bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biomarkers for predicting COVID-19 mortality using the joint modelling approach
Authors: Maso Matteo Di , Delbue Serena , Sampietro Maurizio , Ferraroni Monica , Modenese Annalisa , Dolci Maria , Ambrogi Federico , Ferrante Pasquale
Published: January 2023

Background Evidence showed the role of biomarkers in predicting severity and mortality of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We evaluated associations between several biomarkers measured throughout the follow-up and COVID-19 mortality using the joint modelling (JM) approach, the candidate tool for this kind of data. Methods Between February and May 2020, a total of 403 COVID-19 patients were admitted. Baseline characteristics included sex and age, whereas biomarkers included lymphocytes, neutrophils, D-dimer, ferritin, C-reactive protein, glucose and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated through JM using a Bayesian approach. We fitted univariable and multivariable JMs including a single biomarker and the set of all biomarkers, respectively. Results In univariable JMs, all biomarkers were significantly associated with COVID-19 mortality. In the multivariable JM, HRs were 1.78 (95% CI: 1.13–2.87) per doubling of neutrophils levels, 1.49 (95% CI: 1.19–1.95) per doubling of C-reactive protein levels, 2.66 (95% CI: 1.45–4.95) per an increase of 100 mg/dL of glucose, and 1.31 (95% CI: 1.12–1.55) per an increase of 100 U/L of LDH. No evidence of association was observed for ferritin and lymphocytes in the multivariable JM. Men had a higher risk of COVID-19 mortality than women (HR = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.07–2.80) and age showed the strongest effect with risk starting to rapidly increase from 60 years. Conclusions These findings using JM confirm the usefulness of biomarkers in assessing COVID-19 severity and mortality. Monitoring trend patterns of such biomarkers can provide additional help in tailoring the more appropriate care pathway.
Influence of PAO@PSF microcapsules on the tribological properties of polyvinylidene fluoride matrix recovered from waste membranes
Authors: Liang Lifen , Ma Yalong , Ji Xianbing , Ma Jizhong , Song Laizhou , Yang Yulin
Published: January 2023

In the study, the waste polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes were recovered and the micropowders of this polymer were obtained by solvent recovery method. Moreover, the new direction for applying waste PVDF membranes to the field of tribology were developed. Thus, a novel PVDF-based tribological composite (PAO@PSF/PVDF) was fabricated with recycled PVDF micropowders acted as the matrix polymer and PAO@PSF microcapsules with the configuration of polysulfone (PSF) capsuling lubricant oil (PAO) served as the filler. The self-lubricating and wear properties of PAO@PSF/PVDF composite were tested under dry sliding condition using a ball-on-disc configuration. In particular, this kind of composite with the inclusion of 20 wt% PAO@PSF microcapsules exhibited the best tribological properties, i.e., the lowest friction coefficient (0.077) and the smallest wear rate (2.34×10-15 m3/Nm). The filling of PAO@PSF microcapsules greatly improved the antifriction and wear resistance of PVDF, guaranteeing the self-lubricating feature of this polymer. The tribological properties of PAO@PSF/PVDF composite can reach close to those under the condition of dripping lubricating oil, and the prepared PAO@PSF/PVDF self-lubricating composite can be applied to a large range of friction conditions. Furthermore, without any doubt, it will facilitate the reutilization of waste polymers.
Correction to the article published in 2022: Epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of infective endocarditis: a single-center retrospective study in the Bronx, New York
Authors: Liaqat Wasla , Palaiodimos Leonidas , Li Weijia , Karamanis Dimitrios , Tahir Arooj , Tzoumas Andreas , Nagraj Sanjana , Tiwari Nidhish , Grushko Michael , Kokkinidis Damianos , Gashi Eleonora , Leider Jason , Coyle Christina , Faillace Robert T.
Published: January 2023

Objective

There is paucity of data on the epidemiological, microbiological, and clinical characteristics of patients admitted with infective endocarditis (IE) in the Bronx, New York.

