bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PIG COCCIDIOSIS CONTROL PROGRAM IN INDUSTRIAL FARMS
Authors:   The All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Fundamental and Applied Parasitology of Animals and Plants – Branch Federal State Budget Scientific Institution Federal Scientific Centre VIEV named after V.I. K.I. Skryabin and Ya.R. Kovalenko, SAFIULLIN R.T. , PRUGLO V.V. ,   Ceva Sante Animale LLC
Published: March 2023

Studies conducted in different regions of the country showed that from 10% to 60% of piglets are infected with isospores in the first month of life with an invasion intensity of 2–50 oocystis in one field of microscope. The average extensiveness of invasion in pigs in the country was 25.2%, with fluctuations of this indicator in different Federal districts from 10.5% to 35.2%. Toltrazuril and diclazuril proved to be effective in controlling the endogenous stages of development of coccidia, kenokoks and aymeriotsid – with exogenous.
Pelatihan Penyusunan Laporan Keuangan Zakat Fitrah Melalui Pemanfaatan Aplikasi Excel Pada Masjid Al Manar Muhammadiyah
Authors: Sahri Yulian , Bari Andriansyah , Kalsum Ummi , Permana Arraditya , Hidayat Randy , Herudiansyah Gumar , Febriani Yunita
Published: March 2023

Kegiatan PKM ini bertujuan untuk memberikan pendampingan dan pelatihan administrasi keuangan khusus nya penyusunan laporan keuangan zakat fitrah dengan memanfaatkan aplikasi excel. Pendekatan pelatihan ini menggunakan metode ceramah, diskusi dan praktik. Setelah diadakan pelatihan dengan metode ceramah, praktik dan diskusi terdapat perubahan yang cukup signifikan pada peserta. Hal ini ditunjukkan dengan kemampuan peserta untuk mulai mengenal dan mengidentifikasi. Selain itu, berdasarkan testimoni perwakilan peserta, pelatihan ini memberikan pencerahan kepada peserta dari yang sama sekali buta akuntansi menjadi paham proses pencatatan dan penyusunan laporan keuangan zakat fitrah.
Pengenalan Dan Penyuluhan Hukum Piracy On Operating System Komputer Pada Siswa SMK Santo Antonius Merauke
Authors: Sinaga Jaya Setiawan , Silubun Yosman Leonard , Fenetiruma Raymond Paradeys , Ardiansya S. Muhammad , Firiani Yohanes , Boi Moses Ramsis , Betaubun Brampi Yopi
Published: March 2023

Perkembangan teknologi yang kian hari semakin meroket berdampak pada perubahan gaya hidup manusia. Komputer sebagai alat bantu pekerjaan manusia menjadi sangat urgen bagi seluruh kalangan termasuk anak sekolah. Pengguna komputer yang berstatus anak sekolah masih sangat awam dalam aspek legalitas pengoperasiannya, sehingga potensi terjadi pembajakan oleh anak sekolah menjadi hal yang lumrah terjadi di lingkungan Kabupaten Merauke. Program Pengabdian ini dilaksanakan dengan metode memberi penyuluhan terkait bagaimana bekerjanya hukum dalam dunia komputer, khususnya perlindungan operating system. Kemudian dalam penyuluhan tersebut diberikan edukasi tentang kedudukan operating system sebagai suatu kekayaan intelektual yang dimiliki pencipta operating system tersebut. Pelaksanaan kegiatan ini pada SMK Santo Antonius Merauke pada bulan desember 2022, yang menargetkan siswa-siswi jurusan Teknologi Komputer dan Jaringan (TKJ). Hasil dari pelaksanaan program ini ialah memberikan pengetahuan siswa-siswi tentang mekanisme bekerjanya hak cipta operating system sehingga meningkatkan kesadaran untuk menghindari perilaku pembajakan operating system.
The Quest for the Missing Dust. II. Two Orders of Magnitude of Evolution in the Dust-to-gas Ratio Resolved within Local Group Galaxies
Authors: Clark Christopher J. R. , Roman-Duval Julia C. , Gordon Karl D. , Bot Caroline , Smith Matthew W. L. , Hagen Lea M. Z.
Published: March 2023

We explore evolution in the dust-to-gas ratio with density within four well-resolved Local Group galaxies—the LMC, SMC, M31, and M33. We do this using new Herschel maps, which restore extended emission that was missed by previous Herschel reductions. Combining this sensitivity to diffuse dust emission with excellent physical resolution allows us to probe the dust-to-gas ratio across 2.5 orders of magnitude in interstellar medium (ISM) surface density. We find a significant increase in the dust-to-gas ratio with density, with the dust-to-gas ratio varying within each galaxy by up to a factor 22.4, as density changes. We explore several possible reasons for this, and our favored explanation is that it is being driven by dust grain growth in denser regions of the ISM. We find that the evolution of the dust-to-gas ratio with ISM surface density is very similar between M31 and M33, despite their large differences in mass, metallicity, and star formation rate; conversely, we find M33 and the LMC to have very different dust-to-gas evolution profiles, despite their close similarity in those properties. Our dust-to-gas ratios address previous disagreement between UV- and far-IR-based dust-to-gas estimates for the Magellanic Clouds, removing the disagreement for the LMC, and considerably reducing it for the SMC—with our new dust-to-gas measurements being factors of 2.4 and 2.0 greater than the previous far-IR estimates, respectively. We also observe that the dust-to-gas ratio appears to fall at the highest densities for the LMC, M31, and M33; this is unlikely to be an actual physical phenomenon, and we posit that it may be due to a combined effect of dark gas, and changing dust mass opacity.
Broadband X-Ray Spectroscopy of the Pulsar Wind Nebula in HESS J1640-465
Authors: Abdelmaguid Moaz , Gelfand Joseph D. , Gotthelf Eric , Straal Samayra
Published: March 2023

