bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retrospective results of our Non-Invasive Prenatal Test (NIPT) experience
Authors: Atlıhan Ufuk , Bıldacı Tevfik Berk , Erkılınç Selçuk , Yavuz Onur , Avşar Hüseyin Aytuğ , Ata Can
Published: December 2024

Aim: Non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) has become widespread over the years with higher probabilities of detection and fewer false positives with regard to traditionally used screening techniques. We aimed to document the experience of introducing this kind of equipment intoiclinical practice, evaluate its impact on the detection of fetal-aneuploidies, analyze the demographic characteristics of females undergoing 1.trimester fetal-aneuploidy screening testing with those choosing the NIPT, and assess elements influencing cfDNA fetal fraction.
Materials and Methods: Our research was designed as an observational, retrospective research of 406 pregnant females who underwent fetal-aneuploidy screening in the course of pregnancy, from January 2019 to April 2023. Some patients had the 1.trimester fetal-aneuploidy screening test between 11-13.weeks, while another group of patients chose to undergo the NIPT at their own request. Any abnormalities in trisomy 13,18,21 were reported in the NIPT results. Maternal age, parity, history of miscarriage, presence of hypertension, fetal anomaly detected on ultrasound were questioned.
Results: The average age of females who chose the 1.trimester fetal-aneuploidy screening test was 31.17±4.00, and that of those who chose NIPT was 32.84±5.09, and it was seen to be significantly higher in the NIPT group (p<0.01). The history of miscarriage in patients undergoing NIPT was significantly higher with regard to the other group (p=0.027). The presence of pregestational diabetes mellitus and hypertension in patients who underwent NIPT was found to be significantly higher than the other group (p=0.016, p=0.024 respectively). Age and BMI have a statistically significant negative connection versus cfDNA fetal fraction (p<0.01, r=-0.506) (p<0.01, r=-0.509).
Conclusion: Our study showed that the area of prenatal aneuploidy screening was greatly impacted by the introduction of NIPT, which replaced the 1.trimester screening test and decreased the number of intrusive testing. Our findings may be used as a reference for prenatal treatment and can offer clinics useful information when integrating NIPT into the prenatal screening flow.
Labioplasti ameliyatı yapılan hastalarda sosyal ve klinik nedenler
Authors: Ata Can , Yavuz Onur , Atlıhan Ufuk , Bıldacı Tevfik Berk , Erkılınç Selçuk , Avşar Hüseyin Aytuğ
Published: December 2024

Amaç: Gelişmiş toplumlarda giderek artan sayıda kadın, genital estetik ameliyatları tercih etmekle birlikte en yaygın olan prosedür labioplasti olarak kabul edilmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı labioplasti operasyonu geçiren kadınlarda operasyon kararına neden olan sosyal ve klinik faktörleri ortaya koymaktır.
Gereç ve yöntem: Çalışmamızda Nisan 2018 - 2023 döneminde hastanemizde labia minör küçültme ameliyatı olan 189 hasta retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi. Araştırmaya dahil edilen tüm hastaların hasta dosyalarından hastane veritabanından ameliyatı talep etmelerine neden olan sosyal ve klinik faktörler retrospektif olarak değerlendirildi.
Bulgular: Çalışmaya katılan hastalar; estetik nedenler, estetik + işlevsel nedenler ve psikolojik nedenlerle ameliyat olan hastalar olarak 3 ayrı grupta değerlendirilmiş olup, gruplar arasında yaş ortalaması olarak anlamlı fark saptanmamıştır (p=0.914). Çalışmamızda koitus öyküsü olmayan hastalardan 16 (%88.9) hasta bireysel nedenler, 2 (%11.1) hasta çevresel nedenlerden dolayı opere olmuştur. Koitus öyküsü olmayan hastalarda bireysel nedenlerle yapılan operasyon oranı, çevresel nedenlerle yapılan operasyon oranına göre anlamlı yüksek saptanmıştır (p<0.001)
Sonuç: Cerrahi müdahale geçiren kadınlar bunu her zaman kişisel nedenlerden dolayı yapmamaktadır. Bu nedenle labioplasti operasyonunu düşünmeden önce kapsamlı bir değerlendirme yapmak gerekir. Labioplasti hastalarının motivasyonlarının ve beklentilerinin net olarak anlaşılması, hastanın daha iyi karar vermesini kolaylaştıracak ve hastanın sonuçtan memnuniyet olasılığını arttıracaktır.
Equidade no Acesso aos Cuidados de Saúde em Portugal: O que Sabemos?
Authors: Fernandes Joana , Furtado Cláudia , Pereira João
Published: December 2024

Em Portugal, as normas constitucionais e legais estabelecem que o sistema de saúde deve estar organizado de forma a garantir a equidade no acesso aos cuidados. Para garantir este objetivo é habitualmente aceite que, perante idêntica necessidade, os indivíduos de diferentes estratos socioeconómicos deverão ter acesso à mesma utilização de cuidados. A presente revisão narrativa avalia o conhecimento atual sobre este tema. Apresenta-se uma breve resenha das características do sistema de saúde português que poderão influenciar a consecução do objetivo de equidade no acesso. É também descrita a evidência empírica disponível. Observa-se que, em Portugal, a equidade no acesso não tem sido atingida para a maioria dos cuidados de saúde. Sobretudo nos cuidados de saúde especializados, os indivíduos com maiores níveis de rendimento apresentam, para um mesmo nível de necessidade, maior utilização de cuidados. Estas situações de iniquidade deverão ser analisadas e corrigidas; deverão ser consideradas as potenciais barreiras ao acesso no âmbito do Serviço Nacional de Saúde, já que é ao sistema público que compete garantir a equidade.
Android-based SAKLAR Application: An Alternative Learning Media for Lorentz Force
Authors: Azmar Azmar , Amalia Silvia Rahma , Istiani Nurul
Published: December 2024