Patient and methods

We conducted a retrospective study at Jacobi Medical Center, a tertiary care hospital in the Bronx. All adult patients who were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of new-onset IE between January 1st, 2010 and September 30th, 2020 were included. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. A logistic regression model was used to identify baseline variables associated with in-hospital mortality.

Results

182 patients were included in this analysis (female sex: 38.5%, median age: 54 years). 46 patients (25.3%) reported intravenous drug use. 153 patients (84.1%) had positive blood cultures. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was the most common isolated pathogen (45.1% of monomicrobial IE). Nearly half of the cases secondary to S. aureus were methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (34/69). 164 patients (90.1%) were diagnosed with native valve IE. The mitral valve was involved in 32.4% of patients followed by the aortic valve (19.8%). The in-hospital mortality was 18.1%. The mortality was higher in the cohort 2010–2015 compared to the cohort 2016–2020 (22.1% vs 14.6%). MRSA IE was the only variable found to have significant association with in-hospital death.

Conclusion

S. aureus was the most common causative agent and MRSA accounted for about half of the S. aureus IE cases. The incidence of IE in patients with intravenous drug use increased over time, while the median age decreased. The in-hospital death rate was higher in 2010–2015 compared to 2016–2020.
Artificial Intelligence for Prediction of Biological Activities and Generation of molecular hits using Stereochemical Information
Authors: Pereira Tiago O. , Abbasi Maryam , Oliveira Rita I. , Guedes Romina A. , Salvador Jorge A. R. , Arrais Joel P.
Published: January 2023

In this work, we develop a method for generating targeted hit compounds by applying deep reinforcement learning and attention mechanisms to predict binding affinity against a biological target while considering stereochemical information. The novelty of this work is a deep model Predictor that can establish the relationship between chemical structures and their corresponding pIC50 values. We thoroughly study the effect of different molecular descriptors such as ECFP4, ECFP6, SMILES and RDKFingerprint. Also, we demonstrated the importance of attention mechanisms to capture long-range dependencies in molecular sequences. Due to the importance of stereochemical information for the binding mechanism, this information was employed both in the prediction and generation processes. To identify the most promising hits, we apply the self-adaptive multi-objective optimization strategy. Moreover, to ensure the existence of stereochemical information, we consider all the possible enumerated stereoisomers to provide the most appropriate 3D structures. We evaluated this approach against the Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 7 (USP7) by generating putative inhibitors for this target. The predictor with SMILES notations as descriptor plus bidirectional recurrent neural network using attention mechanism has the best performance. Additionally, our methodology identify the regions of the generated molecules that are important for the interaction with the receptor’s active site. Also, the obtained results demonstrate that it is possible to discover synthesizable molecules with high biological affinity for the target, containing the indication of their optimal stereochemical conformation.
In vitro Production of Double Haploid in Maize (Zea mays L.) Through Pollen Culture
Authors: Muneer Summia , Khan Muhammad Asaf , Naz Ambreen , Waheed Ummara
Published: January 2023

Maize (Zea mays L.) has a distinct genetic system and is recalcitrant to generate haploid and subsequently double haploid plants from pollen grains in aseptic conditions. It is a technique with lot of potential for producing pure lines for crop improvement and introducing the desired variability through modification in biochemical and applied genetics. The experiment was conducted using different doses of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D), Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 6-Benzylaminopurine(BAP), Zeatin(ZEA), Kinetin and Naphthalene Acetic Acid(NAA) ranging from 0.5 mg/L to 5 mg/L for the callus induction and plantlet regeneration. The callus was sub-cultured for double haploid induction with doses of 100–500 mg/l colchicine for 7h, 12h and 7 days. Microscopic examination and morphological identification were proposed to check ploidy level. The results exhibited the callus formation at 1, 2 and 3 mg/l concentrations of 2, 4-D and IAA respectively. Based on the time required for the 2, 4-D, callus induction at the concentration of 2mg/l exhibited (47 days) and at the same concentration of IAA exhibited the minimum days of callus induction (34 days). The colchicine treated pollen derived callus regenerated into roots and shoots on IAA and BAP with 3mg/l and 2mg/l respectively. In contrast to pollen derived callus, colchicine treated seed callus gave better results. Double haploid plant produced successfully through in vitro culture of pollen. Current study will be helpful for the achievement of homozygosity in relatively less time and varietal improvement for desired traits.
Si Engine Effect of Air Fuel Ratio on Engine Performance and Emission With Ethanol Blends (Cdi+efi)
Authors: Khan Engr shamsher
Published: January 2023