We present updated measurements of the X-ray properties of the pulsar wind nebula associated with the TeV γ-ray source HESS J1640-465 derived from Chandra and Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array data. We report a high N

H
value along the line of sight, consistent with previous work, which led us to incorporate the effects of dust scattering in our spectral analysis. Due to uncertainties in the dust scattering, we report a range of values for the PWN properties (photon index and unabsorbed flux). In addition, we fit the broadband spectrum of this source and found evidence for spectral softening and decreasing unasborbed flux as we go to higher photon energies. We then used a one-zone time-dependent evolutionary model to reproduce the dynamical and multiwavelength spectral properties of our source. Our model suggests a short spin-down timescale, a relatively higher than average magnetized pulsar wind, a strong pulsar wind nebula magnetic field and maximum electron energy up to PeV, suggesting HESS J1640-465 could be a PeVatron candidate.
CEERS Epoch 1 NIRCam Imaging: Reduction Methods and Simulations Enabling Early JWST Science Results
Authors: Bagley Micaela B. , Finkelstein Steven L. , Koekemoer Anton M. , Ferguson Henry C. , Arrabal Haro Pablo , Dickinson Mark , Kartaltepe Jeyhan S. , Papovich Casey , Pérez-González Pablo G. , Pirzkal Nor , Somerville Rachel S. , Willmer Christopher N. A. , Yang Guang , Yung L. Y. Aaron , Fontana Adriano , Grazian Andrea , Grogin Norman A. , Hirschmann Michaela , Kewley Lisa J. , Kirkpatrick Allison , Kocevski Dale D. , Lotz Jennifer M. , Medrano Aubrey , Morales Alexa M. , Pentericci Laura , Ravindranath Swara , Trump Jonathan R. , Wilkins Stephen M. , Calabrò Antonello , Cooper M. C. , Costantin Luca , de la Vega Alexander , Hilbert Bryan , Hutchison Taylor A. , Larson Rebecca L. , Lucas Ray A. , McGrath Elizabeth J. , Ryan Russell , Wang Xin , Wuyts Stijn
Published: March 2023

We present the data release and data reduction process for the Epoch 1 NIRCam observations for the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science Survey (CEERS). These data consist of NIRCam imaging in six broadband filters (F115W, F150W, F200W, F277W, F356W and F444W) and one medium-band filter (F410M) over four pointings, obtained in parallel with primary CEERS MIRI observations. We reduced the NIRCam imaging with the JWST Calibration Pipeline, with custom modifications and reduction steps designed to address additional features and challenges with the data. Here we provide a detailed description of each step in our reduction and a discussion of future expected improvements. Our reduction process includes corrections for known prelaunch issues such as 1/f noise, as well as in-flight issues including snowballs, wisps, and astrometric alignment. Many of our custom reduction processes were first developed with prelaunch simulated NIRCam imaging over the full 10 CEERS NIRCam pointings. We present a description of the creation and reduction of this simulated data set in the Appendix. We provide mosaics of the real images in a public release, as well as our reduction scripts with detailed explanations to allow users to reproduce our final data products. These represent one of the first official public data sets released from the Directors Discretionary Early Release Science (DD-ERS) program.
Imbalanced Turbulence Modified by Large-scale Velocity Shears in the Solar Wind
Authors: Soljento Juska E. , Good Simon W. , Osmane Adnane , Kilpua Emilia K. J.
Published: March 2023

We have investigated how the degree of imbalance in solar wind turbulence is modified by large-scale velocity shears in the solar wind plasma. The balance between counterpropagating Alfvénic fluctuations, which interact nonlinearly to generate the turbulence, has been quantified by the cross helicity and Elsasser ratio. Velocity shears at a 30 minute timescale were identified, with the shear amplitude defined in terms of the linear Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instability threshold. The shears were associated with 74 interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) sheaths observed by the Wind spacecraft at 1 au between 1997 and 2018. Typically weaker shears upstream of the sheaths and downstream in the ICME ejecta were also analyzed. In shears below the KH threshold, imbalance was approximately invariant or weakly rising with shear amplitude. Above the KH threshold, fluctuations tended toward a balanced state with increasing shear amplitude. Magnetic compressibility was also found to increase above the KH threshold. These findings are consistent with velocity shears being local sources of sunward fluctuations that act to reduce net imbalances in the antisunward direction, and suggest that the KH instability plays a role in this process.
Transformation kinetics for low temperature post-deposition crystallization of TiO 2 thin films prepared via atomic layer deposition (ALD) from tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium(IV) (TDMAT) and water
Authors: Wooding Jamie P. , Gregory Shawn A. , Atassi Amalie , Freychet Guillaume , Kalaitzidou Kyriaki , Losego Mark D.
Published: March 2023

Background: We report on the fundamental crystallization kinetics of atomic layer deposited (ALD) TiO2 thin films undergoing a post-deposition anneal (PDA) at low temperatures to probe differences in the as-deposited film microstructure.

