bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A higher risk for melanoma in patients with Parkinson’s disease: Based on the results from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001 – 2004
Authors: Chen Huan , Du Ning , Wang Lixia , Yang Lin
Published: July 2023

The relationship between Parkinson’s disease (PD) and melanoma has been controversial. The present study used data from the 2001 – 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database. This study included individuals aged ≥20 years with complete data on PD and melanoma, in which 48 participants were comorbid with the melanoma group, and 5774 were not. Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the connection. There was a higher proportion of PD in the melanoma group than in the non-melanoma group (2.45% vs. 0.30%). Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals with PD had an 8.32-fold higher risk of developing melanoma than those without PD. In addition, PD was significantly correlated with melanoma (OR, 8.747; 95% CI, 1.264 – 60.506; p = 0.030) after controlling for covariates in multivariate analysis. In conclusion, our research indicates a significant correlation between PD and melanoma in American adults.
Older Americans are more vulnerable to prior exposure effects in news evaluation
Authors: Lyons Benjamin A.
Published: July 2023

Older news users may be especially vulnerable to prior exposure effects, whereby news comes to be seen as more accurate over multiple viewings. I test this in re-analyses of three two-wave, nationally representative surveys in the United States (N = 8,730) in which respondents rated a series of mainstream, hyperpartisan, and false political headlines (139,082 observations). I find that prior exposure effects increase with age—being strongest for those in the oldest cohort (60+)—especially for false news. I discuss implications for the design of media literacy programs and policies regarding targeted political advertising aimed at this group.
Population Development in South Bohemia
Authors: Korčák Jaromír
Published: July 2023

Due to a rather isolated position and a relatively high altitude, South Bohemia was populated much later than the rest of the country. The density of population was small and industrialisation proceeded rather slowly. The author describes the development of population in South Bohemia since 1870, and compares it with the development in the remaining parts of Bohemia. For a long time, people emigrated from South Bohemia to Prague or to Vienna (till 1914). Natural increase in population here was, however, more favourable than in the remaining parts of Bohemia. It also did not suffer much by the transfer of German inhabitants in 1946. After World War II emigration almost stopped but the natural increase also fell considerably. In 1960-1970 it was only 2,4 per mille whereas the total increase was only 1,0 per mille a year. In that decade the population stagnated in the whole Bohemia. There was only a 0,8 per mille increase. As early as 1947 the population of Bohemia belonder to a regressive type, i. e. the number of people over fifty exceeded by 7,6 % the number of children of 14. In 1968 the net production rate fell to 0,87. The population development in South Bohemia is further compared with East Slovakia - another part of Czechoslovakia, most similar in population increase, urbanisation, and (till 1950) also industrialisation progress. Diagrams show that both the population development, and urbanisation proceeded in both abovementioned regions approximately in the same manner. However since 1960 East Slovakia has shown a much greater increase as well as greater progress in industrial development. In proportion of town dwellers, however, South Bohemia preserves a higher level, i. e. the number of town dwellers has been increasind in spite of a contnuous population stagnation. In this paper the population development in South Bohemia (in 1950-1960) was also compared with other areas in Central Europe of a similar extent which showed a smaller density of population in 1960 and had their own regional centre. There are five in north-east Poland, aund four in the Alps. All of them differ at least in the proportion of town inhabitants, in the growth of town and in the total increase in population. The largest increase has been recorded in four Polish areas, the smallest in South Bohemia. In Bohemia the towns consumed nearly the whole population increase, similarly as in the Korutany area.
Examining the Impact of Financial Openness on Domestic Interest Rate in Nigeria
Authors: Nzeh Innocent Chile , Uzoechina Benedict I. , Ozoh Joan Nwamaka , Okoli Uju Victoria
Published: July 2023

The sensitive role played by domestic interest rate in the economy has made studies on its determinants paramount. This study therefore used the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds framework to investigate the impact of financial openness on domestic interest rate in Nigeria over the period from 1980–2020. The study included three de facto financial openness measures, namely: foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, FDI outflows and portfolio investment as well as one de jure financial openness measure, namely: capital account openness. The short-run results revealed that while FDI inflows had a negative but non-significant impact on domestic interest rate, the impact of FDI outflows was positive and significant. The short-run results also indicated that while foreign portfolio investment had a positive but non-significant impact on domestic interest rate, the impact of capital account openness was positive and significant. In the long-run, the study revealed that FDI inflows had a negative but non-significant impact on domestic interest rate. In another vein, while FDI outflows was found to impact on domestic interest rate positively, the impact of capital account openness was also found to be positive. The study therefore concludes that domestic interest rate in Nigeria was influenced positively by both FDI outflows and capital account openness in the two time horizons and this has implications for monetary policy setting. Based on these findings, the study recommends that apart from the traditional policies used in the control of domestic interest rate, monetary authorities in Nigeria should also regulate capital outflows in their quest to direct interest rate to a desired direction.
On Orthogonality According to an Index in Semi–normed Spaces
Authors: Stringa Artur , Qoshja Arbër
Published: July 2023

