bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on reliability of hydromechanical gearboxes of city buses in operating conditions
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Orekhov V. V.
Published: August 2023

The article considers the problem of reliability of hydromechanical gearboxes of city buses with the terms of replacement of transmission oils regulated by the manufacturer, which negatively affect operational efficiency and efficiency in real conditions. The motor transport company has collected and processed information statistics on failures, malfunctions and repair activities in the part of hydromechanical gearboxes of city buses, which has been accumulated during operation. Reliability studies of hydromechanical gearboxes of city buses have been carried out. The list of considered hydromechanical gearboxes of city buses for research is summarized. Mathematical expressions are presented for calculating the values of reliability and durability indicators, namely, the main parameters are calculated - the number of failures or malfunctions, the average time to failure, the average resource, the standard deviation, the coefficient of variation, and the failure flow parameter. The key graphs of reliability and durability indicators of the analyzed hydromechanical transmissions of city buses are shown. Schedules for the distribution of nonfailure operating time, the allocation of resources before repair, as well as changes in the probability of repair of hydromechanical gearboxes of city buses are compiled. The scientific and technical groundwork for further promising research in this area is outlined.
Identification of electricity transit disruption factors in the external power supply system and its recharge through the contact network
Authors:   Irkutsk State Transport University (ISTU), Puzina E. Y. , Khudonogov I. A. ,   Irkutsk State Transport University (ISTU)
Published: August 2023

One of the most difficult emergency modes is feeding the place of a short circuit in the external power supply system through the contact network in case of disconnection of a transit power line, which causes appearance of equalizing currents. In this case, it is proposed to use a combination of directional current protection that reacts not only to the amount of current in the protected line, but also to the direction of the short-circuit current, i.e., to the phase of the current in the line relative to the bus voltage and protection against excess voltage in any of the phases. In order to determine the signs of the specified mode, mathematical modeling of a section of the electrified 2×25 kV railway was performed in the Fazonord software package. During the simulation, the values of equalizing currents, power over-flows, voltages in the circuit nodes, and voltage asymmetry coefficients of the reverse sequence were obtained for the case of feeding the external power supply system through the contact network. In order to determine the factors that make it possible to identify the phenomenon of recharge of the external power supply system from the contact side when the transit of the power line breaks, it is proposed to use InTer-27.5-FVV terminals in combination with rupture monitoring based on the information and measuring complex «Black Box-2000», by which, based on the calculation of the voltage asymmetry coefficient of the reverse sequence, in cases of exceeding the set point value, a signal is transmitted to the control room.
About the current directions of railway logistics development at the testing ground of the Central transport hub
Authors:   Russian University of Transport (RUT-MIIT), Romenskaya Maria V. , Ershov Andrey D. ,   Russian University of Transport (RUT-MIIT), Sokolov Mikhail Yu. ,   Russian University of Transport (RUT-MIIT), Arustamova Anna R. ,   Russian University of Transport (RUT-MIIT)
Published: August 2023

The article discusses the prospects for the development of freight transportation in the Moscow transport hub. The rapid population growth of the agglomeration dictates the need for the development of suburban-urban rail transportation, which imposes significant restrictions on preservation of freight operation of stations within the city of Moscow. For these reasons, it is necessary to search for new approaches to organization of cargo delivery by rail in Moscow and the Moscow region. Conclusions are drawn that the development of a terminal network for container transportation should be accompanied by introduction of new approaches to cargo traffic management based on the principles of synchromodality. It is recommended to develop logistics technologies based on the technology of accelerated freight transportation with involvement of freight flows currently serviced by road transport on railway transport.
Modeling and research of the automated warehouse system using role-based robotics
Authors:   Ural state university of railway transport (USURT), Dmitriev Nikita V.
Published: August 2023

The article considers application of the role-based management strategy on the example of solving the problem of warehouse automation using mobile robots. The modernization option of existing electric forklifts is proposed by adding electronic and information components to the design, swarm control algorithms are developed. Simulation of the multi-agent system was performed in the Webots environment. The study showed that with the increase in the number of agents, the execution time of the technological task decreases until it reaches a certain limit.
Analysis of dispersion of chemical composition of bogie cast side frames
Authors:   Ural state university of railway transport (USURT), Antropova Tatiana A.
Published: August 2023

The statistical processing of dispersion of the chemical composition of bogie cast side frames on the example of manganese and sulfur is given in the article. The analysis of dispersion of chemical characteristics allows to increase the strength properties of cast parts of freight car bogies. According to the results of the analysis, it was revealed that the parameters under consideration are a random variable, and the use of statistical methods that take this fact into account is aimed at increasing the strength and optimizing the composition of structural materials.
Simulation of locomotive safety devices operation through navigation and communication equipment
Authors:   Ural state university of railway transport (USURT), Tsunin Denis V. , Khudoyarov Dmitry L. ,   Ural state university of railway transport (USURT)
Published: August 2023