The focus of this research was to see how the air-fuel ratio alters engine performance and emissions while the engine was running on ethanol-gasoline compositions. This study was conducted using a single cylinder four stroke spark ignition engine, a dynamometer, and an emission analyzer. The air-fuel ratio was manually controlled, and then several percentages of ethanol-gasoline blends were utilised in the engine. Torque, braking specific fuel consumption, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and unburned hydrocarbons (HC) performance and emission tests were done at various air-fuel ratios and engine speeds. Leaning the air fuel ratio reduced CO2 and HC emissions in the same way that pure gasoline did, but unlike pure gasoline, ethanol blends had superior combustion characteristics at lean operating limits and greater engine speeds. Leaning the air-fuel ratio and utilising ethanol-gasoline blends resulted in considerable reductions in CO and HC emissions. The study also explained how to build an analytical model for the given statistical problem. The application of ANOVA to enhance the performance characteristics of a 4-stroke spark ignition engine was investigated in this article.The facilities established for performing experimental work on the test engine experiment were described in this paper. The SI engine was subjected to theoretical, experimental, and statistical evaluations, as well as the prediction of performance characteristics using ANOVA.
Women participation in the informal economy: assessing the pattern of operations and challenges in post-COVID-19
Authors: Adewumi Samson Adeoluwa
Published: January 2023

The object of research: first, to understand the operational activities of women informal economy operators. Second, to highlight and discuss the challenges of women informal economy operators. Third, to understand the implication of post COVID-19 era for women informal economy operators.

Investigated problem: the dynamics, operations and level of activities of the informal economy and the extent of women involvement, the issues around the challenges women are exposed to as participants of the informal economy, the role and impact of the post COVID-19 on women informal economy operators.

The main scientific results: first, the operational activities of women informal economy operators include street-trading and hawking, casual employment, family business and home-based enterprises. Second, the challenges for women operators in the informal economy include health hazards, gender discrimination and harassment, institutional and social barriers, cultural stereotypes and constrictions to loans. Third, the implications of postCOVID-19 pandemic include liquidation of businesses, increased economic hardship and poverty and little or no State intervention through palliatives.

The area of practical use of the research results: ministry of labour and employment, trade unions, women organization, non-governmental organization (NGO’s), labour research institute, traders association, industrial court, labour professionals and advocates.
Development of a hardware emulator of a nanosatellite gyroscope
Authors: El Fatimi Aziz , Addaim Adnane , Guennoun Zouhair
Published: January 2023

The gyroscope sensor has multiple applications in consumer electronics, aircraft navigation, and control systems. Significant errors that match the corresponding data are a typical disadvantage of this sensor. This needs to be done by making error models that can be used to get the right level of measurement accuracy. For high-precision space applications, the navigation design system should take into account the angle random walk (N), bias instability error (B), and rate random walk (K) of the BMG160 gyroscope. For this reason, this paper shows how to use Allan Variance (AVAR) and Power Spectral Density (PSD) for the experimental identification and modeling of the stochastic parameters of the Bosch BMG160 gyroscope embedded in a nanosatellite in order to get an accurate gyroscope model. This work also demonstrates the principle of operation of the equivalent electronic model intended to carry out advanced simulations without recourse to the real material in order to avoid the problem of bad manipulation and availability of the material in order to reduce the time and cost of development. The interpretation of the Allan curves and the PSD obtained from the measurements collected over a long period is presented, as well as a comparison between the real raw data of the BMG160 gyroscope and the designed hardware emulator in both the time and frequency domains. This is done to evaluate the accuracy of the gyroscope model emulating the real sensor in laboratory simulations. The experimental results show that the signals from the emulator and the BMG160 gyroscope are quite close. Therefore, the proposed prototype could be an optimal solution for laboratory calculations and simulations
Handling multi-collinearity using principal component analysis with the panel data model
Authors: Youssef Ahmed Hassen , Mohamed Engy Saeed , Abdel Latif Shereen Hamdy
Published: January 2023