In a recent study, we introduce the concept of orthogonality and transversality according to an index, obtaining some results on linear dependence and independence in semi-normed spaces. In this paper, we discuss the concept of orthogonality in semi-normed spaces.
Peran Perempuan Hindu Dalam Pelaksanaan Upacara Ngaben (Studi di Dusun Wana Sari Desa Swastika Buana Kecamatan Seputih Banyak Kabupaten Lampung Tengah)
Authors: Sukarlinawati Wayan
Published: July 2023

In Balinese society, it has been proven that many women are capable of carrying out tasks as befits men, such as being a sulinggih, pampangku (jan bangul), but women are generally reluctant to choose this opportunity to become the field they are engaged in. Scriptures or guidelines in ejection are often used as an excuse to perpetuate injustice regarding the provisions that must be obeyed by women in religious activities/prayers. Women play an important role in being involved in religious ceremonies and other Yajna activities. One of the important roles of women is their involvement in the Pitra Yajna ceremony, namely the Ngaben ceremony. The purpose of this study is to analyze the role of women in carrying out the cremation ceremony in Wana Sari Hamlet, Swastika Buana Village, Seputih Banyak District, Central Lampung Regency and to analyze the shape of the role of women in the Ngaben ceremony in Wana Sari Hamlet, Swastika Buana Village, Seputih Banyak District, Central Lampung Regency. The method used in this study is a qualitative research method related to field research which is usually research related to the social sciences. The results of the study are that women have a social role in society and secondly, the role of women is to strengthen a sense of solidarity in the effort to transform religious values and the division of responsibilities for the implementation and development of religious rituals, especially at the Ngaben ceremony, is sustainable. The role that women have in carrying out the Ngaben ceremony is that the women specifically make Banten Upakara, while the men handle other equipment that requires more manpower, such as making bade and others. The rights of Hindu women in the Ngaben ceremony greatly determine the Atman and all of their ancestors in order to achieve perfection and happiness in God's realm.
Kajian Internalisasi Nilai Kekidungan Jawa Dalam Kalangan Pemuda Hindu Di Kabupaten Pringsewu-Lampung
Authors: Sugiyarto Sugiyarto , Biasa I Made , Sudiani Ni Nyoman
Published: July 2023

This study discusses of the internalization the value of Kekidungan Javanese in Hindu youth Pringsewu Regency-Lampung. This research is a qualitative research using descriptive method. This study tries to reveal how the understanding and internalization of Kekidungan Javanese grew through the internalization process in the Hindu community, especially the Hindu Youth in Pringsewu-Lampung. This study resulted in the following findings: (A) The Hindu Community’s Understanding of Kekidungan Javanese of Song in Pringsewu Contains: 1) Understnading of Kekidungan as kinaryo dungo (mantra); 2) The types of chants that have developed include (a) Kekidungan macapat such as kinanthi, asmarandana, asmarandana, dhandanggula, pangkur, megatruh, pucung; and (b) Kekidungan panembromo such as the ayak-ayak pamungkas, and ibu pertiwi; 3) Understanding is shaped by experience. (B) The internalization of Javanese chant in the Hindu Community in Pringsewu-Lampung contains: 1) the song is internalized at religious events such as kliwonan, purnama, tilem and social events at people’s homes (anjangsana); 2) The learning process is carried out in the Paguyuban and self-study; 3) kekidungan is able to mobilize Hindu Youth to learn Javanese culture which occurs through the internalization process; 4) internalization of Kekidungan Javanese values in the Hindu community in Pringsewu-Lampung includes (a) aesthetic values, (b) social values, (c) religious values. This research is expected to be developed, so that it can be a guide for human life to achieve safety and peace.
Upacara Autotu Nimoe (Pemakaman Mayat) Sebagai Proses Pembelajaran Teologi Hindu Pada Masyarakat Etnik Nuaulu Kampung Lama, Desa Sepa, Kabupaten Maluku Tengah
Authors: Peririsia Wanasia , Oka Puspa Anak Agung , Sutresna I Made
Published: July 2023

This study discusses the understanding of the Autotu Nimoe (corpse burial) ceremony as a learning process for the Hindu theology of the Nuaulu ethnic group in Lama village, Sepa village, Central Maluku district. This study discusses the understanding of the Nuaulu ethnic community towards the form, meaning and function of the Autotu Nimoe (corpse burial) ceremony. This study aims to determine the understanding of the ethnic community of Nuaulu Autotu Nimoe Ceremony (corpse burial). In this study using an approach approach, with interview and library techniques. The results of the study reveal that the Autotu Nimoe (corpse burial) ceremony is still applied by the Nuaulu ethnic community until now in the same form. The understanding of the Nuaulu ethnic community about this ceremony is that it has been carried out by ancestors from ancient times.
Metode Sad Dharma Dalam Penyuluhan Agama Hindu Pada Kantor Kementerian Agama Kabupaten Buleleng
Authors: Suarnaya I Putu , Wahyanti Wahyanti
Published: July 2023

