bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
When Intruder Comes Home: GM and GE Strategies to Combat Virus Infection in Plants
Authors: Rahman Adeeb , Sanan-Mishra Neeti
Published: January 2024

Viruses are silent enemies that intrude and take control of the plant cell's machinery for their own multiplication. Infection by viruses and the resulting damage is still a major challenge in the agriculture sector. Plants have the ability to fight back, but the ability of viruses to counteract and mutate at a fast rate helps them to hide from the host response. Therefore, classical approaches for introgressing resistance genes by breeding have obtained limited success in counteracting the virus menace. Genetic modification (GM) based strategies have been successful in engineering artificial resistance in plants. Several different approaches based on pathogen derived resistance, antisense constructs, hairpin RNA, double stranded RNA etc. have been used to enhance plant resistance to the virus. Recently, genome editing (GE) strategies mainly involving the CRISPR/Cas mediated modifications are being used for virus control. In this review, we discuss the developments and advancements in the GM and GE based methods in tackling virus infection in plants.
Megasphaera elsdenii: Its Role in Ruminant Nutrition and Its Potential Industrial Application for Organic Acid Biosynthesis
Authors: Cabral Luciano da Silva , Weimer Paul J
Published: January 2024

The Gram-negative, strictly anaerobic bacterium Megasphaera elsdenii was first isolated from the rumen in 1953 and is common in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. Its ability to use either lactate or glucose as its major energy source for growth has been well documented, although it can also ferment amino acids to ammonia and branched-chain fatty acids, which are growth factors for other bacteria. The ruminal abundance of M. elsdenii usually increases in animals fed grain-based diets due to its ability to use lactate (the product of rapid ruminal sugar fermentation), especially at low ruminal pH (< 5.5). M. elsdenii has been proposed as a potential dietary probiotic to prevent ruminal acidosis in feedlot cattle and high-producing dairy cows. However, this bacterium has also been associated with milk fat depression (MFD) in dairy cows, although proving a causative role has remained elusive. This review summarizes the unique physiology of this intriguing bacterium, and its role of in ruminal community function and in the health and productivity of the host animal. In addition to its effects in the rumen, the ability of M. elsdenii to produce C2-C7 carboxylic acids – potential precursors for industrial fuel and chemical production, is examined.
Towards A Sustainable Transport System: Exploring Capacity Building for Active Travel in Africa
Authors: Lartey Desmond , Glaser Meredith A.
Published: January 2024

The promotion of active travel is deemed a crucial component of the transition to sustainable urban mobility. Several barriers hinder its policy implementation and uptake. Some evidence suggests that capacity building could be a useful tool for deepening sustainability efforts. However, a clear framework for understanding the dimensions of capacity building for active travel is lacking. Most research and findings use cases within a Global North context, constricting implications and transferability to the Global South, especially to African cities. This study responds to the dearth of scholarly work exploring Global South cases and fills a knowledge gap regarding capacity building in the case of active travel.

Through a literature review, this study examines the dimensions of capacity building that are necessary to improve active travel in selected African countries. We focus on multilevel trans-portation governance, with highlights from five (5) African cities. Our findings suggest that the literature and policies on transport in Africa have key dimensions for capacity building for active travel but lack the introduction of key instruments and strategic pathways to meet these requirements for improved sustainable mobility. We propose a thematic guiding framework under three (3) levels of governance for integrating capacity building for active travel policies and implementation at institutional, individual, and environmental levels.
Analysis of the Volatile Metabolome and Transcriptome in Sweet Basil Under Drought Stress
Authors: Zhou Yuan , Ma Guangying , Xie Lupeng , Zhan Shuxia , Yao Xingda , Zuo Ziwei , Tian Danqing
Published: January 2024

Basil, renowned for its aromatic properties, exhibits commendable drought tolerance and holds significant value both as an edible and medicinal plant. Recognizing the scarcity of studies addressing basil’s response to drought stress, we undertook a comprehensive analysis of the volatile metabolome and transcriptome of sweet basil across four distinct levels of drought stress. Our metabolic analysis meticulously identified 830 metabolites, with 215 differentially accumulated metabolites discerned. Notably, the primary constituents of sweet basil volatiles exhibited minimal alterations, while the differentially accumulated metabolites were predominantly lipids and terpenes. The transcriptome analysis unveiled 27,181 differentially expressed DEGs, with a predominant focus on metabolic pathways and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Integrating insights from both transcriptome and volatile metabolomic analyses highlighted the pivotal roles of Alpha-linolenic acid, flavonoid, and lignin metabolism in fortifying the resistance of sweet basil against drought stress. This holistic approach not only enriches our understanding of the molecular intricacies underpinning basil’s drought resistance but also furnishes valuable insights for the molecular breeding of basil varieties endowed with enhanced drought tolerance.
Low-Glycemic Load Diets and Thyroid Function: A Narrative Review and Future Perspectives
Authors: Partsalaki Ioanna , Markantes Georgios K , Michalaki Marina A
Published: January 2024