Currently, to improve the level of railway traffic safety, the most urgent thing is to develop locomotive safety devices through navigation and communication equipment. Such systems include the system of interaction with the locomotive via technical radio communication, which exchanges information with the locomotive in motion using self-diagnostic data. The article discusses the functions and arrangement of the safety systems improved by installing a temperature measurement sensor of the traction electric motor EDP-810 of the electric locomotive 2ES6. The results of the study on measuring the temperature of the electric motor are presented, the approximate location of the sensor installation is selected. Solutions for improving the quality of monitoring the technical condition of locomotives and further improving the operation, maintenance and repair process are presented.
Analysis of the reasons for disengagement of freight trains at the testing ground of the Sverdlovsk railway
Authors:   Ural state university of railway transport (USURT), Timukhina Elena N. , Kashcheeva Natalia V. ,   Ural state university of railway transport (USURT), Amanov Maxim M. ,   Ural state university of railway transport (USURT)
Published: August 2023

Every year, more than 1,600 trains become abandoned or disengaged on JSC “Russian Railways”’s network. This reduces the operational performance of railways, and also leads to non-fulfillment of obligations for the delivery of cargo. The article provides a thorough study of this problem and the analysis of the reasons for disengagement of freight trains at the testing ground of the Sverdlovsk railway.
Classification of Pneumonia from Chest X-ray Images Using Keras Module TensorFlow
Authors: Arisgraha, S.T., M.T. Franky Chandra Satria , Rulaningtyas Riries , Kusumawardani Miranti Ayudya
Published: August 2023

Pneumonia is a respiratory disease caused by bacteria and viruses that attack the alveoli, causing inflammation of the alveoli. This study aims to examine the ability of the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model to classify pneumonia and normal x-ray images. The method used in this research is to construct a CNN model from scratch by compiling layers one by one with the help of the Keras TensorFlow module, which consists of a Convolution layer, MaxPooling layer, Flatten layer, Dropout layer, and Dense layer. Data used in this research is from Guangzhou Women and Children Medical Center, Guangzhou, China. The total data used is 200 images divided into 160 test data, 20 training data, and 20 validation data. From the results of the research conducted, the model has the fastest processing speed of 9.6ms/epoch with a total of 20 epochs. The model has the highest accuracy value of 77% in the training process and an accuracy value of 80% in the testing process. The highest sensitivity value is 1.54 in training and 1.6 in testing. The highest specificity value is 0.77 in training and 0.8 in testing. It can be said that the model can do good classification.
The Influence of Self-efficacy on Organizational Commitment and Ethical Behavior: The Role of Job Satisfaction
Authors: Aryati Ana Sofia , Armanu
Published: August 2023

Objective: This study aims to analyze the effect of self-efficacy on organizational commitment and ethical behavior. Furthermore, this study also examines the mediating role of job satisfaction in determining the relationships. 
Design/Methods/Approach: This study was carried out on healthcare and administrative staff. The sample size and respondents were determined using the Slovin formula and selected through random sampling. The data collected was analyzed using PLS analysis.
Findings: The findings reveal that self-efficacy positively and significantly affects ethical behavior and organizational commitment. Additionally, job satisfaction plays a role in mediating the connection between self-efficacy and organizational commitment. Similarly, the analysis shows that job satisfaction mediates the link between self-efficacy and ethical behavior.
Originality: The novelty of this study lies in the influence of self-efficacy on organizational commitment and ethical behavior. Previous studies mainly analyzed the influence of self-efficacy on other variables, in which none of them had combined the two variables, along with job satisfaction as a mediation variable. In particular, this study is novel as it analyzes job satisfaction for workers in a Regional General Hospital, in which prior studies only focused on other non-health institutions or companies.
Practical/Policy implication: Optimizing communication and institutionalizing ethical and moral values will improve workers' self-efficacy. Institutions should focus on maintaining job satisfaction, including work, rewards, supervision, co-workers, and promotion opportunities, to promote employee commitment and ethical behavior.
Strategies to Improve Brand Awareness Through Social Media Marketing
Authors: Azizan Nadirah , Ismail@Chik Hanis Zulaika , Fadzli Aida Maisarah , Ishar Nor Irvoni Mohd
Published: August 2023