This study aims to describe the Sad Dharma method, which is most widely used in Hinduism counseling at the Ministry of Religion of Buleleng Regency, to find out the obstacles faced by Hindu Religion extension workers in the field at the Ministry of Religion of Buleleng Regency, to find out the supporting facilities used by religious instructors Hindus at the Office of the Ministry of Religion of Buleleng Regency. This research is a qualitative descriptive study whose population consists of 55 people consisting of civil servant and non-PNS extension workers at the office of the Ministry of Religion, Buleleng Regency. The technique of determining informants and collecting data is by using quota sampling technique. Data collection was carried out by interviews, library research and document recording methods. And the method of data analysis uses descriptive qualitative techniques accompanied by quantitative data as a reinforcement of the results statement. Based on the results of the research, the following results were obtained: a) an effective method widely used by extension agents of the Ministry of Religion was the dharmawacana method, b) several obstacles were encountered in counseling, namely: a) heterogeneous audiences, b) unfavorable weather, c) facilities and infrastructure such as a sound system is inadequate, d) little space for religious activities to be carried out, e) most of the instructors who are still young lack confidence, f) senior audiences are sometimes selfish and testful, g) training programs are still minimal, h) coaching funds limited number of people have not even been budgeted for, c) Supporting facilities in counseling include religious books and other supporting books and a sound system.
Sosiologi dan Filsafat Komunikasi Hindu
Authors: Suda Ketut
Published: July 2023

Artikel ini mengkaji sosiologi dan filsafat komunikasi Hindu yang dikaitan dengan fenomena masyarakat dalam konteks kekinian. Tujuannya untuk mengeksplorasi proses komunikasi yang cenderung terjadi pada masyarakat dewasa ini, termasuk dalam masyarakat Hindu. Penulisan artikel ini dilandasi oleh studi kepustakaan, dengan mendasarkan diri pada buku-buku pustaka yang terkait dengan permasalahan yang dikaji. Secara umum artikel ini menemukan bahwa perkembangan teknologi, khususnya teknologi komunikasi telah menggeser berbagai sistem komunikasi Hindu yang dulu lumrah digunakan di ruang-ruang publik secara fisik, kini telah bergeser ke ruang-ruang publik secara virtual. Selain itu, dalam proses komunikasi di era modernisme sekarang ini, banyak masyarakat, khususnya generasi muda yang kurang memperhatikan nilai-nilai etika, sebab nilai-nilai demikian dianggap kuno, ketinggal zaman, dan kurang efektif dan efisien. Akibatnya, dalam perkembangan komunikasi selanjutnya masyarakat cenderung bersifat futurisme, dalam arti lebih menekan nilai-nilai ke-kinian dan ke-akanan, sementara nilai-nilai masa lalu atau nilai-nilai tradisional cenedrung diabaikan. Hal ini dikarenakan, ketika masyarakat mengklaim dirinya sebagai masyarakat modern, maka mereka harus mengontraskan, bahkan membenturkan dirinya dengan nilai-nilai yang berbau tradisional.
SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF LEADERS AT INTEGRATED MADRASAH ALIYAH (MA) OF DARUL AMAL KARANGANYAR CONCERNING RELIGIOUS MODERATION POLICIES
Authors: WARDANI FITRIA KUSUMA
Published: July 2023

This study aims to analyze the leadership's understanding of religious moderation and the way madrasah leaders construct their students to become moderate Muslims. This research was phenomenological qualitative research. The results of this study are that the leadership's thinking greatly influences the character of the santri. If the leader has a radical understanding, then the santri (students) will have a radical character, while the leader who has a moderate understanding will also become a moderate Muslim. The leadership of the Darul Amal Integrated Supreme Court has a good understanding of religious moderation. From this understanding, madrasa leaders implement indicators of religious moderation through habituation, curricula, and extracurricular learning. So that students have moderate character and become a habit in everyday life.
EVALUATING THE COMPATIBILITY OF THE ENGLISH TEXTBOOKS WITH THE CURRICULUM OF THE VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Authors: HILMI AINUNNAJIH MUHAMAD , MUJIYANTO JANUARIUS , SUWANDI
Published: July 2023

The textbook is defined as the learning materials that are commonly used in the teaching and learning process, are easy to get, and are also commercially provided. There will be different needs for textbooks in senior high school and vocational high school. For that reason, some questions need to be answered. Those were the characteristics of the compatibility of the English textbooks for the marketing and online business program for eleventh grade with the curriculum in terms of completeness, up-to-dateness, depth, difficulty levels, and accuracy. This research was conducted to explain the compatibility of the materials in the textbooks used by the marketing and online business programs of vocational high schools in Semarang with the 2013 curriculum. There are two books analyzed, an English textbook for the eleventh grade of senior and vocational high school entitled “bahasa inggris,” published by Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia, and an English textbook for the eleventh grade of vocational high school entitled "english,” published by Bumi Aksara. It uses the theories of many experts and BNSP. The technique used to collect the data is observation and a document checklist, which is described qualitatively. The result of this research shows that both textbook 1 and textbook 2 are good in terms of their compatibility with the 2013 curriculum. The lack was that those books were not suited enough to students' needs in the marketing and online business fields.
TRENDS IN THE USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA INTEGRATED WITH PRIMARY SOURCES AS TEACHING MATERIALS FOR HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY SUBJECTS IN INDONESIA
Authors: PERSADA SOMA SURYA , SARIYATUN  , ARIF MUSADAD AKHMAD
Published: July 2023