Nutrition and calorie intake are associated with subtle changes of thyroid function tests in subjects with intact Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid axis. Iodine deficiency and extreme fluctuations in calorie intake, such as those occurring during periods of starvation or overfeeding could lead to alterations of thyroid hormones. The dietary macronutrient composition could also influence the thyroid function. Recently, Low-Glycemic Load (LGL) diets are very popular and effective in the treatment and/or prevention of several medical conditions, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and epilepsy. In this review, we report the available data from the literature regarding the association between LGL diets and thyroid function or dysfunction. Unfortunately, there are only a few studies in this field, with inconsistent findings.
Ancient Residences in Zarafshan Oasis
Authors: UROKOVA DILDORA
Published: January 2024

In this article, you will get acquainted with ancient settlements in the Bukhara region and settlements found at the foot of the Zarafshan River. In addition, the settlements of urbanized peasant and artisan families belonging to the ancient Sugdian culture are also covered. Just as Egypt was called "the gift of the Nile" in ancient times, Buhoro oasis can also be called the gift of the Zarafshan river. Because this land on the banks of the river itself, first of all, as a result of thousands of years of Zarafshan was created due to the turbidity that flowed. The innumerable streams, lakes and ponds formed by its floods played a major role in the formation of the nature of the oasis and its development. It is known that when the ice age ended and the weather started to warm, the thick glaciers and eternal snows that covered the mountain ranges of Turkestan, Khisor and Zarafshan melted, and huge floods formed from them, roared down the Zarafshan river. His depicted floods of those times reminded of the legendary "Noah's flood". At that time, Zarafshan flowed over a very wide area in its valley. Its right bank washes the Payarik and Khatirchi hills in the present Samarkand region, and the left bank washes the Pastdargom and Kattakurgan hills. Not a single drop of this large stream was wasted in the upper and middle parts of the Zarafshan valley and was used for farming and agriculture, it broke through the narrow Khazora dar band near the present city of Navoi and flowed into the cone-shaped Bukhoro oasis. Ancient Khitfar (Vobkent-Darya), Rudnzor (Shakhrud) in Bukhara oasis. Korakuldaryo, Mokhondaryo and Taikir formed several branches and flowed along the entire voka. At that time, the valley part of Bukhoro region was formed from the lakes and swamps formed by the flood waters of Zarafshan.They are covered with thick bushes, thickets and orchards. A wealth of information has been collected on the history of the ancient nature of the people of the country and the development of its unique culture, as well as the formation of self-interested cattle breeding and farming farms, as well as the emergence of large and small villages and cities. The data serve as the main source not only for the history of the emergence of the city of Bukhara, but also for the study of the emergence of the process of urbanization in the Zara Valley and its specific characteristics.
Accelerated CognitiveWarfare via the Dual Use of Large Language Models
Authors: Nguyen Tam
Published: January 2024

Cognitive Warfare (CogWar) is another form of warfare where the goal is to exploit cognition facets to disrupt, undermine, influence or modify human decisions. Famous examples include “Operation Gidlock” meddling with the US 2016 election, and CogWar campaigns assisting the annexation of Crimea. As Large Language Model(LLM)-based applications expand, reaching more users and their cognitive states, stealth Malicious Cognitive Behavioral Tactics (MCBT) can be embedded in trusted application sessions to systematically profile, then alter, each individual’s cognition over time. Successful MCBT can create more cases like Snowden, mass shootings, or January6. This short-form paper discusses a novel MCBT threat model, a novel kill chain, and an on-going prototype for demonstration.
Associations of the Single Bovine Embryo Growth Media Metabolome with Successful Pregnancy
Authors: Tsopp Elina , Kilk Kalle , Taalberg Egon , Pärn Pille , Viljaste-Seera Anni , Kavak Ants , Jaakma Ülle
Published: January 2024

This study investigated whether metabolomic fingerprints of bovine embryo growth media improve the prediction of successful embryo implantation. In this prospective cohort study, the metabolome from in vitro produced Day 7 blastocysts with successful implantation (n=11), blas-tocysts with failed implantation (n=10), and plain culture media without embryos (n=5) was in-cluded. Samples were analyzed using AbsoluteIDQ® p180 Targeted Metabolomics Kit with LC-MS/MS, and a total of 189 metabolites were analyzed from each sample. Blastocysts that re-sulted in successful embryo implantation had significantly higher levels of methionine sulfoxide (p<0.001), DOPA (p<0.05), spermidine (p<0.001), acetylcarnitine to free carnitine ratio (p<0.05), C2+C3 to free carnitine ratio (p<0.05), and lower levels of threonine (nep<0.001) and phosphati-dylcholine PC ae C30:0 (p<0.001) compared to control media. However, when compared to embryos that failed to implant, only DOPA, spermidine, C2/C0, (C2+C3)/C0 and PC ae C30:0 levels differentiated significantly. In summary, our study identifies a panel of differential metabolites in the culture media of bovine blastocysts that could act as potential biomarkers for the selection of viable blastocysts before embryo transfer.
A Child Born Late: Neonatal and Paediatric Compilations Related to Post-Dated Pregnancy
Authors: Patadia Charmee , Desai Dev
Published: January 2024