When designing a statistical model, applied researchers strive to make the model consistent, unbiased, and efficient. Labor productivity is an important economic indicator that is closely linked to economic growth, competitiveness, and living standards within an economy. This paper proposes the one-way error component panel data model for labor productivity. One of the problems that we can encounter in panel data is the problem of multi-collinearity. Therefore, multi-collinearity problem is considered. This problem has been detected. After that, the principal component technique is used to get new good unrelated estimators. For the purposes of our analysis, the multi-collinearity problem between the explanatory variables was examined, using principal component techniques with the application of the panel data model focused on the impact of public capital, private capital stock, labor, and state unemployment rate on gross state products. The analysis was based on three estimation methods: fixed effect, random effect, and pooling effect. The challenge is to get estimators with good properties under reasonable assumptions and to ensure that statistical inference is valid throughout robust standard errors. And after application, fixed effect estimation turned out to play a key role in the estimation of panel data models. Based on the results of hypothesis testing, the real data result showed that the fixed effect model was more accurate compared to the two models of random effect and pooling effect. In addition, robust estimation was used to get more efficient estimators since heteroscedasticity has been confirmed
The evaluation on performance of narrow- gap welding thick steel plates under the influence of main welding parameters
Authors: Duong Vu
Published: January 2023

This work presents the experimental results of narrow gap butt welding of steel plates with large thickness by using the Metal Active Gas (MAG) welding method.The typical defects are accompanied with this process such as the infusion in the side wall and the porosity due to the narrow gap which affect on the melting process. Thus, some publications noted the results of welding for the thickness up to 20−30 mm and the chamfer angle about 30° using GMAW/MIG, GTAW/TIG, SMAW and new development such as laser – arc hybrid, laser multi- pass technique, super -TIG welding etc. But the production requires the solution to save the costs by the reduction of time, labour and investment keeping the standard quality. That is the aim of this study. In order to improve the quality of weld joint and increase the productivity of the process, is it suggested to develop the innovative welding process, in which the welding voltage – Uw, the translational velocity of the tip – Vt, and rotational velocity of the tip – Vr, are changing. This helped to increase the thickness of steel plates up to 50 mm and the chamfer angle decreased at 15°, providing the satisfied quality of the weld. The micrography study serve as the preliminary proof of this hypothesis.

The microstructures in 4 regions, such as the weld center zone, heat-affected zone (HAZ), parent metal region, and the boundary between the weld metal and the HAZ were examined. The microstructures of 13 positions from different experiments are investigated using the optical microscope (Axiovert 25).These experiments covered all specific points (node) locating accordingly to three layers from bottom to top of the weld joint . The findings proved the welding quality is similar in case of narrow gap but the chamfer angle is twice lower and the thickness is increased. The result of the study enhances the productivity due to saving the labour cost and the welding materials. It is recommended to consider the effect of other factors (such as cooling conditions, dwell time when the arc approaching the side walls) to optimize the weld quality. There is the huge volume of the heavy steel constructions with the thick steel construction and specific narrow gap in industry. The results of this study with the optimization and more deeper evaluation the influence of main parameters of welding process to eliminate the typical defects will be the valuable reco mmendation for the managers and engineers in the production of metallic constructions
Proof of the possibility for a public audit of a secret internet voting system
Authors: Khlaponin Yurii , Vyshniakov Volodymyr , Komarnytskyi Oleh
Published: January 2023