Digital technology's development has significantly influenced the world of history learning in the 21st century. One of the results of this influence is shown through using digital media as history teaching materials in schools. This article aims to embody the trend of using digital media to integrate primary sources as history teaching materials in Indonesia. This research is a qualitative study with a literature study approach. The results of this study indicate that the utilization of digital media integrated with primary sources has been developed by academics in Indonesia. Integrating digital media as teaching materials with primary sources shows an awareness of the use of primary sources in learning history in Indonesia. The trend of digital media integrated with primary sources that have been developed, namely digital comics, historical media websites, and historical digital books. Each of these teaching materials has its advantages and disadvantages. In addition, the utilization of digital media with primary sources that were developed was based on learning needs and problems found in learning spaces in each school.
Motherese in Omani Arabic
Authors: Jahdhami Said Al
Published: July 2023

Motherese, alternatively known as parentese, infant directed speech, or baby talk, is the spontaneous emotive manner in which mothers converse with their newborns and young children to establish mother-child communication. The occurrence of motherese in mother-child communication is attested cross-linguistically with variant extent and frequency in languages and cultures of the globe. Due to its distinct linguistic features that tease it out from adult directed speech, it is believed to have a positive role in facilitating and accelerating children’s acquisition of their mother tongue. Prominent linguistic features that characterize motherese are often the use of simplified constructions, specific lexical items intentionally meant for children, higher pitch, slower tempo, and prolonged pronunciation, among several other ones. The role these features play in enhancing children’s exposure to and comprehension of their mother tongue as well as the establishment of a compassionate mother-child relationship stand as the driving force behind its use by mothers from different walks of life cross-culturally. The Arab culture is not an exception to this tendency since motherese is attested in several varieties of Arabic. Omani Arabic as one member of these varieties does have motherese in its daily use; yet, it is not brought to light. In an attempt to sightsee such untraversed area and bring it to light, this paper is, thus, a humble endeavor to investigate the practice of using motherese among Omani mothers and children to establish mother-child communication. Results show that several features characterize Omani Arabic motherese, those that may conform to or differ from features that characterize baby talk in other languages and cultures.
Localization of Terms Associated with the Covid-19 Pandemic from English to Arabic: A Study of Linguistic Means and Machine Translation Techniques
Authors: Amar Khatra , Alhasan Rashad Faleh , Abushaaban Hussein
Published: July 2023

The emergency conditions experienced by the world during the COVID-19 pandemic have led to radical changes in both the lexicographic and semantic levels of the Arabic language. As with other languages around the world, Arabic had to keep up with the rapid development and massive flow of information and to be able to localize the terminology associated with the pandemic in the English language as the dominant global language, especially in the scientific field. The period of the COVID-19 virus outbreak and its accompanying effects and developments witnessed the production of a huge number of newly coined terms in the English language, which posed a major challenge for Arabic translators and required them to search for linguistic means to localize these new terms, ranging from derivation and borrowing to translation and the use of machine translation techniques based on artificial intelligence programs."
Hockey en línea: desarrollo de valores humanos en estudiantes de grado primero mediante la función moralizadora de Thomas Arnold
Authors: Bernal Granados Marco Tulio
Published: July 2023

El objetivo de este estudio es demostrar la viabilidad del hockey en línea como una práctica deportiva integral que promueve el desarrollo de valores humanos en los estudiantes de grado primero del Instituto Técnico Empresarial El Yopal. Se ha diseñado una secuencia didáctica basada en esta modalidad deportiva con el propósito de desarrollar habilidades deportivas y fomentar valores como el respeto, la responsabilidad y la solidaridad. Este enfoque surge en respuesta a la falta de integración de la práctica deportiva con la formación en valores en la educación física escolar. El estudio se fundamenta en la función moralizadora de Thomas Arnold y busca fortalecer las competencias comportamentales y axiológicas de los estudiantes. El artículo presenta los resultados de la investigación, los fundamentos teóricos y la metodología utilizada. Además, se abordan los objetivos curriculares asociados a la dimensión deportiva y axiológica. Se compartirán los hallazgos obtenidos y se discutirá la percepción de las familias involucradas en el proceso formativo. El propósito de esta investigación es promover la formación integral de los estudiantes a través del hockey en línea, en concordancia con la función moralizadora propuesta por Thomas Arnold. Se busca cerrar la brecha existente en la educación física escolar y crear un espacio enriquecedor para el intercambio de ideas y reflexiones sobre este tema.
La implosión que se avecina al régimen de putin
Authors: Ávila Bojórquez Leobardo , Ramírez Ávila Sandra
Published: July 2023

La capacidad de control y ejercicio del poder del presidente Ruso Vladimir Putin sobre sus estructuras políticas, económicas y militares, han llegado a un punto de inflexión derivado de la rebelión que protagonizó el pasado 24 de junio la compañía privada militar “Wagner” -fundada y dirigida por el oligarca de origen ruso Yevgeny Prigozhin- con la amenaza de tomar la ciudad de Moscú y atacar el liderazgo de las Fuerzas Armadas de ese país. Las actividades en las que se ha enfocado el Grupo Wagner han sido las campañas de desinformación, propaganda, pero también ofreciendo servicios de seguridad, entrenamiento a fuerzas militares, así como en la explotación de recursos naturales en beneficio del gobierno y oligarcas rusos. Estos acontecimientos en Rusia han puesto en perspectiva y mostrado el empleo y la importancia de la comunicación en el ámbito operacional militar en el contexto de conflictos armados y la seguridad nacional.
Recursos digitales con Inteligencia Artificial para mejorar el Aprendizaje de los Estudiantes de Primaria
Authors: Gangotena Echeverría Giovanna Soledad , Yuctor Alvarez Andrés Felipe , Arias Espinosa María José , Lopez Aguayo Estefany Maria , Luna Rodriguez Paulina Margarita
Published: July 2023