Methods: The system of study is ALD TiO2 thin films prepared from tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium(IV) (TDMAT) and water at 120 °C, 140 °C and 160 °C followed by ex situ low temperature annealing at temperatures ranging from 140 °C to 220 °C. All as-deposited TiO2 thin films are amorphous by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Post-deposition annealing (PDA) produces large grain anatase crystals, confirmed by XRD and top-view scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A detailed SEM study is performed to quantify the nucleation and growth kinetics by fitting microstructural data to the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) equation. Finally, a time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram is constructed to summarize the differences in crystallization behavior at different ALD deposition temperatures.

Results and conclusions: Fitting microstructural data to the JMAK equation reveals an Avrami exponent close to 3 with continuous nucleation, suggesting two-dimensional, plate-like crystal growth. Applying an Arrhenius relationship to the phase transformation data, the combined activation energy for nucleation and growth is found to be 1.40–1.58 eV atom-1. Nucleation rates are determined, and an Arrhenius relationship is used to calculate the critical Gibbs free energy for nucleation (~1.3–1.4 eV atom-1). As such, nucleation is the rate-limiting step for the amorphous to anatase phase transformation. ALD growth temperature is found to dictate film microstructure with lower deposition temperatures reducing the nucleation rate and leading to larger grain sizes irrespective of PDA conditions. The nucleation rate pre-exponential frequency factor increases with increasing deposition temperature, thereby increasing the likelihood for nucleation. Interestingly, it is this difference in the vibrational modes of the amorphous structure, as indicated by the variation in the nucleation rate pre-exponential frequency factor, that alters the phase transformation rates and not a change in the activation energies for the transformation.
A numerically stable high-order Chebyshev-Halley type multipoint iterative method for calculating matrix sign function
Authors: Wang Xiaofeng , Cao Ying
Published: March 2023

A new eighth-order Chebyshev-Halley type iteration is proposed for solving nonlinear equations and matrix sign function. Basins of attraction show that several special cases of the new method are globally convergent. It is analytically proven that the new method is asymptotically stable and the new method has the order of convergence eight as well. The effectiveness of the theoretical results are illustrated by numerical experiments. In numerical experiments, the new method is applied to a random matrix, Wilson matrix and continuous-time algebraic Riccati equation. Numerical results show that, compared with some well-known methods, the new method achieves the accuracy requirement in the minimum computing time and the minimum number of iterations.
A novel approach of multi-valued contraction results on cone metric spaces with an application
Authors: Ur Rehman Saif , Shamas Iqra , Jabeen Shamoona , Aydi Hassen , De La Sen Manuel
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we present some generalized multi-valued contraction results on cone metric spaces. We use some maximum and sum types of contractions for a pair of multi-valued mappings to prove some common fixed point theorems on cone metric spaces without the condition of normality. We present an illustrative example for multi-valued contraction mappings to support our work. Moreover, we present a supportive application of nonlinear integral equations to validate our work. This new theory, can be modified in different directions for multi-valued mappings to prove fixed point, common fixed point and coincidence point results in the context of different types of metric spaces with the application of different types of integral equations.
Low-dose sinogram restoration enabled by conditional GAN with cross-domain regularization in SPECT imaging
Authors: Li Si , Peng Limei , Li Fenghuan , Liang Zengguo
Published: March 2023

In order to generate high-quality single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images under low-dose acquisition mode, a sinogram denoising method was studied for suppressing random oscillation and enhancing contrast in the projection domain. A conditional generative adversarial network with cross-domain regularization (CGAN-CDR) is proposed for low-dose SPECT sinogram restoration. The generator stepwise extracts multiscale sinusoidal features from a low-dose sinogram, which are then rebuilt into a restored sinogram. Long skip connections are introduced into the generator, so that the low-level features can be better shared and reused, and the spatial and angular sinogram information can be better recovered. A patch discriminator is employed to capture detailed sinusoidal features within sinogram patches; thereby, detailed features in local receptive fields can be effectively characterized. Meanwhile, a cross-domain regularization is developed in both the projection and image domains. Projection-domain regularization directly constrains the generator via penalizing the difference between generated and label sinograms. Image-domain regularization imposes a similarity constraint on the reconstructed images, which can ameliorate the issue of ill-posedness and serves as an indirect constraint on the generator. By adversarial learning, the CGAN-CDR model can achieve high-quality sinogram restoration. Finally, the preconditioned alternating projection algorithm with total variation regularization is adopted for image reconstruction. Extensive numerical experiments show that the proposed model exhibits good performance in low-dose sinogram restoration. From visual analysis, CGAN-CDR performs well in terms of noise and artifact suppression, contrast enhancement and structure preservation, particularly in low-contrast regions. From quantitative analysis, CGAN-CDR has obtained superior results in both global and local image quality metrics. From robustness analysis, CGAN-CDR can better recover the detailed bone structure of the reconstructed image for a higher-noise sinogram. This work demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of CGAN-CDR in low-dose SPECT sinogram restoration. CGAN-CDR can yield significant quality improvement in both projection and image domains, which enables potential applications of the proposed method in real low-dose study.
Wealth exchange and decision-making psychology in epidemic dynamics
Authors: Wang Lingling , Liu Miao , Lai Shaoyong
Published: March 2023