This study aims to develop and evaluate the feasibility of the Android-based learning application, SAKLAR, as a learning media for Lorentz Force material for junior high school / MTs students. The research uses the Research and Development (R&D) method with the 3D model (define, design, development). At the define stage, needs analysis was conducted through interviews and observations, while the design stage involved designing the application with Canva. At the development stage, the application was developed using Smart Application Creator (SAC) and validated by media and material experts. The validation results showed a feasibility level of 97.1% for the material and 96.2% for the media. A limited trial with 26 students showed that the app improved students' understanding and motivation to learn. This app is expected to be an innovative alternative to technology-based science learning.
Inventory of the risks of contamination of milk from the neighbourhoods in traditional farms in the Poro region in Côte d'ivoire
Authors: Kouaho Frederic Harding , Toure Abdoulaye , Gouro Abdoulaye Soumana
Published: December 2024

This study, which highlights the situation of dairy farms as well as their development prospects, took place from May to October 2022 in the Poro region of Côte d'Ivoire. And focused on the sociodemographic, zootechnical and health characteristics of 45 traditional farms with a total of 360 dairy cows. Trade, the main activity for 51.1% of the owners, followed by agriculture 31.11%, for 88.88% of the indigenous Senufo herders and 93.33% are non-indigenous Fulani. Feed is pasture for 75.6% and 24.44% of farmers providing a feed supplement. The age of first calving is between 3 and 4 years old or 5 to 6 years old. Cows that calved the most at the age of 4 years by 46.51% compared to those calved 3 years ago 30.23%, 5 years 19.77% and 6 years 3.49% at the regional level. The frequency of milking per season varies significantly from 0.5 litres/day to 15 litres/day depending on the breeds observed (P<0.05). The main parasitic diseases are Trypanosomiasis 28.88%, a bi-infection (Safa (foot-and-mouth disease), Bovine Nodular Cutaneous Skin Disease (BNCSD)) 20% and Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) 13.30%. For 80% of farmers, the prevalence of clinical mastitis is 60% and 20% estimate the prevalence of subclinical mastitis to be 40%. The milk is harvested by the Fulani and 33.33% sell the milk to wholesalers in each department of the Poro region. The amount of unsold milk 22.22% filtered for some, boiled (10 to 15 minutes). This study highlights a lack of hygiene during milking and on farms. It is therefore important to carry out mastitis screening actions in traditional dairy farms in the Poro region and to structure it.
Book Vandalism in the Library of the Faculty of Communication Sciences at Padjadjaran University
Authors: Gusti Wanda Delfin , Yusuf Ariel Mohammad Alief , Prijana Prijana
Published: December 2024

Background of the study: The large number of users who use the library collection makes the library vulnerable to misuse of the collection. One form of threat of misuse of collections faced by libraries is damage caused by vandalism.
Method: The study adopted a quantitative Pre-Experiment research approach with One Shot case study data analysis, with data collection techniques including observation and documentation.
Purpose: This research investigates a case of vandalism of collection books in the Library of the Faculty of Communication Sciences, Padjadjaran University. The purpose of this study is to describe the acts of vandalism that occurred.
Findings: 200 vandalized books of various types were found. The findings of this study highlighted various forms of vandalism that occurred on the collection books, such as crossing out, giving special colors, drawing, writing, underlining, and giving special marks.
Conclusion: Vandalism of books in libraries is a serious problem that limits the library's ability to provide optimal services and disrupts the absorption of information in higher education.
Keywords: Book Vandalism, Pre-Experimental Research, University Library

 
Latar Belakang: Banyaknya pengguna yang menggunakan koleksi perpustakaan membuat perpustakaan rentan terhadap penyalahgunaan koleksi. Salah satu bentuk dari ancaman penyalahgunaan koleksi yang dihadapi perpustakaan adalah kerusakan yang disebabkan oleh vandalisme.
Metode: Studi ini mengadopsi pendekatan penelitian Pra Eksperimen kuantitatif dengan analisis data One Shot case study, dengan teknik pengambilan data meliputi observasi dan dokumentasi.
Tujuan: Penelitian ini menginvestigasi kasus vandalisme koleksi buku di Perpustakaan Fakultas Ilmu Komunikasi Universitas Padjadjaran. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mendeskripsikan tindakan vandalisme yang terjadi.
Temuan: Ditemukan 200 buku yang telah mengalami vandalisme dengan berbagai jenis tipe. Temuan penelitian ini menyoroti berbagai bentuk vandalisme yang terjadi pada koleksi buku di perpustakaan, seperti mencoret, memberi warna khusus, menggambar, menulisi, menggaris bawahi, dan memberi tanda khusus. 
Kesimpulan: Tindakan vandalisme terhadap buku di perpustakaan merupakan masalah serius yang membatasi kemampuan perpustakaan dalam menyediakan layanan yang optimal dan mengganggu penyerapan informasi di perguruan tinggi. 
Kata Kunci: Vandalisme Buku, Penelitian Pra-Eksperimental, Perpustakaan Universitas
Analysis of the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Information-Seeking Behavior
Authors: Nahla Febri , Masruri Anis
Published: December 2024