La importancia de tener herramientas de inteligencia artificial para el aprendizaje en las aulas de primaria radica en su capacidad para personalizar el proceso educativo, mejorar la interactividad, proporcionar retroalimentación instantánea, ofrecer acceso a información actualizada, desarrollar habilidades del siglo XXI y promover la inclusión y equidad. Estas herramientas permiten adaptar el contenido a las necesidades individuales de los estudiantes, fomentar su motivación y compromiso, identificar errores de manera oportuna, brindar acceso a recursos en línea, promover habilidades clave para el futuro y garantizar igualdad de oportunidades de aprendizaje para todos. En definitiva, las herramientas de inteligencia artificial en las aulas de primaria tienen el potencial de transformar el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje y preparar a los estudiantes para un mundo digitalizado. Por ello, el objetivo principal conocer sobre las herramientas de Inteligencia Artificial que se utilizan en estudiantes de primaria para su proceso de aprendizaje de la Unidad Educativa XXX. La metodología utilizada fue de tipo descriptiva y documental. Se aplicó a una muestra no probabilística de diez docentes los cuales respondieron una encuesta para poder medir el conocimiento y aplicación de herramientas de inteligencia artificial para el proceso de aprendizaje. Los resultados obtenidos fueron que las herramientas de inteligencia artificial son de gran utlidad y sirven como estrategia para reforzar y facilitar el aprendizaje de estudiantes.
PERAN KYAI SEBAGAI MEDIATOR DALAM PENYELESAIAN SENGKETA WARIS DI MADURA
Authors: Nury Misbahun
Published: July 2023

Sengketa waris menyangkut tentang pembagian warisan yang menimbulkan ketidakpuasan antara satu sama lain terlebih ketika tidak sesuai dengan yang diharapkan oleh para pihak. Perlu adanya seorang mediator dalam perihal ini, yang di dalamya berperan membantu para pihak untuk menyelesaikan sengketa yang dimaksud kemudian hasilnya berbentuk kesepakatan baik secara lisan atau berbentuk tulisan. Kyai, ketokohan dan kepemimpinannya telah menunjukkan betapa kuatnya kecakapan dan pancaran kepribadian dalam memimpin pesantren dan masyarakat yang ada sehingga sangat dibutuhkan perannya. Madura yang dikenal sebagai daerah yang masih kental dengan adat serta budaya keagamaan khususnya di ujung timur yakni Sumenep menjadi menarik perhatian khususnya dalam penyelesaian sengketa waris melalui mediasi (diluar Pengadilan). Dalam hal ini, tokoh masyarakat keagamaan (Kyai) menjadi poin plus untuk menjadi mediator karena dianggap mampu serta memiliki pemahaman lebih tentang agama. Tulisan ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui bagaimana strategi Kyai sebagai mediator dalam penyelesaian sengketa waris di Madura. Metode Penelitian ini menggunakan penelitian yuridis sosiologis. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terkait strategi Kyai sebagai mediator dalam penyelesaian sengketa waris di Madura cukup sederhana. Di antaranya yaitu Kyai memanggil para pihak, memberi nasehat, menampakkan kemoderatannya untuk menjaga kepercayaan pihak-pihak, kemudian yang terakhir berdoa setelah mediasi itu selesai.
Antibiotic Susceptibility and Antimicrobial Activity of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Malaysian Fermented Foods Against Biofilm-Forming Escherichia coli Strains
Authors: Nur Syahirah Rusli  , Mohd Nizam Lani  , Sakina Shahabudin  , Nina Suhaity Azmi  , Elham Taghavi  , Wan Zawiah Wan Abdullah  , Azizah Mahmood  , Anis Athirah Bahri  , Suguna Migeemanathan  , Mohd Nasir Mohd Desa
Published: July 2023

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are frequently employed in the food industry as food preservatives and starter cultures due to their potentially advantageous properties. Their ability to promote numerous health benefits in fermented foods has received increased attention. However, few studies have investigated the antibacterial activity of LAB and their susceptibility to antibiotics when combating biofilm-forming Escherichia coli strains. In this study, four fermented food samples were screened for presumptive LAB cultures, including Maman pickle (M5Bi), fermented fish (PB4iii), fermented durian (T6Aiii), and fermented glutinous rice (Ta2Ai), using the API 50 CHL method. The isolates were subsequently identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, L. plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Lactobacillus pentosus, respectively, through molecular analysis of the 16S rDNA sequencing. The isolates were then assessed for antibiotic susceptibility to amoxicillin (25 µg), chloramphenicol (30 µg), tetracycline (30 µg), and erythromycin (10 µg) using the disc diffusion method. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of LAB against eight biofilm-forming E. coli strains was evaluated using the well diffusion method. The results showed that L. plantarum from the Maman pickle sample exhibited the most significant inhibitory zone against biofilm-forming E. coli strains. Importantly, all detected LAB were resistant to the four main antibiotics tested, indicating that the safety and efficacy of probiotics must be ensured before they can be developed and commercialized.
The Impacts of Scavenging on the Prey-Predator-Scavenger Fishery Model in the Existence of Harvesting and Toxin
Authors: Wan Natasha Wan Hussin  , Hamizah Mohd Safuan  , Tau Keong Ang  , Ummu Atiqah Mohd Roslan
Published: July 2023