This article presents a narrative review of neonatal and paediatric complications in post-dated pregnancy and covers scientific views on the aetiology, pathology, risk factors, symptoms and complications of post-dated pregnancy. A pregnancy extending beyond 42 weeks of gestation is termed as a post term pregnancy. There are multiple complications that can occur in the perinatal period, some of the most common ones are stillbirth, asphyxia, meconium aspiration syndrome, fetal distress syndrome, etc which are found to be greater in post-dated pregnancy and hence ultimately leads to increased mortality and morbidity of the new born. Studies have shown that post-term pregnancy also causes increased risk of developing behavioural and emotional problems in children of paediatric age group. It is surprising not much importance has been given to the maternal and neonatal consequences of post- term pregnancies. It is not well understood why some women experience post-dated pregnancies. It is found that factors such as hormones and genetic build up, are responsible for causing post-term pregnancy in an obese female. The treatment and management of a post-term pregnancy still poses a challenge to clinicians in determining the right choice and right time for a particular intervention so that both mother and fetus can be prevented from having complications.
Port Expansion Project and Sustainable Mobility: Secure Road Transport Fluidity at Access Gates Through Simulation
Authors: Ben Daya Bechir , Audy Jean-François
Published: January 2024

In response to growing industrial demands, necessitated by larger ships and increased cargo volumes, many port authorities worldwide are undertaking a significant expansion of their infrastructure to increase their capacity. Significant expansion raises challenges such as potential congestion and environmental concerns, especially for port located in urban area as the case study explored in this paper. To address these issues, the study employs a combination of scenario analysis developed in collaboration with the port authority and logistic system simulation. This approach assesses the capacity of existing access gates to handle the increased trucking traffic and optimizes the unloading process of construction trucks at a new terminal. Key findings suggest that while the current gate capacities are adequate, optimizing unloading times at the new terminal is critical to prevent road congestion in urban area before the gate and reduce negative impacts such as sound and atmospheric pollution. The study advocates for an appointment system during peak hours to manage traffic flow effectively and underscores the importance of collaboration between the city and port authorities in managing truck traffic to mitigate congestion on the city side. Nonetheless, the study recognizes certain constraints, including the incomplete evaluation of the influence of intermodal transport on truck traffic. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the need for future research to consider the correlation between vehicle numbers and service levels, aiming to effectively adjust the time in the system.
Gis Health Services, a Proposed Management Model in Public Health. A Case Study Applied to the Conditions Imposed by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Authors: Lupu-Dima Lucian , Edelhauser Eduard
Published: January 2024

The current context has proved unequivocally that public health is one of the pillars of society, playing a determining role and being a balancing factor. This study aimed to provide additional evidence supporting the use of geographic information systems in and from public health. For the study, the authors use public data from the Transparency COVID-19 data set at the Romanian level, which they process with the QGIS application, to effectively determine the influence of the location of the vaccination centers, respectively the impact on the incidence of COVID 19. The research carried out, which generated 153 maps, allows the statement, that reports based on the geographical location of data collected from the public health system are easier to analyze and to evaluate the effectiveness of the decisions taken. By analyzing the evolution of some public health indicators, that are difficult to correlate through analytical relationships, this study offers, as the main finding, an additional argument for the use of geographic information systems in public health management. As the limitations of research in the simulation component are relevant, further research is needed to provide the necessary evidence to convince about the effectiveness of using geographic information systems to optimize outcomes in the public health system. For this reason, it is necessary that the data structures in the public system, to be built and collected in a comprehensive way, with an optimal level of granularity.
Parameter optimization of Friction Pendulum Bearings Based on the Adaptive Genetic Algorithm Considering the Overall Evolutionary Status
Authors: Yin Guanghua , Ma Minglei , Jia Peng , Ma Xinxu
Published: January 2024

Improper design of friction pendulum bearings can lead to poor seismic reduction performance and may result in the failure of local vulnerable components. And the parameter design of friction pendulum bearings mainly relies on experience and verification calculations at present. This paper proposes an adaptive genetic algorithm considering the overall evolution state of the population, adjusting crossover and mutation probabilities adaptively based on individual fitness and population diversity. Compared to traditional algorithms, it exhibits better global search capabilities and convergence efficiency. Combining the improved genetic algorithm with finite element models, a parameter optimization method is proposed. The parameters of friction pendulum bearings are optimized, providing reference for the design of seismic isolation devices.
The Influence of Biomechanics in the Treatment of Posterior Sterno‐Clavicular Joint Dislocations
Authors: Quattrini Fabrizio , Maniscalco Pietro , Asti Chiara , Puma Pagliarello Calogero , Caggiari Gianfilippo , Pes Marco , Ciatti Corrado
Published: January 2024