The aim of this study is to prove the possibility of building a system of secret Internet voting, in which a full-fledged audit is available to all voters and their proxies. A full-fledged audit should be understood as such an audit, in which everything that may be in doubt is checked. The open block of servers was created using Raspberry Pi 3 Model B type minicomputers, which are widely known and well-established. On the basis of an open block of servers, a full-scale model of the system for conducting experimental voting was created and a detailed methodology for a full-fledged audit was developed. This methodology provides for two stages of the audit. In the first stage, voters or their proxies must be present near the server unit. In the second stage, they continue the audit remotely through a dedicated server without losing information about the security of their data. For practical acquaintance with this research, the possibility of experimental voting is given. The experiment can be conducted by anyone at any time through a link on the Internet. Thus, it is shown that not only with traditional secret voting technologies, a full-fledged audit is possible, thanks to which voters have no doubts about maintaining the secrecy of their votes and the honesty of the results. To conduct a full-fledged audit according to the described methodology, it is not require to involve highly qualified specialists, but school education, which is mandatory in many countries, is quite enough. The importance of the results is that the lack of a full-fledged audit of Internet voting systems is the main factor hindering the development of e-democracy. The lack of public auditing of Internet voting systems causes distrust in the possibility of using the Internet to conduct fair elections
Bloom’s taxonomy for the digital age student in a rural African context
Authors: Akintolu Morakinyo , Dlamini Ntandokamezi , Letseka Moeketsi
Published: January 2023

Bloom’s Taxonomy serves as an important guide for teachers in building their student’s cognition from low to high order thinking. This taxonomy has been widely implemented in face-to-face settings worldwide. With the increased use of technology and blended and online learning on the rise, there is a need for teachers to warm up to digital learning. Teachers must be innovative in using technology to improve the quality of education and its delivery. Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy serves as an updated original Bloom’s Taxonomy for designing technology-rich instruction for quality outcomes. This qualitative study explores the use of technology and digital tools to facilitate student learning experiences and outcomes in the modern era. The secondary data collected and analyzed was gathered from existing sources of information. The study recommends that for teachers to be proficient and achieve the best outcomes and add incentives for the students, there is a need to follow the utilization of Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy and consolidate innovation, following the application will get students closer to accomplishing their learning objectives. Teachers need support to prevent forestall disdain and advancement weariness. To conclude the Bloom Digital Taxonomy is well practised in classrooms, and teachers can rest assured that the students they produce will make a difference in this world through the skills they have accumulated during their schooling years.
Transactional leadership and its effect on supply chain management in manufacturing SMEs
Authors: Langton Irvine , Mafini Chengedzai
Published: January 2023

The continued lacklustre performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa has brought the quest for lasting solutions. One of the options available is to tap into the areas of leadership and supply chain management (SCM) as potential sources of SME growth.

This study analysed the link between transactional leadership and SCM in manufacturing SMEs in South Africa. The research constructs included transactional leadership, supply chain execution (SCE), and performance.

The research was conducted in Gauteng, North-West and the Free State provinces. Furthermore, the study focused on established manufacturing SMEs, registered with the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA).

A quantitative research approach using a correlational design was used. 411 SME owners, managers and professional employees participated in the study.

Management by exception exerted a positive effect on SCE. In turn, SCE positively impacted customer service (CS) but did not affect supplier performance.

The impact of transactional leadership on the execution of SCM in manufacturing SMEs is minimal and is demonstrated through management by exception. Effective implementation of SCM in these businesses is essential for optimising CS.
The mediating role of self-actualization in increasing millennial employee performance.
Authors: Janah Siti Roikatul , Qamari Ika Nurul , Nuryakin
Published: January 2023