The current paper investigates a prey-predator-scavenger fishery model in which both prey and predator species release harmful toxins during predation interaction. The harvesting of scavengers is introduced due to their economic value and serves as one of the important protein sources for humans. Both predator and scavenger fish species consume prey as their food. Scavengers devour the carrion or carcasses of predators which die of natural causes and are infected by the toxins of their preys. The non-negativity of solutions from the fishery model has been derived to ensure biologically meaningful. The model's equilibria are investigated along with its local stability characteristics. We investigate the threshold conditions triggering the bifurcations to occur in the steady-states concerning the scavenging activities by the scavengers. By formulating a suitable Lyapunov function, the global stability analysis of the non-trivial or coexistence steady-state is implemented. The dynamical behaviours of the fishery model, as well as the persistence and extirpation properties, have been analysed using the bifurcation analysis. From the results, it is found that the scavenging parameter in the fishery model with the presence of harvesting and toxin can drive the fish population towards extinction state which is unstable and unfavourable in nature.
Using Technologised Computational Corpus-Driven Linguistics Study on the Vocabulary Uses Among Advanced Malaysian Upper Primary School English as a Second Language Learners (ESL) in Northern Region
Authors: Wong Wei Lun  , Mazura Mastura Muhammad  , Warid Mihat  , Mairas Abdul Rahman  , Mohamad Syafiq Ya Shak  , Lee Mei Chew
Published: July 2023

The vocabulary used by advanced Malaysian upper primary school learners is unknown after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a corpus-driven study. This study primarily uses data from a learner corpus. This main purpose of this paper is to fill in this knowledge gap by examining the vocabulary usage in extended writing by advanced Malaysian upper primary school learners in the Northern Region. The study uses a corpus-driven research strategy and a quantitative methodology. Some 160 advanced upper primary school learners from the Northern Region, Malaysia were included in the study. They attended eight national primary schools with strong English programmes in the Northern Region. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the samples. This study's main corpus-driven toolkit (LancsBox) was used to analyse the data. A total of 46,185 tokens from 160 extended writing tasks were analysed. The word frequencies were counted both raw and normalised. Results showed that 160 advanced Malaysian upper primary school learners in West Malaysia used the frequently and preferably in extended writing followed by the, and vocabulary be is the twentieth salient vocabulary over other vocabulary such as to, and, a, and I. Depending on their perspectives, one may argue that they described their experiences in the first person. These findings imply that advanced Malaysian upper primary school learners use to, and, a, of, in, is, it, that, for, as and within their extended writing. The findings provide important knowledge and information for ESL teachers to improve the writing grammatical proficiency, especially for extended writing of ESL learners.
The Impact of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Adoption on Corporate Image and Business Sustainability in Malaysian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Authors: Hafizah Mohamad Hsbollah  , Haslinda Hassan  , Rosli Mohamad
Published: July 2023

Solar photovoltaic (PV) is a rapidly growing renewable energy technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity. As a clean and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, solar PV is increasingly recognised as a critical component in shifting to a low-carbon economy. Solar PV is often associated with a high upfront cost. Nevertheless, solar PV adoption can provide significant long-term financial benefits and energy saving in the long run, especially for small businesses. Even though many incentives have been introduced to promote solar PV adoption, the number of studies focusing on the impact of such adoption, particularly in Malaysian small and medium enterprises (SMEs), is still scarce. As a result, little is known about how solar PV adoption can benefit SMEs. This study, therefore, examined the relationship between (1) solar PV adoption and corporate image; and (2) solar PV adoption and business sustainability (economic, environmental, and social). A quantitative research approach was employed to gather the data, which involved distributing a questionnaire to the targeted users. Data from sixty-nine (69) SMEs from manufacturing industries were analysed using SmartPLS (version 4.0). The manufacturing sector was selected as it is among the significant contributors to the increase in carbon dioxide emissions. Hence, the key players’ awareness and understanding of the issue are crucial to promoting solar PV’s future adoption. The outcome of this study reveals a positive relationship between solar PV adoption and corporate image, and economic and environmental sustainability. There is no evidence, however, to support the relationship between solar PV adoption and social sustainability. This research contributes theoretically to bridging the gap in understanding the impact of solar PV adoption on corporate image and business sustainability, particularly in the context of manufacturing SMEs. Practically, this study provides recommendations on how the results could be exploited to promote solar PV adoption among SMEs.
A reduced fixed dose of Tocilizumab 200 mg compared to 400 mg in patients with severe COVID-19 disease
Authors: COJOCARU Stela , RUSSU Irina , BUTA Galina , BERSAN Sebastian , POTÎNG-RAȘCOV Valentina , CULIUC Natalia , BABA Lilia
Published: July 2023

Introduction. The deregulated excessive pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion have a detrimental impact on the evolution of COVID-19, aggregating the tissue impairment, organ failure, and increasing the risk for death. Several studies have demonstrated the beneficial effect of Tocilizumab (TCZ) in reducing hyperimmune response in severe forms of COVID-19.