Background of the study: The need for information in the era of globalization is rapidly growing, causing users to strategize to obtain information effectively. One of the strategies used in information retrieval is generative AI applications.
Purpose: This study aims to discuss generative AI applications used in information retrieval and the impact of generative AI usage on information-seeking behavior.
Methods: Library research is used to collect data from various relevant literature sources.
Finding: The use of generative AI in information retrieval provides positive impacts, such as speeding up the search process and presenting concise and easily understood information. However, the use of generative AI also has negative effects, such as inaccurate data and potential dependence on technology.
Conclusion: Although generative AI provides convenience in information retrieval, there are negative risks, such as data inaccuracy and overdependence on technology. Therefore, regulations and oversight are needed to prevent these negative impacts
 

ABSTRAK
Latar Belakang: Kebutuhan informasi di era globalisasi semakin berkembang pesat, yang menyebabkan para pengguna informasi harus mengatur strategi untuk mendapatkan informasi secara efektif. Salah satu strategi yang digunakan adalah dengan memanfaatkan AI generatif.
Tujuan: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membahas aplikasi-aplikasi AI Generatif yang digunakan dalam pencarian informasi serta dampak dari penggunaan AI generatif terhadap perilaku informasi.
Metode: Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah library research dengan pengumpulan data dari berbagai sumber literatur yang relevan.
Temuan: Penggunaan AI generatif dalam pencarian informasi memberi dampak positif, seperti mempercepat proses pencarian dan menyajikan informasi yang ringkas dan mudah dipahami. Meskipun demikian, penggunaan AI generatif juga menimbulkan dampak negatif, yaitu data yang kurang akurat dan potensi ketergantungan pada teknologi.
Kesimpulan: Meskipun AI generatif memberikan kemudahan dalam pencarian informasi, terdapat resiko negatif seperti ketidakakuratan data dan ketergantungan berlebihan pada teknologi. Oleh karena itu, diperlukan aturan dan pengawasan untuk mencegah dampak negatif tersebut.
Confused mystification of Ayurvedic concepts
Authors: Krishna GL
Published: December 2024

Charaka Samhita, the foremost of ayurvedic classics, categorically states that observations and inferences drawn therefrom are the primary means through which ayurvedic knowledge has been acquired and codified. It declares that, of all types of evidence, that vouched by direct observations is the most dependable. This being the case, it is baseless to suppose that ayurvedic knowledge was derived from the deep meditative experiences of ancient sages. The supposition, in addition to being a brazen insult to the reason-based (yukti-vyapashraya) character of classical ayurveda, has caused unspeakable damage to ayurveda's revival along evidence-based lines in current times.
Спрямовані та діапазонні властивості дипольних антен з екранами квадратної форми
Authors: Єлісєєва Надія Петрівна , Горобець Микола Миколайович , Горобець Олексій Миколайович
Published: December 2024

В статті наведено кількісний аналіз характеристик спрямованості та смуги робочих частот резонансної дипольної антени, розташованої паралельно до ідеально провідного екрана квадратної форми з врахуванням ефекту синфазності дифрагованих полів на всіх чотирьох крайках екрана з геометрооптичним полем в напрямку нормалі до екрана, розміри якого забезпечують синфазність цих полів. У роботі використано розв’язок тривимірної векторної задачі дифракції випромінювання диполя на екрані прямокутної форми, отриманий в рамках метода рівномірної геометричної теорії дифракції. За розробленими програмами у середовищі FORTRAN при постійному віддаленні резонансного напівхвильового диполя від квадратного екрана на чверть резонансної довжини хвилі розраховано діаграми спрямованості (ДС), коефіцієнт спрямованої дії (КСД) в напрямку нормалі до екрана та в напрямку головного максимуму ДС, опір випромінювання при зміні робочих довжин хвиль і розмірів екрана в широких межах. Показано, що оптимальні по максимуму КСД розміри квадратного екрана складають 0,7–1,3 резонансної довжини хвилі диполя, а резонанс опору випромінювання антени має місце при електричних розмірах квадратного екрана в межах 0,7–0,9. Ширина головної пелюстки ДС антени в площині електричного вектора поля становить близько 60°, і близько 100° в площині магнітного, та слабко залежить від розмірів екрана. Cмуга робочих довжин хвиль обмежується величинами КСД, опору випромінювання та ідентичністю головної пелюстки ДС антени і дорівнює від 0,75 до 1,4 резонансної довжини хвилі. Показник широкосмуговості дипольної антени з квадратним екраном сягає одиниці.
Метод оцінки середнього часу відновлення радіоелектронних засобів після короткочасного зберігання
Authors: Бабій Олександр Сергійович , Сакович Лев Миколайович
Published: December 2024