Objective: The objective of this study consists of; 1) To understand the current situation of an Event Organizer Company (EOC), 2) To examine the influences between Electronic Word-of-Mouth (EWOM), advertisement, interaction, and customization, with brand awareness among the EOC clients, and 3) To recommend strategies to increase brand awareness among the EOC clients.
Design/Methods/Approach: Using the applied research approach, a situational analysis was used to gather information before survey questions were used to capture data. In this correlational study, which takes a quantitative method, individuals are the analytical unit. This research involved 108 clients in total. A 25-item questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale was given to clients living in the Klang Valley in order to gather data. This research used regression analysis to analyze the data and two strategic tools (SWOT Analysis & TOWS Matrix) for data analysis.
Findings: The results show that EWOM, advertising, and interaction have a positive influence on brand awareness. In contrast, the influence of customization on brand awareness was found to be statistically insignificant.
Originality: This study's value lies in the fact that researchers examined the factors that influenced the EOC's brand awareness and provided recommendations to the company, such as increasing audience engagement and creating appealing social media content and advertisements. This research paper highlights a specific problem within the company in the event management industry that has not been addressed in prior studies.
Research Practical: The four critical factors in this research are EWOM, advertisement, interaction, and customization. The results of this study can be used as guidelines, and the researchers' suggested strategies can help the EOC increase awareness of its brand.
Intellectual capital and firm’s financial distress risk: Evidence from developed and developing countries
Authors: Pradana Radifan Wisnu , Chalid Dony Abdul
Published: August 2023

Objective: This study aims to examine the effect of intellectual capital on financial distress risk in developed and developing countries.
Design/Methods/Approach: This study adopts a quantitative approach that focuses on investigating the effect of intellectual capital on the risk of financial distress by employing data from 266 companies listed on the India stock Exchange and 1164 companies listed on the Japan Stock Exchange during the period from 2017 to 2021. Panel data regression is employed to conduct the statistical analysis.
Findings: The results confirm that firms in developing and developed socioeconomic backgrounds with stronger intellectual capital are less likely to face financial distress. While the overall impact of intellectual capital on the risk of financial distress appears consistent, the magnitude of each category of intellectual capital varies depending on the economic circumstant. The influence of human capital efficiency in reducing financial distress risk is observed to be stronger in developed countries when comparing the value of the regression coefficient. In contrast, capital-employed efficiency has a greater impact on lowering financial distress risk in emerging nations.
Originality: This study uses the Adjusted VAIC (Value-Added Intellectual Coefficient) method, which incorporates research and development data in measuring structural capital, addressing criticisms faced by the original VAIC method. This study also explores the association between intellectual capital and the risk of financial distress, offering insights into the predictive value of intellectual capital indicators for identifying financially distressed companies. This research examines two countries with differing socioeconomic development and emphasizes intellectual capital's role in developing and developed economies. Additionally, utilizing the Z-Score measurement, adapted for emerging markets in the case of India, provides a comprehensive assessment of the financial distress risk.
Practical/Policy implication: Based on the results, managers should prioritize financial investments that impact the organization's resources, considering the influence of capital employed on intellectual capital. Although less influential, human capital remains significant, thereby emphasizing the importance of investing in employee development and fostering collaboration. While innovation capital may not exhibit statistical significance, creating an environment that supports innovation still holds considerable value.
A Comprehensive Dataset for Bibliometric Analysis of Sustainable Entrepreneurship with Augmented Bibliometric Approach
Authors: Perwitasari Dian , Nurrahmawati An , Susanto Heri
Published: August 2023

Objective: The issue of Sustainable Entrepreneurship (SE) has attracted significant attention in recent years, aligning with the concerted global efforts to carry out the SDGs for 2030. Hence, this study aimed to analyze state of the art in SE research to navigate the result of international publication trends regarding SE for 20 years.
Design/Methods/Approach: This study uses bibliometric analysis to explore the evolution of streams of 338 papers from the Scopus database spanning from 2003 to 2022, including identifying the evolution of publications, contributions of authors, countries, and core journals to a field. In addition, we use the Augmented Bibliometric Approach by mapping and visualizing trend analysis of bibliographic coupling, co-citation, and co-author relationships of datasets, using VOSviewer 1.6.19.
Findings: The result showed a consistent upward trajectory in publications from 2015 onwards. Furthermore, our study showed influential authors, papers, countries, and journals within this domain.
Originality/Value: This study contributes to elucidating the evolution of SE, serving as a valuable resource for future studies, aiding in the formulation of theoretical frameworks, and facilitating advancements in this area.
Practical/Policy implication: Given the results, managers should apply various techniques to minimize the negative impact of their business continuity, a strategic approach towards the triple bottom line. Practitioners and policymakers should be able to interpret innovations in sustainability assessment systems further to enable them to formulate policies, strategies, and guidelines to promote the sustainable development agenda (SDGs).
Risk Tolerance: Heuristic Bias Towards Investment Decision Making
Authors: Sudirman Wahyu Febri Ramadhan , Winario Mohd , Priyatno Arif Mudi , Assyifa Zubaidah
Published: August 2023