Materials and methods. This study is a retrospective cohort consisting of a sample of 66 patients hospitalised with COVID-19. The 1-st group consists of 33 patients treated with TCZ 200 mg IV once, and the 2-nd group – of 33 patients treated with TCZ 400 mg IV once.

Results. The average age of the patients included in the study was 58,22±1,38 years. A decision regarding TCZ administration was made on average on the 11,34±0,31 day of the disease, when the beginning of Cytokine Storm was suspected in the patients already on dexamethasone treatment. The dose of TCZ had significance on the duration of patients' disabilities, duration of oxygen therapy, and duration of hospitalization, with better results for TCZ 400 mg vs. TCZ 200 mg. However, we cannot prove that the dose of TCZ influences the percentage of patients transferred to the ICU for invasive or non-invasive ventilation.

Conclusion. The 200 mg fixed dose of TCZ can be a life-saving option for severely ill patients with COVID-19 in the context of IL-6 inhibitor supply shortages.

Key words: COVID-19, Cytokine Storm, Tocilizumab.
Bibliometric analysis of research relating to noise pollution reported over the period 2001–2020
Authors: KAYA Erhan , ŞAHIN Musa , ACAR Onur
Published: July 2023

Introduction In the new globalized world, noise pollution has started to become a public health problem. We searched for publications about noise pollution in our study. In our study, we examined the noise pollution articles in the Web of Science (WoS) database.

Material and Methods A total of 2722 papers were identified which were published between 2001 and 2020, finally, 1815 articles were analyzed. VOSviewer (version 1.6.11) tool used for bibliometric web visualizations.

Results When trend analysis was applied to the number of articles by years, a statistically significant increase was detected. The United States contributed the most publications. The countries with the most articles per million population were determined to be Scotland, Singapore, and Ireland, respectively. Most articles on noise pollution were published in the journal Applied Acoustics. The three most used keywords are “noise pollution”, “noise” and “traffic noise”.

Conclusions This study showed that there has been a trend of an increasing number of articles on noise pollution in recent years. Also it can be considered that this bibliometric study will help identify gaps in the current research data.
Lord Byron in the Footsteps of William Beckford
Authors: Alexander Rob
Published: July 2023

This article examines Byron’s journey to and arrival in Lisbon in 1809 and shows how certain incidents and encounters during his stay closely mirror those of William Beckford’s travels in Portugal more than two decades earlier, suggesting how such parallels may explain some of Byron’s allegations against the Portuguese people in Canto I of
Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage
. Byron clearly took inspiration from Beckford’s novel
Vathek
in his later works; this article suggests how more of Beckford’s writings may have influenced his poetry and his travels.
FAST Reveals New Evidence for M94 as a Merger
Authors: Zhou Ruilei , Zhu Ming , Yang Yanbin , Yu Haiyang , Yuan Lixia , Jiang Peng , Xi Wenzhe
Published: July 2023

We report the first high-sensitivity H i observation toward the spiral galaxy M94 with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope. From these observations, we discovered that M94 has a very extended H i disk, twice larger than that observed by THINGS, which is accompanied by a H i filament and seven high velocity clouds (HVCs) at different distances. The projected distances of these clouds and filaments are less than 50 kpc from the galactic center. We measured a total integrated flux (including all clouds/filament) of 127.3 ( ±1) Jy km s−1, corresponding to a H i mass of (6.51 ± 0.06)×108
M
⊙ , which is 63.0% more than that observed by THINGS. By comparing numerical simulations with the H i maps and the optical morphology of M94, we suggest that M94 is likely a remnant of a major merger of two galaxies, and the HVCs and H i filament could be the tidal features that originated from the first collision of the merger, which happened about 5 Gyr ago. Furthermore, we found a seemingly isolated H i cloud at a projection distance of 109 kpc without any optical counterpart detected. We discuss the possibilities of the origin of this cloud, such as dark dwarf galaxy and RELHIC (REionization-Limited H i Cloud). Our results demonstrate that high-sensitivity and wide-field H i imaging is important in revealing diffuse cold gas structures and tidal debris, which is crucial to understand the dynamical evolution of galaxies.
Evaluation of a Legally Binding Smart-Contract Language for Blockchain Applications
Authors: Dwivedi Vimal , Iqbal Mubashar , Norta Alex , Matulevičius Raimundas
Published: July 2023