Радіоелектронні засоби (РЕЗ) військового призначення використовуються періодично під час навчань, в інший час знаходяться на короткочасному зберіганні. Відомо що інтенсивність відмов елементів під час зберігання в порівнянні з роботою РЕЗ зменшується в 10…100 разів, що веде до накопичення прихованих дефектів Тому перед польовим виходом виконують технічне обслуговування, а при необхідності поточний ремонт. Вочевидь залежно від умов зберігання (відкритий майданчик, під навісом, не опалювальне або опалювальне сховище) і його терміну кількість прихованих дефектів буде різною, що впливає на час підготовки (ремонту) РЕЗ до навчань. Але цю обставину відомі методики кількісної оцінки часткових і комплексних показників надійності не враховують, що не дозволяє заздалегідь прогнозувати необхідний час на відновлення працездатності РЕЗ після короткочасного зберігання. Тому у статті запропонований метод оцінки середнього часу відновлення РЕЗ після короткочасного зберігання, отримані і досліджені функціональні залежності показників надійності від вихідних даних і керованих змінних, які залежать від якості метрологічного і діагностичного забезпечення. Досліджена практична реалізація форми умовних алгоритмів діагностування (УАД) кратних (множинних) дефектів з кількісною оцінкою загального числа перевірок. Комплексне використання отриманих результатів формалізовано у вигляді блок-схеми алгоритму, застосування якого дозволяє залежно від вихідних даних прогнозувати середній час відновлення РЕЗ після короткочасного зберігання. Наведені приклади використання і оцінки ефекту від впровадження отриманих рекомендацій в практиці технічної експлуатації РЕЗ в реальних умовах. Це дозволяє заздалегідь планувати роботу військових ремонтних органів і ефективно використовувати їх сили та засоби.
Теоретичні оцінки вакуумної провідності нелінійного каналу транспортування короткофокусного електронного пучка
Authors: Мельник Ігор Віталійович , Починок Аліна Володимирівна , Тугай Сергій Борисович , Коваленко Олександр Миколайович , Скрипка Михайло Юрійович , Швед Ірина Сергіївна
Published: December 2024

У статті отримані аналітичні співвідношення для розрахунку вакуумної провідності нелінійного каналу транспортування електронного пучка, геометрія якого описують степеневою залежністю радіусу каналу від повздовжньої координати. Отримані та проаналізовані залежності довжини каналу транспортування від тиску технологічній камері, а також від вхідного та вихідного радіусу каналу. Отримані теоретичні результати мають практичне значення для проектування напилювального та зварювального електронно-променевого обладнання на основі електронних гармат високовольтного тліючого розряду. Результати розрахункових даних перевірені експериментально для циліндричного каналу транспортування з вхідною діафрагмою. Для узгодження теоретичних та експериментальних даних до розрахункової формули для визначення довжини каналу було введено поправковий коефіцієнт, значення якого коректували за результатами експериментальних досліджень. Отримана відносна різниця між розрахунковими та експериментальними даними не перевищувала 15%. Отримані в роботі розрахункові результати можуть бути використані для оптимізації геометрії каналу транспортування з метою досягнення мінімальних втрат струму електронного пучка у каналі.
Явище зменшення мікрохвильового відбиття від рідких пін на початковому етапі свого існування
Authors: Дробахін Олег , Філінський Леонід
Published: December 2024

Покриття металевих поверхонь рідкими пінами є перспективним підходом до зниження їх відбивної здатності в мікрохвильовому випромінюванні. Завдяки процесам дезінтеграції рідкі пінопласти з часом швидко змінюють свої властивості. Метою цього дослідження є експериментальна оцінка змін маскувальних властивостей рідкої піни з часом. Вимірювання проводилися в діапазоні 38-52 ГГц з використанням оригінального вимірювального обладнання, яке реалізує принцип Фур'є-голографії в частотно-часовій області. Вимірювання проводяться менш ніж за 1 секунду з медіанним усередненням і синтезуючим часовим імпульсом тривалістю 70 пс на рівні огинаючої 3 дБ, що дає можливість отримати динамічні характеристики рідкої піни та оцінити як відбиття безпосередньо, так і з металу і з лицьової сторони пінопластової конструкції. Новизною результатів є дослідження початкової стадії існування рідкої піни протягом перших 15-25 хвилин.
Penerapan Sistem Akuntansi Keuangan Daerah dan Kompetensi Sumber Daya Manusia dalam Rangka Peningkatan Kualitas Laporan Keuangan Pemerintah Daerah
Authors: Drajat Armono  , Niardi Ikhsan Wicaksono  , Annisa Fitriani  , Nurhayanto
Published: December 2024

Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui Pengaruh Penerapan Sistem Akuntansi Keuangan Daerah dan Kompetensi Sumber Daya Manusia mempengaruhi kualitas laporan keuangan pemerintah daerah. Pengumpulan data penelitian ini menggunakan survei kuesioner. Kuesioner disampaikan kepada 120 pegawai Satuan Kerja Perangkat Daerah (SKPD) Kabupaten Bulungan yang bekerja di bagian akuntansi/keuangan. Data yang dikumpulkan diolah dengan menggunakan program SPSS versi 26.0. Metode statistik yang digunakan untuk menguji hipotesis adalah analisis regresi linear berganda. Hasil pengujian hipotesis menunjukkan (1) Penerapan Sistem Akuntantasi Keuangan Daerah berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kualitas laporan keuangan pemerintah daerah, dan (2) Kompetensi Sumber Daya Manusia berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kualitas laporan keuangan pemerintah daerah.
Design and Validation of an Open-Palm Data Glove for Precision Finger and Wrist Tracking
Authors: Hosie Olivia , Isaksson Mats , McCormick John , Tirosh Oren , Hensman Chrys
Published: December 2024