Objective: This study aims to examine how risk tolerance influences the role of overconfidence bias and availability bias in investment decision-making. Because of the complexities of the investment decision-making process, this study attempts to investigate psychological variables in the investment decision-making process.
Design/Methods/Approach: This study used the Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) analytic approach using the SmartPLS 3 program and survey data provided online to stock investors, with a total of 303 samples obtained. The study applied CMB preventive techniques to decrease common method bias (CMB).
Findings: The results indicate a positive and significant mediating role of risk tolerance on the effect of overconfidence bias and availability bias toward investment decision-making.
Originality/Value: This research seeks to explore the process of making investment decisions by taking into account the psychological aspects of investors by using a more comprehensive Bounded rationality theory point of view. This study tested the mediation mechanism of risk tolerance in bridging the influence of heuristic bias on investment decision-making, which has not been explored much by previous studies.
Practical/Policy implication: The findings can guide investors to consider how they make biased investment decisions and help investment managers assess the appropriate level of investment risk.
How does ESG explain excess returns in emerging market? An Asset-Pricing Approach
Authors: Mulialim Clarissa , Madyan Muhammad
Published: August 2023

Objective: Previous studies found several important risk factors for the capital market in explaining stock performance. However, most studies only consider conventional investment factors without considering sustainable ones. This study examines Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance’s effect as a risk factor in a multi-factor model.
Design/Methods/Approach: This study employs secondary data from the company’s financial reports, annual reports, and Thomson Reuters ESG score data. The sample for this study were companies listed on the LQ45 index during the 2015-2019 period, which were selected using the purposive sampling method and produced a selection of 19 non-financial companies that met the criteria.
Findings: The results show that ESG negatively affects 21 out of 30 portfolios, and the four-factor ESG model is better at explaining excess returns than the three-factor Fama-French model.
Originality/Value: This study provides new insights by including ESG as a risk factor in the three-factor Fama-French model in explaining stock returns. The existence of the ESG variable allows us to identify whether sustainability is an essential determinant in explaining the average portfolio return. This study adds new insights, where using sustainability reports in the form of ESG can capture cross-sectional variations in stock returns, not only on market factors, size factors, and book-to-market factors.
Practical/Policy implication: Given the established evidence that ESG factors can mitigate risk, investors are encouraged to thoroughly evaluate a company’s sustainability report to assess the efficacy of its ESG performance. For managers of companies, this serves as the foundation for developing strategies that will enhance the long-term profitability and sustainability of the organization.
The Imaginary Universe
Authors: Łukaszyk Szymon
Published: August 2023

Maxwell’s equations in vacuum provide the negative speed of light $-c$, which leads to imaginary Planck units. However, the second, negative fine-structure constant $\alpha_2^{-1} \approx -140.178$, present in the Fresnel coefficients for the normal incidence of electromagnetic radiation on monolayer graphene, establishes the different, negative speed of light in vacuum $c_2 \approx -3.06 \times 10^8~\text{[m/s]}$, which introduces imaginary Planck units different in magnitude from those parametrized with $c$. It follows that electric charges are the same in real and imaginary dimensions. We model neutron stars and white dwarfs, emitting perfect black-body radiation, as \textit{objects} having energy exceeding their mass-energy equivalence ratios. We define complex energies in terms of real and imaginary natural units. Their imaginary parts, inaccessible for direct observation, store the excess of these energies. It follows that black holes are fundamentally uncharged, masses of charged neutron stars and white dwarfs satisfy $M \lesssim 5.7275 \times 10^{-10}~[\text{kg}]$, and the radii of white dwarfs' cores are limited to $R_{\text{WD}} \lesssim 3.3967~R_{\text{BH}}$, where $R_{\text{BH}}$ is the Schwarzschild radius of a white dwarf mass. It is conjectured that the maximum atomic number $Z=238$. A black-body \textit{object} is in the equilibrium of complex energies if its radius $R_\text{eq} \approx 1.3833~R_{\text{BH}}$, which is close to the photon sphere radius $R_{\text{ps}}=1.5~R_{\text{BH}}$, and marginally greater than a locally negative energy density bound of $4/3~R_{\text{BH}}$. Complex Newton’s law of universal gravitation, based on complex energies, leads to the black-body object's surface gravity and the generalized Hawking radiation temperature, which includes its charge. The proposed model takes into account the value(s) of the fine-structure constant(s), which is/are otherwise neglected in general relativity, and explains the registered (GWOSC) high masses of neutron stars' mergers and the associated fast radio bursts (CHIME) without resorting to any hypothetical types of exotic stellar \textit{objects}.
Industrial Hemp as a Potential Fibrous Raw Material for European Kraft Pulp Mills (EKPM) – A Review
Authors: Danielewicz Dariusz
Published: August 2023