Posterior dislocations of the sterno-clavicular joint (SCJ) are rare events, most commonly due to motor vehicle accidents or sports injuries and they often occur in young and active patients. This injury can represent a real emergency because of the vital structures located posterior to the medial clavicle such as anonymous artery, anonymous vein, trachea, subclavian artery and vein, esophagus and thoracic duct. The diagnosis could be insidious given the not peculiar clinical presentation and it is often necessary to perform a computed tomography to identify it. In case of failure of reduction maneuvers, the surgical treatment becomes a mandatory choice, but unfortunately literature reports a restricted cohort of cases and proposes different stabilization techniques without showing a significant comparison of results. Moreover, due to the rarity and high risk of complications, other than the lack of knowledge about the injury and its repair techniques, the management of these injuries are mutually discharged from orthopedic surgeon to the thoracic surgeon and vice-versa. A deep study of the joint anatomical characteristics and its biomechanics allow the surgeon to face surgery more safely, choosing the most appropriate technique. Given the importance of the SCJ for the movement of the shoulder girdle, authors believe that the surgeon’s goal should be to restore the complete range of movement of the joint in case of dislocation. For this reason, stabilization with semitendinosus tendon graft has to be considered one of the best solutions at our disposal to date.
Bulk and Single-Cell RNA-seq Elucidates Etiology of Severe COVID-19
Authors: Huminiecki Lukasz B
Published: January 2024

COVID-19 was an inflammatory pneumonia caused by a respiratory infection with a coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2. Severely ill COVID-19 patients could die of acute pulmonary and systemic inflammation. Thus, there was a theory that long COVID-19 shared many similarities with systemic autoimmune diseases. There was also a theory that the SARS-CoV-2 virus could infect many cell- and tissue-types distributed throughout multiple organ systems of the body. I aim to review the above theories using unbiased high-throughput datasets cataloguing gene expression. Studies reviewed used the technology of next generation sequencing, either as bulk tissue RNA sequencing, or as single-cell RNAs sequencing; ingenious methods for signal deconvolution were then used to identify individual cell types. Datasets reviewed suggested that severe COVID-19 induced expression of genes associated with pro-inflammatory signaling, tissue development or remodeling, scarring, or cell death. The datasets also provided evidence for several inflammatory syndromes associated with COVID-19, such as neuronal COVID, acute respiratory disease syndrome, vascular inflammation, or multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Indeed, inflammatory signal during severe COVID-19 was reported in many cell types, for example in structural cells, in infiltrating immune cells, in the vascular system, or in circulating cells in the blood. There was also frequently a change in proportions of immune cell-types in the blood, epithelial cells in the lungs, or among infiltrating immune cells.
Economical Aspects of the Mechanical Pre-treatment Role in the Precious Metals Recovery from Electronic Waste
Authors: Blumbergs Ervins , Shishkin Andrei , Markus Karlis , Serga Vera , Goljandin Dmitri , Klauson Artur , Abramovskis Vitalijs , Baronins Janis , Zarkov Aleksej , Pankratov Vladimir
Published: January 2024

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) make up 3 to 5% of all electronic waste. The metal content of spent PCBs can reach 40%. They usually contain valuable metals - Ag, Au, Pd, as well as other metals such as Cu, Sn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Ni and Mn. However metallic part of whole PCB is 40-60% including Cu layers between the fiberglass-polymer layers. The paper describes economics of the the valuable metals (Ag, Au, Pd) containing concentrate preparation from raw PCB. Considered the influence of pre-treatment method of PCB before the extraction of valuable metals on the extraction self-cost change. The disintegration method is based on the high-energy impact of the particles of the material to be ground, thus causing the separation of the metallic components of the PCB. In the course of the work, single and double direct grinding by the method of disintegration was studied. For the calculation the test batch 10’000 kg of two types of PCB were taken for estimation of the self costs and potential profit in case of complete valuable metals (Ag, Au, Pd) plus Cu extraction. Is shown that from 10’000 kg of studied PCB is possible to obtain 1144 and 1644 kg of metal-rich concentrate, which further should be subjected to electro-hydrochlorination for metals leaching. The main findings shows, that despite of high content of Cu in studied PCB, the commercial value is insignificant in total income from the Ag, Au and Pd sale. Was established correlation of the self-cost decrease after separative disintegration of PCB by metal content increase (by specific metals such as Au, Ag, Pd and also Cu) with the metal potential yield after extraction.
Advanced Medical Image Segmentation Enhancement: A Particle Swarm Optimization-Based Histogram Equalization Approach
Authors: Saifullah Shoffan , Dreżewski Rafał
Published: January 2024