A binary wealth exchange mechanism, which involves the influence of the epidemic environment and agents' psychology on trading decisions, is introduced to discuss the wealth distribution of agents under the background of an epidemic. We find that the trading psychology of agents may affect wealth distribution and make the tail of the steady-state wealth distribution slimmer. The steady-state wealth distribution displays a bimodal shape under appropriate parameters. Our results suggest that government control measures are essential to curb the spread of epidemics, and vaccination may help to improve the economy, while contact control measures may aggravate wealth inequality.
Speaking Oneself Into Being
Authors: Gentry Christine
Published: March 2023

Student stories are a potentially transformational natural resource running through the veins of our schools, but this resource sometimes goes untapped. One strategy teachers can use to take advantage of this resource is to formally introduce oral storytelling into the classroom to explicitly teach students how to choose and craft stories from their lives and then allow them to publicly perform those stories. This chapter captures one student's journey during a 16-week oral storytelling workshop at a Title I public high school in East New York, Brooklyn. It addresses the following question: What effects do oral storytelling units have on students' understanding of themselves, on their sense of personal leadership and agency, and on their relationships with others? This chapter documents how granting students the time and space to bear witness to each other's lives and ‘go public' with stories that could otherwise go unheard may improve student agency and classroom community.
“I Wanted to Freeze the Moment”
Authors: Mohammad-Roe Siri , Tørnby Hilde
Published: March 2023

The chapter investigates the work of a group of ninth grade students during the Covid lockdown as they authored digital blackout poetry in response to reading the novel The Hate U Give in an ESL class in a Norwegian school. The study tells about a learning process dealing with the growth students exhibited working through a blackout poetry approach to make connections between themselves and the lives of black people in the United States. The students read parts of the novel and, as an idea to explore new literacies, were tasked with creating blackout poems. The data of the study consists of students' blackout poems and interviews showing students' choices when manipulating the language of the novel, expressing their own emotions and interpretations. The work creates a link between “the other” and the students, providing them with a forum for self-expression and agency.
Fueling Her Fire
Authors: Ramirez Kenia
Published: March 2023

This chapter describes an after-school program for girls from disenfranchised populations with the goals of imparting skills and literacies that could assist them in leading strong (healthy), smart (educated), and bold (independent) lives. The program was devised and is carried out by Girls Inc. of Long Island, a girls' empowerment organization, and part of the national Girls Inc. network, who delivers innovative, research-based programs designed to address the unique needs and strengths of girls. The program strives to close the gap between academics and life skills as it serves youth in Grades 5-12 in an all-girl, pro-girl environment. Since many school systems create an environment that perpetuates sexism and continues to place gender roles on students, the intention is for the girls to let go of the stereotypes and reach their maximum potential.
A Blockchain-Based Approach to Revolutionizing Healthcare
Authors: Laturkar Kaustubh , Laturkar Kasturi
Published: March 2023

Recent developments in blockchain technology have made it an increasingly interesting subject of research. In addition to financial applications, many studies are being conducted to explore its potential outside of this realm. The healthcare sector is one of the most relevant fields where blockchain has the potential to have a major impact. There have been rapid advances in blockchain implementation and understanding, particularly in this field in recent years. With superior privacy capabilities, blockchain technology is an excellent tool to deliver information and services in the healthcare sector. While these developments are a positive sign, a few issues still need to be addressed in order to make a significant difference. The chapter discusses key fundamentals of blockchain technology, potential applications in several fields of health care, obstacles to the adoption of blockchain technology, as well as the concerns it aims to alleviate in the healthcare industry going forward.
Digital Healthcare With Blockchain for Data Sharing Improvement in Implant Surgery
Authors: Tang Yuk Ming , Yip Ho Tung , Ho G. T. S.
Published: March 2023