The issue of suitability of industrial hemp (IH) for large-scale European pulp mills, referred to in this study as EKPM mills, was discussed, taking into account the causal, cultivation, technological, and application aspects of this issue. The work showed that there are premises for the use of non-wood fibrous raw materials (NFRM) in these mills. As for the IH, it was found that IH stalks are the best IH FRM for EKMP. There are few cultivation factors (CF) favouring the use of IH stalks in them and few, though important (e.g., small cultivation areas), factors not conducive to this use. Most of the technological factors (TF) favour the use of IH in EKPM, apart from the large differences in the length of the IH bast and woody-core fibres. The analysis of application factors (AF) indicates lower usefulness of IH than wheat/rye/triticale straws, Miscanthus giganteus, Virginia mallow, and kenaf due to the much greater availability of these cereal straws than IH and less variation in fibre length of cereal straw, Miscanthus giganteus, Virginia mallow, and kenaf than in IH stalks. The presence of IH variety/ies with fibre lengths more similar to wood would reduce the number of TF and AF factors unfavourable to their use in EKPM.
Unraveling the Intricate Mechanisms: Regulation and Secretion of Glucagon in Response to Nutrient Composition
Authors: Zhang Jiudan , Zheng Yang , Martens Lisa , Pfeiffer Andreas F.H
Published: August 2023

In the context of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), fasting and postprandial hyperglucagonemia have long been linked to the disease's development and progression. However, recent studies have brought to light the positive impact of glucagon-agonists on lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis. This review delves into the intricate relationship and underlying mechanisms between glucagon and nutrient composition, which may hold promise in devising novel therapeutic approaches for T2DM management.
Local Energy Velocity of the Air-Core Modes in Hollow-Core Fibers
Authors: Pryamikov Andrey
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we consider the behavior of the local energy flow velocity of the fundamental air – core mode at the core – cladding boundary in two types of hollow – core fibers: hollow – core fibers with a negative curvature of the core boundary and single – capillary fibers with similar geometrical parameters. It is demonstrated that the behavior of both axial and radial components of the local energy velocity of the fundamental air – core mode is completely different for these two types of hollow – core fibers. The negative curvature of the core boundary leads to an alternating behavior of the radial projection of the local energy velocity and a decrease by two orders of magnitude compared to the values of this projection for a single capillary. In our opinion, this behavior of the local energy velocity of the fundamental air – core mode is caused by a periodic set of Poynting vector vortices that appear in the cladding capillary walls.
Vibrational Effects on the Acoustic Performance of Multi-Layered Micro-Perforated Metamaterials
Authors: Maury Cédric , Bravo Teresa
Published: August 2023

Broadband noise reduction over the low-mid frequency range in the building and transportation sectors requires compact lightweight sound absorbers of typical sub-wavelength size. The use of multi-layered closely-spaced (micro-)perforated membranes or panels, if suitably optimized, contribute to these objectives. However, their elasticity or modal behaviors often impede the final acoustical performance of the partition. The objective of this study is to get insights into the vibrational effects induced by elastic limp membranes or panels volumetric modes on the optimized sound absorption properties of acoustic fishnets and functionally-graded partitions (FGP). Cost-efficient global optimization of the partition total frequency-averaged dissipation is achieved from simulated annealing with vibrational effects included through an impedance translation method. Critical coupling analysis reveals how the membranes or panels vibrations redistribute the locations of the Hole-Cavity resonances as well as their cross-coupling with the panels first volumetric mode. It is found that elastic limp micro-perforated membranes broaden the first pass-band of acoustic fishnets while smoothing out the dissipation ripples over the FGP optimiza-tion bandwidth. Moreover, the resonance frequency of the first panels mode sets an upper limit to the broadband optimization of FGPs, up to which high dissipation, low reflection and low trans-mission can be achieved.
Impacts of Natural Selection on Evolution of Core and Symbiotically Specialized Genes in the Polytypic Species Neorhizobium galegae
Authors: Karasev Evgeny S. , Sergey Hosid L. , Aksenova Tatiana S. , Onishchuk Olga P. , Kurchak Oksana N. , Dzyubenko Nikolay I. , Andronov Evgeny E. , Provorov Nikolay A.
Published: August 2023