Accurate medical image segmentation is paramount for precise diagnosis and treatment in modern healthcare. This research presents a comprehensive study on the efficacy of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) combined with Histogram Equalization (HE) preprocessing for medical image segmentation, focusing on Lung CT-Scan and Chest X-ray datasets. Best Cost values reveal the PSO algorithm’s performance, with HE preprocessing demonstrating significant stabilization and enhanced convergence, particularly in complex Lung CT-Scan images. Evaluation metrics, including Accuracy, Precision, Recall, F-Score, Specificity, Dice, and Jaccard, show substantial improvements with HE preprocessing, emphasizing its impact on segmentation accuracy. Comparative analyses against alternative methods, such as Otsu, Watershed, and K-means, confirm the competitiveness of the PSO-HE approach, especially in Chest X-ray images. The study also underscores the positive influence of preprocessing on image clarity and precision. These findings highlight the promise of the PSO-HE approach in advancing the accuracy and reliability of medical image segmentation, paving the way for further research and method integration to enhance this critical healthcare application.
Interleukin-6 as a predictive factor of pathological response to FLOT regimen systemic treatment in locally advanced gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) or gastric cancer (GC) patients
Authors: Marcisz-Grzanka Katarzyna , Kotowicz Beata , Nowak Aleksandra , Winiarek Mariola , Fuksiewicz Malgorzata , Kowalska Maria , Tysarowski Andrzej , Olesinski Tomasz , Palucki Jakub , Sulkowska Urszula , Kolasinska-Cwikla Agnieszka , Wyrwicz Lucjan Stanislaw
Published: January 2024

Background: Perioperative treatment is a gold standard in locally advanced gastric cancer or GEJ cancer in western population. Unfortunately, the response rate after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) remains limited. Moreover, there are currently no biomarkers enabling an individual prediction of therapeutic efficacy. The aim of this study was identification of serum biomarkers of early response to NAC.
Methods: We conducted this prospective study in the MSCNRIO, in Warsaw, Poland. A total of 71 patients and 15 healthy volunteers signed informed consent. Complete blood count, blood chemical tests, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) carcinoma antigen 125 (CA125), carcinoma an-tigen 19.9 (CA19.9), d-dimer, fibrinogen (F) were measured at baseline and before every cycle. Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured in a pilot group of 40 patients at baseline and before cycle two (C2) and cycle three (C3).
Results: Of all the measured parameters, only IL-6 serum level was statistically significant. The IL-6 level before C2 of chemotherapy was significantly decreased in complete pathological re-sponse (pCR) vs non-pCR group (3.71 pg/mL vs 7.63 pg/mL, p=0,004). In all patients with IL-6 levels below 5.0 pg/mL in C2, tumour regression TRG1a/1b according to Becker classification and ypN0 were detected in postoperative histopathological specimens. The IL-6 level before C1 of chemotherapy was significantly elevated in ypN+ vs ypN0 (7.69 pg/mL vs 2.89 pg/mL, p=0.022).
Conclusions: The trial showed that elevated level of IL-6 prior to treatment and C2 might be a predictor of pathologic response to NAC.
Blasting fun with Gamification in Corporate Training
Authors: Triantafyllou Serafeim
Published: January 2024

Gamification is the use of game mechanics in non-game situations. It is a solution to which businesses are turning more and more, since, among other things, it also responds to the individual's need for fun. What are the prevailing trends and to what extent can it be exploited in the period we are going through? This paper tries to contribute to a better understanding of gamification with main aim to help employees in their work, and businesses to achieve goals and be more competitive.
Characterizing Land Surface Temperature (LST) through Remote Sensing Data for Small-Scale Urban Development Projects in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
Authors: Ahmed Maram , Aloshan Mohammed A. , Mohammed Wisam , Mesbah Essam , Alsaleh Naser A. , Elghonaimy Islam
Published: January 2024

Given the context of global climate change, a worldwide increase in land surface temperature (LST) is anticipated, leading to the exacerbation and broadening of its impacts. This could jeopardize the environmental conditions in countries with a predominantly hot and harsh climate, such as Bahrain, one of the Cooperation Countries (GCC) nations. Conversely, Bahrain is currently experiencing significant population growth, leading to a surge in demand for land to accommodate the construction of additional residential developments. This circumstance allows investigation of the potential impact of land use and land cover alterations on the variation in Land Surface Temperature (LST). In order to accomplish this objective, a residential development project was executed within the timeframe spanning from 2013 to 2023. Four sets of Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS remote sensing datasets were selected, with each set corresponding to one of the four climate seasons. Each set consisted of two images: one capturing the study area before the commencement of the development process and the other depicting the study area after the completion of the development. The study area was analyzed by extracting the land surface temperature (LST), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and normalized difference built-up index (NDBI) on various dates. Subsequently, correlation and regression analysis were employed to examine the interrelationships among these three variables. The findings demonstrated a notable rise in the mean land surface temperature throughout the spring and autumn seasons following the conclusion of land development activities. The findings indicate a positive and robust association between LST and NDBI across all seasons. Moreover, this relationship strengthened following the completion of development activities in the area. Conversely, there was a negative correlation between LST and NDVI prior to the region's development, which transformed into a positive relationship post-development. These results provide empirical support for the notion that small-scale residential developments contribute to a notable increase in LST, primarily driven by the expansion of impervious surfaces in built-up areas. The findings can potentially contribute to the formulation of localized adaptation strategies for small-scale residential development projects.
On the Sums over Inverse Powers of Zeroes of the Hurwitz Zeta-Function, and Some Related Properties of These Zeroes
Authors: Serguei Sekatski
Published: January 2024