Blockchain technology is now being employed across a variety of businesses for smart contracts, data privacy, and supply chain management. A system with a data source can be decentralized, open, safe, and trusted with the help of the new data infrastructure known as blockchain, which permits smooth data transfer in a distributed ledger. But the majority of the currently available healthcare applications either emphasize data exchange or transactions between several parties. In order to enhance collaboration in implant surgery and streamline the operational processes, the authors propose integrating the blockchain to increase data sharing among various stakeholders. The authors have discussed the difficulty and state of implant orthopaedic surgery in this post. The authors outline the usual procedure for implant operations and how incorporating blockchain technology can make it easier. On the other hand, a framework for implementation is put out that takes into account data gathering, data integrity, and stakeholder cooperation.
Corporate Governance Mechanisms for Sustainable Healthcare Service Delivery in Public Hospitals
Authors: Randa Isaac Okoth
Published: March 2023

Poverty alleviation for attainment of the Millennium Development Goals requires an effective public sector that sustainably delivers quality public services consistent with citizen preferences. Hence, focusing on corporate governance mechanisms, this study investigates the influence of corporate governance mechanisms on healthcare service delivery at a local public hospital. Using a qualitative research strategy on a sample of 24 participants representing the Health Professions Council of Namibia (HPNCA), Katutura state hospital management, and out-patients, data was generated. ATLAS.ti – 8 software was used for data analysis where patterns and themes were drawn. Study findings include non-functional corporate governance mechanisms, poor monitoring and evaluation systems, ineffectively run secretariate, and lack of corporate governance knowledge among others as key impediments to quality healthcare service delivery. The findings will aid the HPNCA governing council in resolving outstanding governance issues like the composition of council members, council size, and board independence.
Demystifying Governance of Zimbabwean Public Sector Enterprises in Attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Dzingirai Mufaro , Karonga Billy F. , Mazenge Talent
Published: March 2023

The role of public sector enterprises (PSEs) in achieving inclusive development agendas has been given scant attention. This calls for extending our understanding of the importance of governance in PSEs when dealing with sustainable development issues. Given this information, this chapter focuses on the PSEs' governance challenges in the attainment of SDGs in Zimbabwe. The study established six governance challenges faced by PSEs in attaining the SDGs, namely corruption; political interference in the operations of PSEs; multiple principals with multiple agents and goals; incompatibility between government failure and management failure; ZACC as a toothless bulldog; and see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil syndrome. Therefore, the study recommends that the government should have an independent budget for ZACC, establish a whistleblowing regulatory framework, remove multiple agents, eliminate multiple directorships, and reward whistleblowers. The research outcomes of this study help policymakers and practitioners.
Cybersecurity Risks With Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Systems is a Public Health and National Security Issue
Authors: Mingo Horace C. , Burrell Darrell Norman
Published: March 2023

Protecting networks that are part of industrial control systems (ICS), such as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, is a significant issue that affects public health as well as public safety and national security. Industrial control systems such as the SCADA systems that manage our electrical grids, oil pipelines, and water distribution systems remain vulnerable to cyber-attacks from different directions through various technologies in the U.S. It is essential to understand that the security of critical infrastructure goes far beyond the scope of cybersecurity. Qualitative interviews with subject matter experts were used to discover the best practices for protecting these systems.
External Barriers Affecting E-Waste Remanufacturing in the Indian Context
Authors: Jaiswal Swatantra Kumar , Mukti Suraj Kumar
Published: March 2023

In the last few decades, there has been massive growth in the electrical and electronic industries. The demand for electronic products is growing enormously, resulting in a greater amount of e-waste being produced. Remanufacturing is a method of transforming end-of-use (EOU) or end-of-life (EOL) products to the given standards or specifications of the original product. In India, remanufacturing is at a nascent stage. In this study, critical barriers that will affect e-waste remanufacturing in the Indian context are identified, and the logical relationship between them is found using ISM and MICMAC. The result shows that lack of collection centres, customer eagerness to return the product, and uncertainty in demand are major driving barriers; and incomplete recycling systems, sorting policies, consumption attitudes, and uncertainty in quality are major dependent barriers. To increase customer eagerness to return used products, organise proper awareness programs so that people will know the effects of e-waste. It will also increase the demand for used products.
Hydrodynamic Modelling of Puttalam Lagoon
Authors: Manas M. M. M. , Pathirana K. P. P.
Published: March 2023

In the present study, a hydrodynamic model of Puttalam lagoon was set-up using DELFT 3D software. The simulations carried out to assess the present status of the lagoon show that the water level fluctuations gradually decrease by about 35% when propagating the tidal fluctuations at locations from Kalpitiya to Etalai basin whereas, the range of water level fluctuations decrease by about 65% at locations from Kalpitiya to Puttalam basin which is the lagoon head. The average velocity of flow in the lagoon is less than 0.3 m s-1 except at the Puttalam basin mouth where the cross section is small. In addition, the residence time varies between 40 days (downstream of Kalpitiya) to 100 days (Puttalam basin – at lagoon head) in the lagoon. The range of water level fluctuations in the lagoon is increased by about 0.2 m and 0.24 m due to Sea Level Rise (SLR) for the climate change scenarios of RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5, respectively. In addition, the average velocity of flow is also increased due to SLR and, as a result, the residence time is reduced by 6% to 10% at various locations in the lagoon.
Developing a Constructive Mobile Application Tool for the Systematic Delivery of Work-based Training Components Associated with the Enhancement of Labour Performance and Productivity in Construction
Authors: Kesavan M. , Dissanayake P. B. G. , Pathirana C. K. , Deegahawature M. M. D. R. , Silva K. D. R.
Published: March 2023