Performance is the behavior of how the target is achieved. Every company wants employees who have performance in accordance with the standards, set by the company. Employee performance is an action, taken by someone to do a job in a company or organization to show either attitude, ability or achievement with the aim of advancing an organization. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of individual innovation capability on millennial employee performance, the effect of self-efficacy on millennial employee performance, the effect of self-actualization on millennial employee performance, the effect of individual innovation capability on self-actualization, the effect of self-efficacy on self-actualization, whether self-actualization mediates the effect of Individual innovation capability on millennial employee performance, does self-actualization mediate the effect of self-efficacy on millennial employee performance. Which factor is dominantly influencing the millennial employee performance in the company? This study uses a quantitative method with 132 respondents using SEM and Amos. The results of this study state that individual innovation capability, self-efficacy and self-actualization have a significant positive effect on millennial employee performance. Individual innovation capability and self-efficacy have a significant positive effect on self-actualization. Self-actualization mediates positively and significantly the influence of individual innovation capability and self-efficacy on millennial employee performance. These three factors have the same influence on millennial employee performance.
Comparative analysis of bank lending to non-financial corporations under the conditions of inflation targeting
Authors: Korneev Volodymyr , Antkiv Volodymyr , Kucherenko Nataliia
Published: January 2023

The influence of the interest policy of the National Bank of Ukraine on the dynamics of lending to non-financial corporations during the period of using the monetary regime of fixed exchange rate and inflation targeting is considered. It has been proven, that the use of the symmetric corridor of the interest policy of the National Bank of Ukraine has a negative effect on the volume of lending to non-financial corporations, since high rates on deposit certificates of the National Bank of Ukraine create a risk-free and highly profitable instrument for the placement of bank assets, which discourages lending to the real sector of the economy. The absence of a connection between the interest rate policy and the dynamics of the consumer price index and the money supply during the period of inflation targeting is substantiated, which made it possible to prove the low level of effectiveness of the chosen monetary regime.

The aim of the article is to study the problems of bank lending to non-financial corporations of Ukraine in the conditions of inflation targeting and to develop proposals for its stimulation, taking into account foreign experience.

Methods. The methodological basis of the work is the dialectical method of cognition, the position of the theory of monetary policy and credit. The work uses methods of economic and mathematical statistics and methods of correlation analysis to analyze the features of lending to non-financial corporations and the impact of inflation targeting on the dynamics of bank lending; generalization methods for formulating research conclusions.

Results. The monetary regime of inflation targeting is quite often recommended by the International Monetary Fund for implementation in countries with emerging markets as a basic set of central bank tools for regulating inflation and ensuring price stability. However, in conditions of import dependence of the national economies of countries with emerging markets, in addition to changes in the money supply and credit activity of banks, the dynamics of export-import operations and the volume of official reserve assets, which determine the level of the exchange rate, have a decisive influence on the dynamics of the consumer price index, and it, in turn, determines the level of prices for imported goods and services. Neglecting the non-monetary factors of supply inflation during the implementation of the interest policy leads to the limitation of bank lending to non-financial corporations, which in turn reduces the ability of enterprises to increase capital investments at the expense of bank loans, as well as to develop domestic production with high added value and to implement the policy of import substitution. Therefore, for this purpose, it is necessary to use the asymmetric corridor of the central bank's interest policy and stimulate targeted bank lending to non-financial corporations.
Public diplomacy and Nigeria’s response to its internal political crises
Authors: Adetiba Toyin Cotties
Published: January 2023

Synonymous with Nigeria is a deep political cleavage, which causes major political issues to be violently contested along the lines of intricate ethnic, religious divisions. Although efforts have been made to change these narratives through political reengineering and public policy process, but all have failed to achieve the desired goal of national unity and security. Of what degree is the threats of internal crises to the existentiality of Nigeria? How best can the use of public diplomacy help mitigate the danger of Nigeria’s internal crises? Fundamentally, public diplomacy has the capability to transform a country’s socio-political and economic assets, while reversing the negative attitude of people towards these assets if handled very well. Using relational theory, the conflicts and hostility towards others is explained in relation to socio-economic, political, cultural, and religious intolerance amongst the ethnic groups that make up Nigeria. The findings shows that the inability of Nigeria leaders to put the interests of the diversity of Nigeria first and respect the sensibilities of a fragile nation grasping for survival is the worst political crime, ever committed against the country. Concluding that inclusive collaboration and not unhealthy socio-economic and political competition would bring the ethnic groups in Nigerians closer than ever before.
The use of e-government services by small businesses in municipalities
Authors: Soga Babalwa , Vyas-Doorgapersad Shikha
Published: January 2023