Wearable motion capture gloves enable precise analysis of hand and finger movements for a variety of uses, including robotic surgery, rehabilitation, and most commonly, virtual augmentation. However, many motion capture gloves restrict natural hand movement with a closed-palm design including fabric over the palm and fingers. In order to alleviate slippage, improve comfort, reduce sizing issues, and eliminate movement restrictions, this paper presents a new low-cost data glove with an innovative open-palm and finger-free design. The new design improves usability and overall functionality by addressing the limitations of traditional closed-palm designs. It is be especially beneficial in capturing movements in fields such as physical therapy and robotic surgery. The new glove incorporates resistive flex sensors (RFSs) at each finger and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) at the wrist joint to measure wrist flexion, extension, ulnar and radial deviation, and rotation. Initially the sensors were tested individually for drift, synchronisation delays, and linearity. Results show a drift of 6.60/h in the IMU and no drift in the RFSs. There was a 0.06 s delay in the data captured by the IMU compared to the RFSs. The glove’s performance was tested with a novel angle testing setup mounted on a collaborative robot. In static conditions, it was found that the IMU had a worst case error across three trials of 7.01 and a mean absolute error (MAE) averaged over three trials of 4.85, while RFSs had a worst case error of 3.77 and a MAE of 1.25 averaged over all five RFSs used. There was no clear correlation between measurement error and speed. Overall, the new glove design proved to accurately measure joint angles.
Therapeutic Potential and Challenges of Pioglitazone in Cancer Treatment
Authors: Vasileiou Maria , Diamantoudis Sotirios Charalampos , Tsianava Christina , Nguyen Nam P.
Published: December 2024

Pioglitazone (ACTOS) is a thiazolidinedione for peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ (PPARγ) that has been well established for the second or third line treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Beyond the effects on glucose metabolism, pioglitazone displays positive effects on lipid metabolism, blood pressure, endothelial function, bone density and apoptosis of cancer cells. In fact, according to in vitro experiments and preclinical studies, PPARγ ligand is currently considered a potential target for both chemoprevention and cancer therapy. PPARγ ligands are known to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and metastasis through terminal differentiation and underexpression of inflammatory mediators. Despite its anticancer properties, pioglitazone was withdrawn by the national medicine agencies of France and Germany, due to reports of increased incidence of bladder cancer. These reports were associated with European populations undergoing higher doses and longer duration of treatment. In this review we discuss the pharmacokinetics, therapeutic potential and limitations regarding the clinical use of pioglitazone, with a focus on cancer treatment.
Quantifying Emissions and Removals in Malawi’s Forestry Sector: Activity Data and Emission Factor Analysis
Authors: Bhanti Meyru , Bista Rajesh , Chirwa Mike , Munthali Maggie , Tibu Austin , Chisale Mary , Utila Henry
Published: December 2024

This paper presents estimates of activity data, emission factors and emissions and removals for Malawi’s three REDD+ activities: deforestation, forest degradation, and enhancement. Calculations are based on data from Malawi’s National Forest Inventory (NFI) and plantation data for the reference period 2010 to 2020. Deforestation occurred at a rate of 11,565ha ± 1,067ha per year, representing a 0.66% annual change. Notably, deforestation was higher in non-protected areas (0.69%) than protected areas (0.66%). Forest degradation resulted in an annual loss of 14,192 ha, equivalent to 0.77% per annum, with 54% degradation occurring in protected areas, mainly within the dense canopy class (>60%). These protected areas had an area weighted carbon stock of 57.26 tC/ha while forests outside the protected areas had an average carbon stock of 45.03 tC/ha. The estimated annual emissions from deforestation and forest degradation were 1,008,600 and 543,511 tCO2e/yr, respectively. Annual removal due to forest enhancement averaged 61,070 tCO2e/yr. The mean net forest emissions for this reference period were 1,491,041 tCO2e/yr. Malawi has the potential to enhance its forests and mitigate its emissions through industrial plantations while also abating forest and biodiversity loss through avoided deforestation and forest degradation. By using Collect Earth, a free and open source platform, this analysis provides a model for emissions and removals assessments that are transparent, fully replicable, and cost-effective for governments.
AIoT Advances in Aquaculture: A Review
Authors: Huang Yo-Ping , Khabusi Simon Peter
Published: December 2024

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT), known as AIoT, is driving significant advancements in the aquaculture industry, offering solutions to longstanding challenges related to operational efficiency, sustainability, and productivity. This review explores the latest research studies in AIoT within the aquaculture industry, focusing on real-time environmental monitoring, data-driven decision-making, and automation. IoT sensors deployed across aquaculture systems continuously track critical parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and fish behavior. AI algorithms process these data streams to provide predictive insights into water quality management, disease detection, species identification, biomass estimation, and optimized feeding strategies, among others. Much as AIoT adoption in aquaculture is advantageous on various fronts, there are still numerous challenges, including high implementation costs, data privacy concerns, and the need for scalable and adaptable AI models across diverse aquaculture environments. This review also highlights future directions for AIoT in aquaculture, emphasizing the potential for hybrid AI models, improved scalability for large-scale operations, and sustainable resource management.
Occupational Burnout and Insomnia in Relation to Psychological Resilience Among Nurses in Greece in the Post-Pandemic Era
Authors: Sikaras Christos , Pachi* Argyro , Alikanioti Sofia , Ilias Ioannis , Sideri Eleni Paraskevi , Tselebis Athanasios , Panagiotou Aspasia
Published: December 2024