Various sources highlight that the ineffective work-based training methods in construction site procedures have been the primary cause for the construction firms experiencing labour skill shortages in many developing countries like Sri Lanka. This study attempts to investigate developing mobile application tools for systematically applying work-based training practices, performance evaluation methods and grading mechanisms in the practices on construction sites for labourers. With the aid of problem-focused and action-oriented communication techniques, a comprehensive study methodology was adopted through a sequential procedure, including literature studies, expert discussions/reviews and mobile application development practices. The study approach specifically lays a mechanism linking with efficacious/valuable models and systems offered in recent studies. The study findings display the sketches of user interface visual designs and data flow procedures for integrating the labour training components through mobile application tools within a constructive mechanism. Importantly, labour performance, labour grading/classification and labour productivity levels have been emphasised as the major units of analysis in the application of the proposed mechanism and tools. The validity and reliability of the proposed mechanism and tools were ensured using comprehensive approaches. The study opens a new window to implement constructive approaches, innovative practices and operational systems linking with organizational vision and mission elements within the direct scope of productivity and performance improvement in the direction of expanding the industrial and institutional linkages nationally and internationally towards the economic recovery, social development and sustainability of a nation. Though the study findings directly contribute to the construction sector of developing countries like Sri Lanka, the study outcomes may create considerable impacts in other developing industry sectors within a similar scope.
Artificial Intelligence Approach to Reduce PCR Tests
Authors: Najmul HAQ Southun Najjas , Medagedara Nimali T.
Published: March 2023

Nowadays, the Covid-19 crisis is the biggest global challenge to control. All scientists have been working during the last two years to find solutions for this crisis in numerous ways. Therefore, identifying a person having Covid-19, before entering public places and mainly to the hospitals is a timely need to reduce the transmission of the virus. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is the primary diagnostic tool used to identify Covid-19 patients. However, due to the vast number of patients, the demand for PCR diagnostic assays cannot be met. This research study was primarily concerned with eliminating PCR testing to a certain extent through intelligent approaches. This paper discusses a model using computer vision-based approaches for detecting Covid-19. The automated testing technique, which is based on a questionnaire and eye color scanning, was performed with artificial intelligence-based image processing. This device is capable of recognizing the Covid-19 patients before they enter into hospitals or public locations. The CNN model was developed using an open-source data set provided by the world health organization (WHO). The result demonstrates an 89% accuracy, concluding that this system indicates an excellent prediction performance for the Covid-19 diagnosis.
Changes in State and Trait Anxiety Throughout Concussion Recovery in High School– and College–Aged Individuals
Authors: Covassin Tracey , Zynda Aaron J. , Loftin Megan C. , Pollard-McGrandy Alyssa M. , Tracey Allie J. , Tomczyk Christopher P.
Published: March 2023

Context

Researchers have indicated that individuals may experience anxiety symptoms after concussion. A potential mechanism for these presentations is shifts in anxiety throughout recovery.

Objective

To examine the levels of state and trait anxiety in individuals after concussion throughout recovery compared with the levels in individuals serving as uninjured matched control participants.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

University laboratory.

Patients or Other Participants

Seventy-eight high school- and college-aged individuals (concussion group = 39, age = 18.4 ± 2.3 years; matched control group = 39, age = 18.4 ± 2.3 years) were enrolled.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was administered within 72 hours of injury (day 0: first test session), 5 days (±1 day) after the first test session (day 5), and at the time of full medical clearance (+2 days). Separate 2 × 3 repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to investigate differences in state and trait anxiety for each group throughout recovery.

Results

State and trait anxiety were higher in the concussion group than in the control group at day 0, day 5, and full medical clearance. For state anxiety, we observed a group × time interaction (F2,150 = 10.45, P < .001, ƞp2 = 0.12). For trait anxiety, we did not note an interaction (F1.74,150 = 1.5, P = .22, ƞp2 = 0.02) but did find main effects for time (F1.74,150 = 25.7, P < .001, ƞp2 = 0.3) and group (F1,75 = 7.23, P = .01, ƞp2 = 0.09).

Conclusions

Participants with concussion experienced higher levels of state anxiety throughout recovery than matched control individuals. Although trait anxiety was higher in the concussion group and decreased over time, no interaction was seen, demonstrating that concussion may not affect this aspect of personality. Postinjury anxiety may result from increased state anxiety, and clinicians should screen for and manage these symptoms throughout recovery.
Smoking Fashion among Undergraduate College–Going Female Students
Authors: Paul Fayaz Ahmad , Bashir Aadil , Rasool Dar Danishwar , Banerjee Indrajeet
Published: March 2023

Background:

The world’s leading preventable cause of premature illness and death is smoking. Every year, tobacco use and smoking cause the untimely deaths of almost three million people worldwide, with one million of those deaths occurring in developing countries.