Nodule bacteria (rhizobia) represent a suitable model to address a range of evolutionary prob-lems including the tradeoff between genetic polymorphism and natural selection. Rhizobia possess the complicated genomes in which symbiotically specialized (sym) genes differ in their natural histories from core genes encoding for housekeeping functions. Diversification of sym genes is responsible for the rhizobia microevolution which depends on the host-induced natural selection. For the rhizobia speciation, diversification of core genes is responsible for which the selective factors are unclear.
In this paper we demonstrate that in the goats’ rue rhizobia (Neorhizobium galegae) populations collected at North Caucasus and composed of two host-specific biovars orientalis and officianalis (N2-fixing symbionts of Galega orientalis and G. officinalis, respectively), evolutionary mechanisms are different for core and sym genes. In both N. galegae biovars, core genes are more polymorphic than sym genes. In bv. orientalis, evolution of core genes occurs under the impacts of driving se-lection (dN/dS > 1), while evolution of sym genes is close to neutral (dN/dS ≈ 1). In bv. officinalis, evolution of core genes is neutral, while for sym genes, it is dependent on purifying selection (dN/dS < 1). A marked phylogenetic congruence of core and sym genes revealed using the ANI analysis may be due to a low intensity of gene transfer within and between N. galegae biovars. Polymorphism of both gene groups and the impacts of driving selection on the core gene evolu-tion are more pronounced in bv. orientalis than in bv. officianalis reflecting the diversities of re-spective host plant species. In bv. orientalis, highly significant (P0 < 0,001) positive correlation was revealed between the p-distance and dN/dS values for core genes, while in bv. officinalis this cor-relation is lowly significant (0,05 < P0 < 0,10). For sym genes, correlation between the p-distance and dN/dS values is negative in bv. officinalis but is not revealed in bv. orientalis. These data along with the functional annotation of core genes implemented using the Gene Ontology tools sug-gests that evolution of bv. officinalis is based mostly on adaptation for in planta niches while in bv. orientalis evolution presumable depends on adaptation for soil niches. New insights into the tradeoff between natural selection and genetic diversity are presented suggesting that the gene polymorphism may be extended by driving selection only in the ecologically versatile organ-isms capable to support a broad spectrum of gene alleles in their genepools.
Seroprevalence and associated Risks of Hepatitis E Virus Infection in an Epidemic Context in the Region of Kédougou, Southeast Senegal
Authors: Sadio Bacary Djilocalisse , Faye Martin , Gaye Aboubacry , Diagne Cheikh T. , Ndiaye Oumar , Sow Bocar , Fall Gamou , Faye Oumar , Mbengue Alassane , Faye Ousmane , Dia NDongo , Sall Amadou Alpha , Sow Abdourahmane
Published: August 2023

Rapid proliferation of traditional gold mining sites in Kédougou a Southeast region in Senegal, led to mass population migration from the neighboring West African countries and rapid expansion of small mining villages with poor hygiene and sanitation conditions. An outbreak of hepatitis E was reported in 2014 with several cases of febrile jaundice among traditional mine workers. In this study, we analyzed both HEV IgM and IgG seroprevalence and the associated risk factors of infection by testing any suspected case and contacts collected from February 2012 to November 2014. RNA-negative sera from suspected cases and contacts were tested for anti-HEV IgM and anti-HEV IgG. A total of 799 sera were collected from 290 suspected cases, 470 contacts and 39 individuals with missing information. The median age of the cohort study was 19 years (1-88 years) with a male/female sex-ratio of 1.9. We found an overall prevalence of 43.68% (332/760) of anti-HEV IgM and 38.15% (290/760) of anti-HEV IgG sera. Our data provide new insights into the HEV epidemiology and point to the crucial need to estimate the disease’s burden in Kédougou and assess the viral mechanisms driving the disease’s severity in pregnant women.
Safeguarding Intimate Health: Decoding the Interplay of Diabetes and Erectile Dysfunction
Authors: Akter Shamima , Choubey Mayank , Arbee Shahida , Mohib Mohammad Mohabbulla , Tirumalasetty Munichandra B. , Minhaz Naofel , Biswas Minakshi , Mohiuddin Mohammad Sarif
Published: August 2023

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection during sexual performance. ED is one of the most common and neglected complications of diabetes. Almost 35-75% of diabetic men around the world suffer from ED. Although the exact mechanism by which diabetes causes ED is not well understood. However, several studies suggested it may be related to damage to the nerve and vessels that supply the penis.
Genetic Association of UMOD Gene Variant (16:20353266A>G) and Bioinformatics Analyses of the Uromodulin Protein in CKD Patients of Pakistani Origin
Authors: Zahid Mehmoona , Saif Rashid , Younus Amna , Ghulam Hussain Mehnaz , Jabeen Sadia , Younas Hooria
Published: August 2023

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is one of the worldwide health threats, kidneys may be affected by internal pathologies and environmental factors as well as a number of genes are also involved in the kidney dysfunctioning, so UMOD is one of these genes which has significant effect in regulating urea and creatinine level in blood and decreased excretion of uric acid which causes interstitial damages in kidney and may result CKD. Hence, the present study is envisaged to observe the association of this gene locus (r.1264T>C) with CKD in Pakistani population using ARMS-PCR genotyping, for the purpose, a total of 75 samples were investigated, out of which 45 were found homozygous wild-type, 21 heterozygous and 09 homozygous mutants. PLINK data analysis toolset showed that our sampled population does not obeys Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium by χ2 (2, N = 75) = 18.87, p = and Chi-square statistics with p = 1.40×10-005 showing a significant genotypic association with the subject phenotype with an alternative allele frequency of 0.15 and 0.48 within cases & controls respectively. Furthermore, an odds-ratio of 0.2 predicts that the risk of wild-type allele (A) is 0.8 times higher in patient as compared to controls and mutant allele is 0.2 times preventive in patients. Additionally, a few bioinformatics tools e.g., ProtParam, PsiPred, TMHMM-2.0, Motif Scan, ScanProsite, NetPhos3.1, GPS PAIL2.0, NetOGlyc4.0, PRmePRed, PDB-RCSB and STRING were applied to predict different characteristics of Uromodulin protein including physicochemical properties, secondary/transmembrane structures, protein conserved domains and posttranslational modifications respectively. This pilot scale study provided a comprehensive insight of the association of aforementioned genetic variant with CKD to identify and evaluate the genetic risk factors along with functional effects of the subject variant which may be used as CKD prevention by adopting DNA screening and genetic counselling recommendations.
Exploring The Entrepreneurial Intentions of Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University Students and The University's Role Aligned with Vision 2030
Authors: Al Eid Nawal , Alkhathlan Khalid , Imdadul Haque Mohammad , Yousef Tarek , Mahmoud Doaa , Eliw Moataz , Adow Anass
Published: August 2023