The article aimed to investigate the role of e-government in improving the services, offered to small businesses in the City of Tshwane, which forms part of the Gauteng Province. The research method, used in the article, is qualitative. The data were gathered through literature review, and conceptual analysis was employed to analyse the data. The findings established that e-government services were often not considered suitable for some businesses, due to costs and technology access challenges. In addition, some provided services were found to not be of interest to some small businesses. Under agile accessibility, the focus is on ensuring that as many diverse entities as possible make use of different forms of technology and connectivity to gain access to e-government. Diverse user needs must also be captured by noting that governmental services affect population groups both far and wide. In the City of Tshwane case, low agility means that small businesses are generally not well catered for under current e-government systems. While the current study focussed solely on the City of Tshwane, an assessment of the broader Gauteng Province’s e-government efforts did help in gaining a better understanding of the larger political and administrative environment, within which e-government is set. It is, furthermore, necessary to comprehend that e-government has its challenges; thereby making improvement solutions imperative to filling the noted implementation gaps. This study, therefore, sought to further examine the e-government frameworks, institutions, and stakeholders with respect to their responsibilities in, with, and for small businesses
Domestic violence and development implications in Budaka district
Authors: Lubaale Grace
Published: January 2023

Budaka is one of the 146 districts in Uganda experiencing domestic violence (DV) with 5016 cases, recorded in 2020. This was a significant number with obvious development repercussions despite relevant regulations, prohibiting the vice. The purpose of this study is to determine the nature and causes of domestic violence in Budaka district, development implications, and then suggest a course of action. A mixed-methods approach that included desk review and interviews to obtain quantitative and qualitative data, respectively was used. Domestic violence affects people of all ages, education levels, income levels, social standing, and religions, and manifests itself in form of physical, economic, sexual, political, religious, cultural and psychological. Poverty, culture, ethical and moral failure, biological vulnerability of women, and difficulties in obtaining evidence are the causes of domestic violence with far-reaching economic, political, and social development implications in Budaka district. In conclusion, domestic violence exists in Budaka district as a social construct with enormous developmental ramifications. The study recommends deconstruction through adopting Uganda's National Gender Policy of 2007, gender mainstreaming in the district, enacting by-laws, gender monitoring and evaluation, and strengthening Mifuni NGO in the fight against domestic violence
Building sustainable cities to address urban sprawl: a reflective analysis towards achieving SDGs
Authors: Mangweta Rakgadi , Mokoele Ngoako J , Monama Sakiel A
Published: January 2023

The paper aims to evaluate the prospects of building a sustainable city to address urban sprawl in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11. This paper focuses on SDG 11, which is concerned with making sustainable cities and communities. Its objective is to make cities and other populated areas more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable in the long run. Examining some of the problems that impede the SDGs from being accomplished, urbanisation emerges as one of the most significant human endeavours, affecting the standard of urban living and its long-term development in most developing countries. In developing countries, many cities have been burdened with a new normal and culture of growth, driven by urban sprawl, which has led to the sustainable city strategy gaining popularity in recent years. Urbanisation is increasing at an unprecedented rate in many developing countries, threatening the achievement of SDGs due to the proliferation of urban sprawl. Currently, urban areas are home to over 50 % of the world’s population. It is projected, that by 2045 urban areas will be home to more 6 billion people. These have placed severe constraints on local governments, who should be developing sustainable cities and communities in response to urban development to fulfil SDG 11. This makes it impossible to achieve SDG 11 by the projected deadline of 2030. This paper argues that without fundamentally changing how cities are built, developed and populated, sustainability in urban areas cannot be realised. This paper suggests that adequate and ready policy and legislative frameworks are needed to promote sustainable development and prevent urban sprawl in cities.
Development of modern nanotecnologies and combined biotoxicity problems
Authors: Batyuk Liliya , Kizilova Natalia
Published: January 2023