Objectives:

The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of smoking, knowledge about the harmful effects of smoking on health, and the influence of their family members’ smoking habits among female college-going students of the Kashmir division.

Materials and Methods:

This is a type of cross-sectional study. A sample of 384 female college-going students was selected by a nonrandom and convenient sampling method from various colleges of the Kashmir division. A self-administrated questionnaire was used to determine the personal, social, and educational characteristics of the study participants. They were also asked about their smoking types, status, length of time they had been smoking, understanding of the negative consequences of smoking, how many cigarettes they smoked each day, and their motivations for quitting.

Results:

The prevalence of present smoking cigarettes was 8.3%, whereas 7.3% of the participants were previous smokers. The prevalence of present smoking was highest among the engineering students (16.1%) and lowest among the students of commerce (3.9%). A majority (68%) of the smokers’ parents were also smokers. Almost 55.9% of smokers started their smoking habit to cope with stress, and 5.1% of the participants did not know that smoking causes serious health problems. The most common factors for quitting smoking were health concerns (88.2%).

Conclusion:

The present study concludes that the prevalence of smoking among female college-going students varies in different faculties and that family and friends have a great influence on individuals starting or stopping smoking.
Comparison of percutaneous microwave ablation and surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in the caudate lobe
Authors: Qi Erpeng , Zhang Shuang , Li Xin , Cheng Zhigang , Han Zhiyu , Yu Jie , Liang Ping , Yu Xiaoling
Published: March 2023

Background:

This study aims to compare the clinical efficacy and safety between ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) assisted with a three-dimensional (3D) visualization preoperative planning system and surgical resection (SR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the caudate lobe.

Materials and Methods:

Forty-nine patients diagnosed with caudate lobe HCC, who underwent US-guided percutaneous MWA (29 patients) or SR (20 patients), were enrolled between November 2005 and December 2018. Follow-up was performed at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months after ablation or resection. The follow-up endpoint was recurrence or patient death. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were the primary outcomes, whereas local tumor progression (LTP), intrahepatic recurrence, and extrahepatic metastasis were the secondary ones.

Results:

The mean age of the two groups was 61.4 ± 9.1 (MWA) and 53.1 ± 6.8 (SR), respectively, with a significant difference (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in OS (69.0% in the MWA group and 75.0% in the SR group) and PFS (62.1% in the MWA group and 35.3% in the SR group). LTP, intrahepatic recurrence, and extrahepatic recurrence were 6.9% (2/29), 31.0% (9/29), and 20.7% (6/29) in the MWA group and 5.0% (1/20), 60.0% (12/20), and 5.0% (1/20) in the SR group. The MWA group was more cost-effective and required less hospitalization time. No major complications were observed.

Conclusions:

US-guided percutaneous MWA for HCC in the caudate lobe assisted with a 3D visualization preoperative planning system is an optional treatment with less expenses and shorter hospitalization than SR.
Effect of lentivirus-mediated peroxiredoxins 6 gene silencing on the phenotype of human gastric cancer BGC-823 cells
Authors: Mu RunHong , Li YuPeng , Xing JiaYing , Li YanDong , Lin Rui , Ye SiPing , Zhang YaoYue , Mu Han , Guo Xiao , An LiPing
Published: March 2023

Aims:

Peroxiredoxins (PRDX6) regulates the occurrence and progression of cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of PRDX6 knockdown on the biological behavior of human gastric cancer cell line BGC-823 cells.

Settings and Design:

Research article.

Subjects and Methods:

The differential expression of PRDX6 in gastric cancer and normal gastric tissues was tested by immunohistochemistry. Ribonucleic acid plasmid of PRDX6 gene was packaged using a lentivirus, and BGC-823 cells were transfected with the lentivirus to obtain a BGC-823 cell line in which the expression of PRDX6 was stably silenced.

Statistical Analysis Used:

The proliferation activity of BGC-823 cells was detected using the cell counting kit-8 method. The effect of PRDX6 on the migration and invasion of BGC-823 cells was evaluated using the scratch test and Transwell assay, and the expression of related proteins was detected by western blot.

Results:

The expression of PRDX6 in gastric cancer was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Compared with those in the untransfected and negative control groups. The proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer BGC-823 cells were significantly inhibited, and the apoptotic rates were significantly increased in the lentivirus-transfected (short hairpin-PRDX6) group. Western blot analysis showed that the expression of Bax protein increased, whereas that of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, Bcl-2, PI3K, phospho (p-Akt), and phosphorylated-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) decreased significantly compared with that in WT and vector groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

The knockdown of PRDX6 gene expression in BGC-823 cells can inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer cells and promote apoptosis, thereby affecting gastric cancer cells.
PD-1 inhibitor monotherapy versus combination therapy
Authors: Yang Guanli , Sun Hongfu , Zhou Chunyang , Sun Nini , Xu Lixia , Huang Wei , Li Baosheng
Published: March 2023

Context:

Although programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors are a standard second-line treatment for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), their efficacy when used in combination with chemotherapy or anti-angiogenesis targeted therapy is unclear.