Recently, we have applied the generalized Littlewood theorem concerning contour integrals of the logarithm of analytical function to find the sums over inverse powers of zeroes for the incomplete Gamma- and Riemann zeta- functions, polygamma functions, and elliptical functions. Here, the same theorem is applied to study such sums for the zeroes of the Hurwitz zeta-function , including the sum over the inverse first power of its appropriately defined non-trivial zeroes. We also study some related properties of the Hurwitz zeta-function zeroes. In particular, we show that for any natural N and small real epsilon, when z tends to n=0, -1, -2… we can find at least N zeroes of zeta in the - vicinity of 0 for sufficiently small epsilon, as well as one simple zero tending to 1, etc.
Pengembangan Media Cerita Bergambar Untuk Meningkatkan Keterampilan Membaca Pemahaman Pada Pembelajaran Bahasa Indonesia Kelas IV Sekolah Dasar
Authors: Husna Zulfa A'yunul , Salimi Moh , Suryandari Kartika Chrysti
Published: January 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk: (1) mendeskripsikan pengembangan media cerita bergambar, (2) mengidentifikasi kelayakan media cerita bergambar, (3) menganalisis keefektifan penggunaan media cerita bergambar. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode RnD dengan model ADDIE (analyze, design, development, implementation, evaluation). Instrumen pengumpulan data yang digunakan berupa wawancara, observasi, angket, dan tes (pretest dan posttest). Teknik analisis data dalam penelitian ini yaitu analisis data kuantitatif, analisis data kualitatif, dan uji keefektifan media cerita bergambar (n-gain dan effect size). Hasil penelitian yaitu pengembangan media cerita bergambar ini melalui beberapa tahapan antara lain: analyze, design, development, implementation, evaluation.  Media cerita bergambar ini berhasil dikembangkan, dibuktikan dengan hasil penilaian dari para ahli yaitu sebesar 88 % dengan kriteria sangat layak, hasil perhitungan n-gain pada kelas eksperimen sebesar 78,2 % dengan kriteria sangat efektif, hasil perhitungan effect size sebesar 1,81 dengan kriteria sangat besar, dan perbandingan persentase rata-rata keterampilan berkomunikasi siswa kelas ekperimen lebih tinggi dari pada persentase rata-rata keterampilan berkomunikasi pada kelas kontrol. Kesimpulan pada penelitian pengembangan ini media cerita bergambar layak digunakan dalam pembelajaran dan efektif untuk meningkatkan keterampilan membaca pemahaman dan berkomunikasi siswa kelas IV.

 

 
Penerapan Model Problem Based Learning untuk Meningkatkan Keterampilan Proses IPA Tentang Zat Tunggal dan Zat Campuran pada Siswa Kelas V
Authors: Fitrianingsih Iis , Rokhmaniyah Rokhmaniyah , Suryandari Kartika Chrysti
Published: January 2024

Penelitian ini mengulas tentang keterampilan proses IPA pada siswa kelas V SD. Jenis  penelitian ini yaitu penelitian tindakan kelas, dengan tujuan mendeskripsikan langkah penerapan model Problem Based Learning untuk meningkatkan keterampilan proses IPA yaitu orientasi masalah, pengorganisasian, pembimbingan, penyajian hasil, dan analisis evaluasi pemecahan masalah. Subjek diambil dari guru dan siswa dengan berjumlah 28 siswa, dengan 11 siswa laki-laki dan 17 siswa perempuan. Data yang dipakai kualitatif dan kuantitatif. Teknik pengumpulan data berupa observasi. Alat pengumpulan data berupa lembar observasi. Teknik uji validitas berupa triangulasi sumber dan teknik. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan reduksi, penyajian, penarikan kesimpulan data. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa persentase keterampilan proses siswa meningkat dilihat dari hasil observasi yang menunjukkan bahwa siswa telah berani berpendapat, berkomunikasi, dan bereksperimen Kesimpulan penelitian ini adalah penerapan model Problem Based Learning dapat meningkatkan keterampilan proses IPA tentang zat tunggal dan zat campuran pada siswa kelas V SD Negeri 1 Bumirejo tahun ajaran 2022/2023.