Abstract: This paper aimed to investigate the entrepreneurial intentions of female students in Saudi Arabia, utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as the theoretical framework. Employing a quantitative research methodology, data was collected through a questionnaire administered to female students at Princess Nourah University. The results revealed a positive inclination towards entrepreneurship, with over 64% expressing a desire to pursue entrepreneurial ventures in the future. This optimistic trend among female students suggests a potential pool of future entrepreneurs. Interestingly, a small percentage (3.21%) categorically rejected entrepreneurship as a career option, indicating a relatively low level of disinterest in entrepreneurial pursuits. However, many respondents (32%) remained undecided, presenting a valuable opportunity for mentorship and support to cultivate their entrepreneurial intentions. These findings underscore the significance of providing guidance and education to encourage entrepreneurship among female students. The TPB analysis highlighted that attitudes and perceived behavioral control towards entrepreneurship were favorable among female students, indicating a positive mindset and belief in their ability to embark on entrepreneurial endeavors. However, societal norms still exert a negative influence on some student’s entrepreneurial intentions, suggesting a need to address cultural barriers that might hinder female students' willingness to pursue entrepreneurship. The study suggests enhancing female entrepreneurship through societal encouragement and support from personal networks. It highlights the importance of fostering entrepreneurial aspirations in female students. Crucially, the study underscores the role of universities in cultivating entrepreneurial intentions by proposing the implementation of entrepreneurship-focused curricula and the creation of university-based training units or incubators.
Diagnostic Imaging in Infectious Keratitis: A Review
Authors: Cabrera-Aguas Maria , Watson Stephanie L
Published: August 2023

Infectious keratitis (IK) is among the top 5 leading causes of blindness globally. Early diagnosis is key to guide an appropriate therapy to avoid complications such as vision impairment and blindness. Culture of corneal scrapes is the initial diagnostic test to grow and identify the causal organism. Alternative diagnostic tools include imaging such as with optical coherence tomography (OCT) and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). OCT’s advantage is its ability to accurately determine the depth and extent of the corneal ulceration, infiltrates and haze; therefore, characterizing the severity and progression of the infection. However, it is not a preferred choice in the diagnostic tool package for infectious keratitis. IVCM is a great aid in the diagnosis of fungal and Acanthamoeba keratitis with overall sensitivities of 66-74% and 80-100%, and specificity of 78-100% and 84-100%, respectively. Recently the use of deep learning (DL) models in IK has been shown to aid diagnosis via image recognition. Most of the studies that have developed DL models to diagnose the different types of IK have utilised photographs from digital camaras, slit-lamp images, or IVCM images. Some studies have used extremely efficient single DL algorithms to train their models and others used ensemble approaches. This technology is likely to assist in the diagnosis of IK in some years. Further work is needed to examine and validate the clinical performance of the DL models in the real-world setting and to evaluate whether this technology improves patient clinical outcomes. The scope of this review was to provide a recent update on the diagnostic imaging tools in IK
The Exon 3-Deleted Growth Hormone Receptor (d3GHR) Polymorphism - a Favorable Backdoor Mechanism for the GHR Function
Authors: Falah Ghadeer , Sharvit Lital , Atzmon Gil
Published: August 2023

Growth hormone (GH) is a peptide hormone that plays a crucial role in controlling growth, development, and lifespan. Molecular regulation of GH is accomplished via the GH receptor (GHR) gene, which is the main factor influencing human development and is essential to optimal functioning of the GH/IGF-I axis. Two GHR isoforms have been studied, according to the presence (flGHR) or absence (d3GHR) of exon 3. The d3GHR variant, which has recently been related to longevity, is associated with enhanced signal transduction and higher receptor function. Many of these studies indicated that the growth response to GH treatment may be affected. Individuals carrying the d3GHR isoform have higher receptor activity, improved signal transduction, and alterations in the treatment response and efficacy compared with those carrying the WT isoform. Further, studies performed in patients with acromegaly, Prader-Willi syndrome, Turner syndrome, small for gestational age (SGA), and growth hormone deficiency (GHD) suggested that the d3GHR variant may have an impact on the relationship between GH and IGF-I levels, height, weight, BMI, and other variables. Other research, however, revealed inconsistent results, which might have been caused by confounding factors, including limited sample sizes and different experimental methods. In this review, we lay out the complexity of the GHR isoforms and provide an overview of the major pharmacogenetic research conducted on this ongoing and unresolved subject.
Pemberdayaan Kelompok Tani Hutan Sumber Abadi melalui Inovasi Teknik Pembibitan Porang
Authors: Hidayat Ramdan , Purwadi Purwadi , Sasongko Purnomo Edi
Published: August 2023