Aim:

To compare the efficacy and safety of PD-1 inhibitor monotherapy with that of combination therapy.

Setting and Design:

A retrospective study was conducted at the Shandong Cancer Hospital.

Materials and Methods:

Based on records, patients with advanced ESCC, treated with second-line or above PD-1 inhibitor-containing regimens from August 15, 2019 to April 12, 2021 were divided into combination (PD-1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy or anti-angiogenesis targeted therapy) and monotherapy groups. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Statistical Analysis Used:

The baseline differences between subgroups were assessed using the χ2-test, Fisher's exact test, or Student's t-test. Follow-up period, PFS, OS, median survival, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Kaplan[FIGURE DASH]Meier analysis. The log-rank test was used to compare subgroups.

Results:

In the 169 patients included, clinical features were well balanced between both groups. The median PFS of the combination group was better than that of the monotherapy group (8.5 months [95%CI 6.3–10.7] vs. 3.2 months [95%CI 0.0–6.5]; hazard ratio (HR) = 0.34 [95%CI 0.13–0.92]; P < 0.001). The median OS showed the same trend (18.9 months [95%CI 14.4–23.3] vs. 9.8 months [95%CI 6.3–13.2]; HR = 0.47 [95%CI 0.21–1.04]; P = 0.010).

Conclusion:

Using PD-1 inhibitors in a combination treatment may improve PFS and OS, with acceptable toxicities.
Clinical data from the real world
Authors: Qiu Zhixin , Xian Xinhong , Liu Chunrong , Yu Min , Lin Feng , Huang Meijuan , Wang Ke
Published: March 2023

Objectives:

The real-world intracranial efficacy data of ceritinib at a dose of 450 mg quaque die (QD) are currently unavailable. Therefore, we evaluated the intracranial efficacy of ceritinib (450 mg QD) in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearrangement NSCLC patients in China.

Materials and Methods:

In total, 57 ALK-rearrangement NSCLC patients with brain metastases (BM) were enrolled retrospectively in this real-world study. Of these, 53 patients experienced progression at baseline during or after prior crizotinib administration, and 24 patients received prior brain radiotherapy. Patients received ceritinib (450 mg QD) treatment. Intracranial efficacy [objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR)] was evaluated according to the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) standard; progression-free survival (PFS) and adverse events (AEs) data were obtained through follow-ups.

Results:

The intracranial ORR and DCR of ceritinib were 73.7% and 93.0%, respectively. The median intracranial PFS in patients reaching the endpoint was 8.75 months, whereas the median intracranial PFS in all patients was not reached and predicted to be not evaluable (NE) (95% CI: 12.9–NE). The estimated 12-month event-free probability (EFP) of intracranial lesions was 68.1%. A subgroup analysis revealed that the estimated 12-month EFP of intracranial lesions was relatively higher in patients with prior brain radiotherapy (93.8% vs. 47.1%, P = 0.0006).

Conclusion:

Ceritinib administered at 450 mg QD to ALK-rearrangement NSCLC patients with BM in China exhibited superior ORR and DCR, as well as PFS and event free probability. The estimated 12-month EFP for intracranial lesions improved in patients with prior brain radiotherapy.
Feasibility and efficacy of superconducting open-configuration magnetic resonance-guided microwave ablation of malignant liver tumors with real-time imaging sequences
Authors: Yuan Hui , Shen Lujun , Qi Han , Wang Xiucheng , Tan Hongtong , Cao Fei , Huang Tao , Li Da , Zhang Yan , Wang Ting , Wu Ying , Fan Weijun
Published: March 2023

Objective:

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of open superconducting magnetic resonance (MR)-guided microwave ablation of liver tumors and explore feasibility of real-time imaging sequence-guided needle insertion technique.

Materials and Methods:

Medical records of December 2019–May 2021 of microwave ablations of liver tumors under MR guidance in XX University Cancer Center were reviewed. Real-time imaging-guided puncture technique refers to real-time insertion and adjusting the position of a microwave applicator under a fast imaging sequence. The safety and efficacy of the procedure among the enrolled patients were assessed.

Results:

Twenty-six patients underwent 27 procedures, with 30 lesions ablated (long diameter: 1.51 ± 0.81 cm, short diameter: 1.30 ± 0.61 cm). There were 20 cases of primary liver cancer and 10 of liver metastases. All lesions were identified by MR imaging (MRI), and all procedures were successfully performed using the finger positioning method for puncture sites. Five patients underwent real-time guided needle insertion techniques. Further, the microwave applicators reached the target position at once, and the entire insertion process was completed within 3 min. The completion rate of the real-time guided needle insertion technology was 100%, and 25 (92.6%) patients had minor complications. No severe complications were observed, and the technical success rate of 30 MRI-guided lesions was 100%. Finally, the complete ablation rate of the MRI-guided ablation after the first procedure was 93.1%.

Conclusion:

Open MR-guided microwave ablation is safe and effective in treating liver tumors. Furthermore, real-time imaging sequence-guided puncture technique under MRI is feasible and efficient.