Recent studies indicate that nurses experienced higher levels of occupational burnout and insomnia during the pandemic compared to other healthcare professionals. The aim of this study was to assess occupational burnout, insomnia, and psychological resilience and to explore their interrelations among nurses in Greece in the post-pandemic era. The study was conducted online in July 2024 and included 380 nurses currently working in Greek hospitals, who completed the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Overall, 56.1% of the nurses exhibited insomnia symptoms and 46.8% displayed signs of occupational burnout. Low resilience scores were observed in 26.3%. Female nurses had a higher mean burnout score compared to their male counterparts. Multiple regression analysis indicated that CBI Total explained 34.4% of the variance in the AIS scores, with an additional 3% explained by BRS. Mediation analysis further revealed that resilience operates protectively as a negative mediator in the relationship between burnout and insomnia. In conclusion, the levels of occupational burnout and insomnia among nurses remain high one year after the end of the pandemic and consequently there is an urgent need to enhance the support for nurses to protect them from adverse physical and psychological effects.
Increasing Neural-Based Pedestrian Detector's Robustness to Adversarial Patch Attacks Using Anomaly Localization
Authors: Ilina Olga , Tereshonok Maxim , Ziyadinov Vadim
Published: December 2024

Object detection in images is a fundamental component of many safety-critical systems, such as autonomous driving, video surveillance systems, and robotics. Adversarial patch attacks, which are easily implemented in the real world, provide effective counteraction to the object detection by state-of-the-art neural-based detectors. It poses a serious danger in various fields of activity. Existing defense methods against patch attacks are insufficiently effective, which underlines the need to develop new reliable solutions. In this manuscript, a new approach is proposed to increase the robustness of neural network systems to the input adversarial images. The proposed method, based on the anomaly localization, demonstrates high resistance to adversarial patch attacks while maintaining the high quality of the object detection. The results of the study demonstrate that the proposed method is promising for security of object detection systems improvement and threat of adversarial patch attacks counteraction.
Development of Anti-Dust Nanostructured Silicon Dioxide Coating for Solar Cells
Authors: Alqarni Areej , Bahattab Mohammed , AlQahtani Moraya , Almater Ahmad , Abaalkheel Issa , Aldhuwaile Ali
Published: December 2024

Driven by the effects of global warming and environmental pollution from fossil fuel use, the transition towards renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, is gaining momentum. Yet, photovoltaic systems encounter critical issues, primarily due to soiling or dust accumulation, which can diminish power efficiency by 20-40% and raise maintenance expenses. Therefore, this study aims to develop a durable, transparent, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective anti-dust coating for photovoltaics, evaluating its potential to maintain PV power performance under harsh environmental conditions. The coating was applied using the dip-coating method, followed by heat curing to improve adhesion. Microstructural analysis using XRD, SEM, and EDS showed that the coating consists of SiO2 nanograins. The one-month current-voltage (I-V) measurement test showed that coated samples had a higher Maximum Power Point by 8.7% and Open Circuit Voltage by 5.3% than uncoated ones. Transmittance evaluations over seven months showed that coated samples maintained a high level of transparency at 94% under clean conditions. Coating durability was confirmed through abrasion tests, where the coating withstood 30 cycles, a figure among the highest recorded for silicon dioxide coatings. The UV resistance and chemical stability tests further demonstrated robustness against environmental stressors. Additionally, a notable increase in cost efficiency ($1.5/kg) over conventional cleaning methods was observed, attributed to the coating's low-maintenance nature. In conclusion, this coating significantly benefits the solar energy industry by maintaining photovoltaic panel efficiency and substantially reducing cleaning costs, bridging the gap between innovative research and practical applications.
Inadvertent Dural Puncture Causing Low Pressure Headache and Peripheral Vestibular Damage
Authors: Longridge Neil S , Mallinson Art I , Robinson R Gordon
Published: December 2024

"This case report describes a rare cause of dizziness in a patient who had a low pressure headache, subsequent to a an inadvertent dural perforation during treatment for post traumatic prolapsed lumbar vertebral discs. Subsequent to this, she developed acute vertigo and was left with chronic episodic vestibular symptoms. Investigation demonstrated bilateral otolithic VEMP abnormalities. This could be from damage to blood supply to both inner ears or traction causing damage to the vestibular nerves bilaterally."
Impact of Sensor Axis Combinations on Machine Learning Accuracy for Human Activity Recognition Using Accelerometer Data in Clinical Settings
Authors: Yamane Takahiro , Kimura Moeka , Morita Mizuki
Published: December 2024

For diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or arrhythmia, identifying the patient’s activity during symptom onset is crucial for severity assessment and diagnosis. Acceleration data from accelerometers can facilitate this process, but, in clinical settings, minimal data requirements are desirable. The study aimed to determine minimal number of axes needed from a 9-axis accelerometer worn on the non-dominant wrist or chest to maintain high accuracy in recognizing activities related to COPD or arrhythmia. Thirty healthy participants wore 9-axis accelerometers at five positions on their bodies and performed nine activities. We conducted machine learning-based activity recognition using 9-axis, 6-axis, and 3-axis data from the non-dominant wrist or chest. For the non-dominant wrist, 3-axis acceleration data recognized activities such as lying in the supine position, standing, taking a meal, and running, with accuracy comparable to 9-axis data. For the chest, 6-axis combining acceleration and magnetometer recognized activities such as lying in the supine position, standing, sitting, using the restroom, and ascending or descending stairs, with accuracy comparable to 9-axis data. These findings suggest that reducing the axes to 3-axis acceleration for the nondominant wrist and 6-axis combining acceleration and magnetometer for the chest, maintain high activity recognition accuracy.
Susceptibility and Remanent Magnetization Estimates from Orientation Tools in Borehole Imaging Logs
Authors: Lyrio Julio Cesar S. O. , Laier Ana Patricia , Junior Jorge Campos , Rodrigues Ana Natalia , Martins Luciano Santos
Published: December 2024

Orientation tools in borehole imaging logs acquire magnetic information that is currently used for spatial and geographical orientation of the images. We propose to use this magnetic field information to estimate both magnetic susceptibility and remanent magnetization of rocks inside wells. Measurements of these magnetic parameters are not often available in hydrocarbon exploration to support forward modeling of magnetic data, an interpretation tool that has played important role in the exploration risk reduction in the Pre-Salt prospects of Campos Basin, Brazil. The acquired magnetic data requires corrections for tool rotation and diurnal variation of the Earth’s magnetic field before calculation. Then, using a set of simple equations and reasonable assumptions we were able to estimate the magnetic susceptibility of carbonates and basalts, as well as the remanent magnetization of the basalts, from a Pre-Salt well in Campos Basin. When compared to susceptibility values measured in laboratory for the same rock interval, our results show a significant match. This promising result shows the importance of our methodology in providing reliable information that can minimize uncertainties in forward modeling of magnetic data, which contributes to reduction of hydrocarbon exploration risks.
A Multimodal Pain Sentiment Analysis System Using Ensembled Deep Learning Approaches for IoT-Enabled Healthcare Framework
Authors: Ghosh Anay , Umer Saiyed , Dhara Bibhas Chnadra , Ali G G Md Nawaz
Published: December 2024

This paper presents a multimodal sentiment analysis system for analyzing and recognizing pain sentiments for the Internet of Things (IoT) Healthcare framework. This multimodal sentiment analysis system will analyze both facial patterns and speech-audio recordings to analyze human pain intensities. The implementation of the proposed system is divided into four components. The first component is to detect the facial region from the given image sequences of a video. Detecting facial regions is crucial based on the identified textual facial patterns. The second phase extracts discriminant and divergent features from the detected facial region using deep-learning techniques based on building convolutional neural network architectures, followed by improving fine-tuning parameters with transfer learning of some optimized models and fusion techniques. In the third phase, the speech-audio recordings are analyzed by extracting some divergent and valuable features, which undergo deep learning-based approaches to generate more divergent features. The performances reported due to image-based and audio-based pain sentiment analysis systems are fused at the fourth component to enhance the performance of the proposed multimodal sentiment analysis system, which is eligible to predict the different pain intensities, such as `High-Pain’, `Mild-Pain’, and `No-Pain’, that appeared on the facial pattern or the speech-audio recording of a person when they feel pain. Three standard image-based databases, such as 2D Face-pain-set, UNBC-McMaster shoulder pain, and BioVid Heat Pain databases, and one audio-based Variably Intense Vocalizations of Affect and Emotion Corpus (VIVAE) database, have been employed to test the proposed system. The performance of the image-based pain sentiment analysis system using a 2D Face-pain-set (2-class problem) is 76.23% accuracy, using the UNBC-McMaster shoulder pain database (3-class problem), 84.27% accuracy, and for BioVid Heat Pain database (5-class problem) 38.04% is obtained. Similarly, for the proposed audio-based pain sentiment analysis system, the highest performance is 97.56% for (50-50%) and 98.32% for (75-25%) Training-testing samples using the VIVAE database. The performance of the proposed system has been compared with some state-of-the-art methods that show its superiority. Finally, by fusing the decisions obtained due to image-based and audio-based deep learning models, the achieved performance is 99.31% for 2-class, 99.54% for 3-class, and 87.41% for 5-class obtained for the proposed multimodal pain sentiment analysis system.
Treatment of Ferruginous Water in the Performance of Drip Irrigation Systems
Authors: de Almeida Cordeiro Elio , Chartuni Mantovani Everardo , Vieira Gustavo Haddad Souza , Ferreira da Silva José Geraldo , Ramalho Haddade Ismail , Vieira Lo Monaco Paola Alfonsa
Published: December 2024

One of the most important advantages of drip irrigation is the possibility of achieving high uniformity of water distribution. However, this uniformity can be prejudiced when using water with high iron content, which can cause emitters to clog. This study aimed to verify the efficiency of the chlorination, aeration, decantation and filtration processes carried out to remove the iron from irrigation water, and to investigate the effect of iron on the water distribution uniformity. Four similar irrigation systems with five models of emitters were installed. The results showed that (i) there was a significant difference in the emitters’ behavior in relation to susceptibility to clogging, when using water with high iron content; (ii) the use of disk filters alone was not able to promote significant reductions in the iron quantity, as a way to prevent the clogging of emitters; and (iii) the use of aerators followed by sedimentation tanks made it possible to achieve a considerable improvement in the water application uniformity for emitters that were more sensitive to clogging caused by the use of water with high iron content.
Smart Insulin Pen in Pregnant Women with Type 1 Diabetes: An Encouraging Case Series
Authors: Resi Veronica , Gaglio Alessia , Pigotskaya Yana , Caretto Amelia , Orsi Emanuela , Grancini Valeria
Published: December 2024

