensive study of the geometry of these three families. Modulo the action of the affine group and time homotheties, families [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are three-dimensional and family [Formula: see text] is two-dimensional. We study the respective bifurcation diagrams of their closures with respect to specific normal forms, in sub-sets of real Euclidean spaces. The bifurcation diagram of family [Formula: see text] (resp., [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) yields 1274 (resp., 89 and 14) sub-sets with 91 (resp., 27 and 12) topologically distinct phase portraits for systems in the closure [Formula: see text] (resp., [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) within the representatives of [Formula: see text] (resp., [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) given by a specific normal form.