 
Pengaruh Pola Asuh Demokratis Orang Tua dan Kepribadian Guru terhadap Karakter Siswa
Authors: Prasetyaningsih Astuti , Rokhmaniyah Rokhmaniyah , Husni Muhammad
Published: January 2024

Membentuk karakter siswa merupakan salah satu tujuan pendidikan nasional Indonesia. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pola asuh demokratis orang tua dan kepribadian guru terhadap karakter siswa kelas III SD se-Gugus Kartini Kecamatan Purworejo. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah 191 siswa dengan sampel 129 siswa. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kuantitatif dengan analisis data yang digunakan yaitu uji prasyarat, analisis regresi dan perhitungan koefisien korelasi dengan taraf signifikansi α = 0,05. Hasil penelitian: (1) Ada pengaruh positif dan signifikan antara pola asuh demokratis orang tua terhadap karakter siswa dengan persamaan regresi Y = 25,572 + 0,760X. Pengaruh pola asuh demokratis orang tua terhadap karakter siswa sebesar 44,8%. (2) Ada pengaruh positif dan signifikan antara kepribadian guru terhadap karakter siswa dengan persamaan regresi Y = 27,150 + 0,708X. Pengaruh kepribadian guru terhadap karakter siswa sebesar 53,1%.  (3) Ada pengaruh positif dan signifikan antara pola asuh demokratis orang tua dan kepribadian guru terhadap karakter siswa dengan persamaan regresi Y = 16,816 + 0,327X1+0,501X2. Pengaruh pola asuh demokratis orang tua dan kepribadian guru secara bersama-sama terhadap karakter siswa sebesar 56,9%. Hal ini membuktikan bahwa ada pengaruh positif dan signifikan dari ketiga variabel penelitian yaitu pola asuh demokratis orang tua, kepribadian guru, dan karakter siswa.
Influence of Project Champions on Sustainability of Early Childhood Development Projects: Case of Baby-Friendly Community Initiative in Dagoretti North Constituency Nairobi County Kenya
Authors: Obulemire Kepha Emmanuel , Sagwa Evans Vidija
Published: January 2024

The aim of the study was to find out the influence of project champions on the sustainability of Early Childhood Development (ECD) projects, a case of the Baby-Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI) project in Dagoretti North Constituency Nairobi County, Kenya. The study was guided by the system approach theory. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population was made up of 507 BFCI project stakeholders while the sample size was 211. The researchers used self-administered questionnaires to collect quantitative data while an interview guide was used to collect qualitative data in the research. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Data collected from the study was analyzed with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 23.0). Triangulated qualitative data was analyzed through themes and content analysis. The study found that project champions determine the sustainability of ECD projects with a high correlation value. Indicators like commitment, confidence level, influence on the community, and the connections a project champion has in the community play a significant role in the sustainability of projects. In-depth discussions with the key informants indicated the importance of project champions. Regression analysis indicated that project champions were significant in predicting the sustainability of ECD Projects. The study recommends that project champions should be appreciated through tokens to motivate them to champion community projects and be involved in planning projects to ensure to take into account the cultural contexts.
Effectiveness and Significance of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in the Diagnosis of Thyroid Swelling: A Single Institute Experience in a Series of 710 Patients
Authors:   ssociateProfessor,DepartmentofPathology, ShriSathyaSaiMedicalCollegeesearchInstitute,Chennai, TamilNadu603108India., Chandrakumari Abilash Saidharannair , sinha Pammy ,   Professoread,Departmentof Pathology, ,Sriakshmi Narayana Institute of Medical Science Medical College ospital,Puducherry605502,India., Singaravelu Shree Lakshmi Devi ,   ssociateProfessor,DepartmentofPharmacology, ShrisathyasaiMedicalCollegeesearchInstitute,Chennai, TamilNadu603108India., Kumar Jai ,   Professor,DepartmentofPharmacology,Sriakshmi Narayana Institute of Medical Science Medical College ospital,Puducherry605502,India.
Published: January 2024

Context: Thyroid swelling is a relatively common problem encountered in clinical practice throughout the world. Early detection of thyroid neoplasm is the fundamental basis of thyroid screening. A quest for ease, simple and accurate diagnostic tool that would differentiate between benign and malignant lesion has facilitated fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) as the first line tool in the initial thyroid evaluation. Aims: The study was aimed at classifying thyroid lesions according to the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology and to compare the diagnostic efficacy of fine needle aspiration cytology by correlating with gold standard histopathology. Settings and Design: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of two years in a tertiary hospital, Kerala. Methods and Material: A total of 710 patients were included in the study. FNAC was performed and Staining was performed with Haematoxylin & Eosin (H&E), Papanicolaou and May-Grünwald Giemsa Stains. Diagnosis was made based on TBSRTC. Excision biopsies were fixed in 10% formalin. Statistical Analysis used: IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Software version 21 was used to perform Pearson Chi-square test and Fischer Exact. Results: In this study 592 (83.4%) cases of non-neoplastic lesions, 111 (15.6%) cases of neoplastic lesions and seven cases were found unsatisfactory for diagnosis. FNAC showed high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing neoplastic thyroid lesions and it showed high level of significance in diagnosing papillary thyroid carcinoma. Conclusions: FNAC is an excellent diagnostic tool in the management of thyroid lesions since it provides rapid diagnosis with high accuracy rate.
Incidence of Stab Injury Related Deaths in Transkei Sub-Region of South Africa (1993-2015)
Authors:   Research Associate, Department of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6031 South Africa., Meel B
Published: January 2024