Blockchain governs inter-organizational business processes and enables decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO) with governance capabilities via smart contracts (SC). Due to the programmer’s lack of prior knowledge of the contract domain, SCs are ambiguous and error-prone. Several works, i.e., SPESC, Symboleo, and SmaCoNat, exist to support the legally-binding SCs. The aforementioned SCLs present intriguing approaches to building legally-binding SCs but either lack domain completeness, or are intended for non-collaborative business processes. In our previous work, we address the above-mentioned shortcomings of the XML-based smart-legal-contract markup language (SLCML), in which blockchain developers focus on the contractual workflow rather than the syntax specifics. However, SLCML, as a blockchain-independent formal specification language, is not evaluated to determine its applicability, usefulness, and usability for establishing legally-binding SCs for workflow enactment services (WES) to automate and streamline the business processes within connected organizations. In accordance with this, we formally implement the SLCML and propose evaluation approaches, such as running case and lab experiments, to demonstrate the SLCML’s generality and applicability for developing legally-binding SCs. Overall, the results of this work ascertain the applicability, usefulness, and usability of the proposed SLCML for establishing legally-binding SCs for WES.
Integration of satellite imagery and meteorological data to estimate solar radiation using machine learning models
Authors: Ordoñez Palacios Luis Eduardo , Bucheli Guerrero Víctor , Ordoñez Hugo
Published: July 2023

Knowing the behavior of solar energy is imperative for its use in photovoltaic systems; moreover, the number of weather stations is insufficient. This study presents a method for the integration of solar resource data: images and datasets.  For this purpose, variables are extracted from images obtained from the GOES-13 satellite and integrated with variables obtained from meteorological stations. Subsequently, this data integration was used to train solar radiation prediction models in three different scenarios with data from 2012 and 2017. The predictive ability of five regression methods was evaluated, of which, neural networks had the highest performance in the scenario that integrates the meteorological variables and features obtained from the images. The analysis was performed using four evaluation metrics in each year. In the 2012 dataset, an R2 of 0.88 and an RMSE of 90.99 were obtained. On the other hand, in the 2017 dataset, an R2 of 0.92 and an RMSE of 40.97 were achieved. The model integrating data improves performance by up to 4% in R2 and up to 10 points less in the level of dispersion according to RMSE, with respect to models using separate data.
Hope is the last thing lost: Colombian captive-bred population of the critically endangered Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) is a genetic reservoir that could help to save the species from extinction
Authors: Saldarriaga-Gómez Ana M. , Ardila-Robayo María Cristina , Medem Federico , Vargas-Ramírez Mario
Published: July 2023

A purpose ofex-situpopulations is the preservation of genetic variation, but this is a challenging task since genetic diversity is commonly lost through each generation, and so the establishment of management guidelines should be a high priority. Fifty years ago, the National University of Colombia began a breeding program in the Roberto Franco Tropical Station (in Villavicencio, Meta) to conserve the critically endangered Orinoco crocodileCrocodylus intermedius. Despite the large number of individuals raised and kept in captivity, the Station has not been able to release individuals due to a lack of a complete genetic characterization that could determine whether the population is genetically viable. In this study we used a panel of 17 microsatellite loci to overcome this problem. We estimated from the founder animals and the live crocodiles the inbreeding, heterozygosities, the number of alleles, and their richness, and frequencies to understand the effects of managing a captive breeding program without considering genetic profiles. Our results revealed that the living population maintains much of its founder diversity with high levels of heterozygosity and low overall inbreeding, making it suitable for maintaining captive breeding and for implementing wild releases. We estimated the individual genetic diversity of the living crocodiles, as well as their relationships. This information, combined with the size, sex, and location, allowed us to propose combinations and to restructure the breeding groups. We demonstrated that molecular data could be used to improve the management ofex-situconservation programs well beyond what could be achieved with pedigree information alone.
Changes of micro elements, activity of metalloenzymes-antioxidants and metal-dependent enzymes in the blood serum of patients with periodontitis influenced by complex non-surgical treatment
Authors: Melnychuk Halyna , Kateryniuk Veronika , Semeniuk Hanna , Shovkova Nataliia , Kashivska Roksolana
Published: July 2023

Data provided by WHO show that the prevalence of aggressive periodontitis is observed in almost 19% of the adult world population and is associated with the destruction of the attachment apparatus and premature tooth loss. Development of a periodontal pocket and foci of infection also negatively affect the body on the whole. Despite the great number of the researches in this field and the dramatic improvement in the treatment and prophylaxis, the problem of high prevalence of periodontal diseases remains actual. The article demonstrates the biochemical changes of Iron, Copper, Zinc, Manganese and metal-dependent oxidant-antioxidant enzymes in the blood serum of patients diagnosed with periodontitis gained after complex periodontal therapy with Spirulina platensis of blue-green microalgae. It was established that the micro- and macro-elements in the introduced agent significantly contribute to the correction of the Iron, Copper, Zinc and Manganese content, they also influence the activity of metaloproteins therefore, normalize the antioxidant defense of the body in general.
New records of a rare gibberfish, Gibberichthys latifrons (Stephanoberyciformes, Gibberichthyidae), from the South China Sea, with comments on morphological characters
Authors: Ho Hsuan-Ching , Su Yo , Leung Nok-Sum , Lin Tzu-Yung
Published: July 2023

The gibberfish Gibberichthys latifrons is recorded for the first time from southwestern Taiwan, northern South China Sea, based on the collection of seven adults and subadults from the Dong-gang fish market, Pingtung. These specimens represent the northernmost extent of the adult range of the species, and they fill a distributional gap in the western Pacific Ocean. Our findings suggest that a population of the species has become recently established in the region. Detailed descriptions, otolith morphology, and fresh coloration are provided with comments on the morphological characteristics of the genus.