Empowerment of Sumber Abadi Forest Farmer Groups through Innovation of Porang Nursery Techniques. Forest Farmers Group (FFG) Sumber Abadi is located in Panglungan Village, Wonosalam District, Jombang Regency, whose area is 500-750 m asl and daily temperature of 20° C. The conditions of socio-economic need to be improved, considering that their livelihoods depend on forest products and half of the population belongs to the category of pre-prosperous families. Panglungan village has the largest porang area and has the potential for a profitable porang seed business, encouraging farmers to carry out traditional nurseries to fulfill the increasing demand for seeds. Porang is a super strategic commodity and prospectus as a healthy food, low carbohydrates and high fiber, and a high tuber selling price (Rp 10,000,-/kg). Obstacles in the porang nursery business in Panglungan Village, namely: (1) lack of understanding of proper nursery techniques, (2) weak innovation of porang nurseries, (3) lack of understanding of seed supply chain management, and (4) weak of institutional functioning. The aim of the activity is to increase empowerment through innovative porang nursery techniques. Empowerment methods include: (1) training on innovation in porang nursery technology on various seed sources, (2) demonstration plots for porang nurseries, (3) economic empowerment of rural communities, (4) training on marketing porang seeds online. The results of the empowerment of FFG Sumber Abadi showed that there were 2 groups of porang seed breeders who were innovative in seeding techniques and marketing with a volume of more than 2 million seeds that lasted for 5 months.
Formulation and Application of Organic Fertilizer from Cow Dung to Increase Rice Yield by Applying Sustainable Agriculture Principles in Gantiwarno, Klaten
Authors: Minardi Slamet , Sudadi Sudadi , Haniati Isna Luthfa , Pramono Sidik , Suryono Suryono
Published: August 2023

Livestock Farmer Group Lembu Mulyo was a cattle breeder engaged in livestock farming. Cow dung was a problem for breeders because of the large amount of cow dung that had not yet been utilized, causing air, water, and soil pollution. The Mentoring activity aims to overcome the problems faced by partners by utilizing cow dung waste from Livestock Farmer Group Lembu Mulyo could be used as organic fertilizer by the Farmer’s Group Sri Rejeki to increase rice yield by applying the principles of sustainable agriculture. The Livestock Farmer Group Lembu Mulyo problem could be solved by formulating organic fertilizer using cow dung. Furthermore, it could address the Farmer’s Group Sri Rejeki problem, which is an increasing need for fertilizer to increase rice yield by applying sustainable agriculture principles. The mentoring activity was in collaboration with two partners, namely the Farmer’s Group Sri Rejeki and the Livestock Farmer Group Lembu Mulyo, located in Gesikan Village, Gantiwarno District, Klaten Regency. The method used was socialization and practice. The result of the mentoring activity for formulating organic fertilizer was that the Livestock Farmer Group Lembu Mulyo could formulate organic fertilizer from cow dung, and the Farmer’s Group Sri Rejeki was able to apply an organic fertilizer to increase rice yield. The two partners’ capabilities could overcome problems in the Livestock Farmer Group Lembu Mulyo and the Farmer’s Group Sri Rejeki. In addition to solving the problems of the two partners by formulating organic fertilizers and their application in rice fields also applied sustainable agriculture principles.
Gamification: Saving in Digital Banking is Like Playing A Game
Authors: Rimenda Tetty , Aulia Meidina Rosa , Listiawati Rodiana , Marbun Jhonny
Published: August 2023

Manuscript type: Research Paper Research Aims: The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of gamification, such as badges, elements and challenges that are applied to banking features, on customers' intention to save Design/methodology/approach: This research explores how gamification is applied in digital banking. The study was conducted to test the effect of using the principles of badges, levels and challenges applied to savings can motivate millennials to save. Respondents are XYZ digital bank customers who were born between 1980 -2000. Data from 172 samples were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling, Research Findings: The results showed that gamification used in banking positively affects consumer decisions to save. Badge-element strongly predicts how gamification is perceived as motivation in saving activities. The results also show that levels-elements affect the customer's willingness to save, while the challenge element affects the least interest in saving. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: Research on the use of technology in the banking sector can contribute to banking facing intense competition. Further research is needed to explore gamification to improve young consumers' financial well-being and good saving behaviour. Practitioner/Policy Implication: The research supports the use of gamification in the banking sector because gamification can encourage young customers to save money. Research limitation/Implications: Even though gamification is a trending topic, its use in the banking sector must adhere to prudence principles.