Background: Sharp instrument injury is a preventable public health problem in South Africa. The Transkei region is not only different geopolitically from the rest of South Africa, but also in terms of injury patterns. It experiences a high rate of injuries, which is generally underestimated and underreported. Objective: To study the incidence of stab injury related deaths in the Transkei sub-region of South Africa over a period of 23 years (1993-2015). Method: A record review from 1993 to 2015 was undertaken of 24 419 medico-legal autopsies performed at Mthatha Forensic Pathology Laboratory. Results: Between 1993 and 2015 autopsies were performed on 26 855 victims of unnatural death, of these, 5 205 (19.38%) were victims of stab injury, which ranked second among all causes of unnatural death in the Transkei sub-region of South Africa. The average death rate as a result of stab injury was 33.1 per 100 000 of the population annually. Males outnumbered females (ratio 9.7:1). Most stabbings (2118 - 40.92%) occurring in the study period of 23 years were recorded among young adults between 21 and 30 years of age. Conclusion: The stab injury death rate is increasing in the Transkei sub-region of South Africa. The situation needs urgent intervention to save lives.
Awareness about Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act among The Married Women: An Observational Cross Sectional Study
Authors:   Professor and Head, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe Patil Foundation's Medical College, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra 414111, India., Kadu Sandeep S , Jain Sejal Jitendra ,   2nd year Student, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe Patil Foundation's Medical College, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra 414111, India.
Published: January 2024

Foetal sex determination and sex-selective abortions by medical professionals has grown today into a thousand crore industry. In the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (Regulation and Misuse) Act, 1994 amendment was done and titled as Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (Prohibition of sex selection) Act (PC-PNDT ACT) 2003 for improvement in technology-related sex determination regulation. Aims and Objectives: 1. To find out awareness about PCPNDT Act among the married women in the community and to determine their sociodemographic factors influencing this awareness. 2. To assess the reasons for gender Based family composition and violation of laws. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based observational study was carried out among the married women in the reproductive age group attending Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe Patil Memorial Hospital in Ahmednagar District. The 100 study participants were administered a preformed questionnaire of about ten questions on the PCPNDT Act. The data obtained was analyzed and expressed in percentage, and statistical analysis was done. Results: The majority of the participants (81%) were aware of the act amended by the Government for the prevention of female feticide. A large number of participants (60%) would prefer to know the sex of their unborn child, and also 9% of them would terminate the pregnancy if the sex was revealed to be a female. A large number of participants (85%) were aware that there is punishment for both doctors who facilitate and patients who seek pre-natal sex determination. Conclusion: The study found that most of the participants were aware of the possibility and techniques of pre-natal sex determination. More than half of the participants were aware of the law enacted by the Government. Still, they should be educated about the importance of maintaining the falling sex ratio and prevention of female feticide.
Reliability of Post Mortem Pericardial Fluid Troponins for Diagnosis of Myocardial Infarction
Authors:   Research Scholar, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka 560002 India., Naidu Shravanthi A , MP Pradeep Kumar ,   Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka 560002 India., Mallappa Lakshmibai B ,   Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka 560002 India., Biligi Dayanand S ,   Professor and Head, Department of Pathology, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore, Karnataka 560002 India.
Published: January 2024

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic role of postmortem pericardial fluid cardiac troponins in cases of sudden cardiac death and to determine its significance. Methods: This study included totally 30 cases, of which 23 were cases of sudden cardiac death and 7 were control cases. In the following cases, along with age, gender, as well as circumstance of death, level of cardiac troponin I In pericardial fluid, cytological analysis of the fluid as well as post mortem findings of the coronary arteries were all analyzed. Levels of troponin I were assessed with the help of a rapid card test which worked on the principle of sandwich immunoassay. It detects a minimum amount of 0.5ng/ml of cTnI in samples. Results: In the 30 cases among which the study was conducted, the mean age was 44 years of age, with the majority of the cases lying between the ages of 41–50 (37%). It was also found that the majority of them were males (86.7%) as compared to females (13.3%). The mean time interval between death and sample testing came up to 11 hours, with the majority of the cases being between 16–20 hours time interval (37%). On correlation of rapid card test results and gross post mortem findings, the test showed a sensitivity of 86.7% and specificity of 20%. Conclusion: From statistical analysis it could be inferred that the frequency of MI was more in males than females, and in the age group of 41–50. The rapid card test had an appreciable sensitivity, but the specificity inferred there could be various situations in which there could be elevated troponins in pericardial fluid. This infers that while a case of myocardial infarction has a higher chance of showing elevated levels of cardiac troponin in pericardial fluid, a case of sudden death can not be reliably diagnosed as AMI on the basis of elevated troponins alone. There must be correlation between clinical, histopathological and cardiac marker findings.