Background The management of type 1 diabetes in pregnancy with new technologies is challenging. Sometimes the complexity of new-generation systems such as CSII (continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion) and patient or provider preference do not allow their use, so women with type 1 diabetes in pregnancy continue to be treated with subcutaneous multiple injection insulin therapy using pens. Smart insulin pens are new tools that allow data collection on insulin dose and time of administration and have additional connectivity features. Objective To retrospectively describe the use of a smart insulin pen coupled with rt-CGM (InPen TM system) in 3 pregnancies complicated by type 1 diabetes. The cases presented are the first report of the use of the smart insulin pen in type 1 diabetic patients during pregnancy.
Spacetime Metric with Invariant Time Evolution
Authors: Land Martin
Published: December 2024

In a series of recent papers we developed a field theory for a spacetime metric that evolves with the monotonic advance of a Poincaré-invariant parameter, under the influence of a matter-energy density produced by particle trajectories parameterized in a similar way. In this framework, we obtained the linearized theory for weak fields and solved the resulting wave equation for a metric induced by a `static’ particle evolving uniformly along the t-axis in its rest frame. While this metric possesses many expected features, we showed that it leads to unreasonable geodesic equations for a test particle, including a possible repulsive gravitational force. We attribute this problem to the difficulty of identifying the correct Green’s function for the wave equation, forcing us to abandon this approach to the metric. A more general method involves the ADM-like 4+1 formalism, which is often used to obtain the metric as a perturbation to an exact solution for the metric induced by a known matter-energy source. In this paper, we propose a metric ansatz with certain expected properties, obtain the source that induces this metric, and take these as a starting point for an initial value problem in the 4+1 formalism, that can can be used to find a more general metric as a perturbation to this known solution. We show that the metric ansatz, its associated source, and the geodesic equations for a test particle behave as required for such a model, recovering Newtonian gravitation in the nonrelativistic limit. We finally describe possibilities for obtaining more general solutions as perturbations of the ansatz.
A Framework for Transfer Capability Analysis in Power Systems: An Automated Approach
Authors: Lamichhane Shishir , Jing Zejia , Vance Katelynn , Rice Nathaniel
Published: December 2024

With the increasing demand for electricity and the rapid changes in their energy resources portfolio, utilities need to protect the reliability of their systems. This need for reliability and resource adequacy is the foundation of the Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) required by many states. A component of the plan includes the study of a system’s ability to transfer power over the transmission network through import and/or export. Utilities commonly study this by manually simulating large sets of contingencies—an exhaustive and multi-step process. Dominion Energy has developed an automation toolset that leverages pyPowerGEM and Python to create simulations and tune generation dispatch, while maintaining N-1 security. Results for various use cases showed that the transfer capability automation tool, the first component of the toolset, dramatically reduced the time to calculate transfer capability—by up to 90%. Moreover, the transfer capability enhancement tool, the second component of the toolset, improved the transfer capability through generation re-dispatching, which provided engineers with a better understanding of the transmission network constraints and how they can affect access to needed electricity. The tool’s graphical user interface (GUI) allows access to a large range of users interested in understanding both import and export transfer capability limits. While this automation tool was built and tested for Dominion Energy, the general outline of the tool provided in this paper can be adopted by other utilities and adapted to their systems.
Low-Cost Raman Spectroscopy Setup Combined with a Machine Learning Model for Point-of-Care Applications
Authors: Domingos Catarina , Fantoni Alessandro , Fernandes Miguel , Fidalgo Jorge , Pereira Sofia Azeredo
Published: December 2024

The diagnosis of kidney diseases presents significant challenges, including the reliance on variable and unstable biomarkers and the necessity for laboratory tests, which is often expensive and complex. Raman spectroscopy emerges as a promising technique for detecting biomarkers of kidney disease, however, its complexity, high cost and limited accessibility outside clinical con-texts complicates its application. Moreover, analyzing Raman spectra, especially from biological fluids like urine, is a challenging and intensive task. In response to these challenges, the devel-opment of a portable, simplified and low-cost Raman system offers a practical solution for analysis of complex biological fluids. The methodology adopted for the system’s development was based on the ‘Starter Edition’ from the OpenRAMAN website. The study of urine fluorescence was an essential step to determine the appropriate laser wavelength for the acquisition of urine spectra, to minimize fluorescence interference. The system’s optimization involved two stages: adjusting the laser’s operating temperature, by evaluating its emission spectrum under different temperatures with a spectrometer ; and optimizing the acquisition parameters of the software used, through the acquisition of ethanol spectrum to identify the settings that improve spectral quality. The system validation was performed through the acquisition of Raman spectra from five different urine samples, demonstrating its consistency and sensitivity to composition variations in urine samples. Finally, a neural network was designed and trained using methanol and ethanol solutions. The model’s hyperparameters were optimized to maximize its precision and accuracy. This approach explored the model’s potential for classifying Raman spectra.