Fast progress in modern nanotechnologies based on use of nanoparticles, nanofibers and nanotubes with different composition, shape and size allows elaboration of materials with superhigh strength, thermal and electric conductivity, acoustical and optical properties. Those materials are already widely used in industry, transportation, aerospace, marine and civil engineering, food processing and medicine. Some examples of nanoreinforces composites, superhydrophobic self-cleaning surfaces, nanodyes and suspensions of nanoparticles are described. The problem of uncontrolled accumulation of some types of nanoparticles in our cells and tissues is discussed within the concept of nanotoxicity. Since the history of permanent observation of human health in connection with nanodust accumulation in the atmosphere, waters and soils is not enough long, the detailed evidences must be documented, systematized and discussed.

In this study a brief systematic review of literature on the biotoxicity problems caused by modern nanotechnologies is given. Production of the nanoparticles, nanofibers and nanotubes for industry, transportation, food processing, as well as utilization of the used materials which properties were modified by the nanotechnologies leads to permanent rise of the nanodust in the atmosphere, soils, river waters, lakes and the sea bottom. Their uncontrolled interaction with flora and fauna could be catastrophic for human health and life on the Earth. Promising ways for the problem solution and perspectives are discussed. Some own results on the protective action of nanodiamonds, silver and some other nanoparticles are presented. A vital necessity of an open access database on known types of nanoparticles, their use in the materials and documented influence of health of animals and humans is discussed
Correction of the wake-sleep cycle by intranasal administration of dopamine in modeling of the preclinical stage of Parkinson's disease in rats
Authors: Geiko Valentina , Berchenko Olga
Published: January 2023

Sleep disorders, which are among the earliest and most sensitive non-motor manifestations of Parkinson's disease (PD), are not diagnosed in 40–50 % of patients and are not subject to the necessary correction. In this regard, the ineffectiveness of a late start of treatment, when more than 50 % of dopamine-producing neurons are already affected, dictates the need to search for and develop approaches to the prevention and slowdown of neurodegenerative pathology at the preclinical stages of its development using adequate experimental models. Taking into account the low bioavailability of dopamine (DA) and data on the advantages of the intranasal route of administration in comparison with oral and parenteral methods of drug delivery to the CNS, the aim of the work was to study the neurophysiological features of the wake-sleep cycle as early manifestations of nigrostriatal insufficiency and the effect of intranasal administration of DA on the quality of sleep during the formation of the preclinical stage of PD in rats. It was shown that under the conditions of modeling PD, the cyclic organization of sleep with a predominance of incomplete cycles against the background of hyperproduction of slow-wave sleep and REM phases are early manifestations of nigrostriatal insufficiency. Course administration of DA at a dose of 3 mg/kg is accompanied by the normalization of sleep quality in the form of reduction (by 76 %) in the number of incomplete cycles. The preventive orientation of the obtained effects may indicate a certain therapeutic potential of intranasal delivery of DA to the brain, aimed at slowing down the processes of neurodegeneration and possibly delaying its clinical manifestation
Scientific substantiation of the use of plant processing derivatives for enrichment of ferrous milk drinks
Authors: Samilyk Maryna
Published: January 2023

Derivatives from plant processing are generally classified as industrial waste. Despite their biological properties, they are mostly recycled or used in the production of animal feed. Given the rapid growth of the world's population and the increased interest of consumers in plant foods, it is advisable to use plant by-products as nutritional supplements with certain functional properties. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the possibility of using sesame flour and rice bran as fillers in the production of fermented milk drinks. Formulas were developed for fermented milk drinks enriched with sesame flour in the amount of 2 % and rice bran – 1 %. The amount of additives was determined taking into account the optimal organoleptic indicators. The study showed that the addition of additives increased the content of dietary fiber in a product enriched with rice bran, up to 0.3%, and up to 0.7 % in a fermented milk drink with sesame flour. The antioxidant properties of a fermented milk drink enriched with sesame flour were studied. Antioxidant properties were determined by the level of DPPH radical scavenging activity. The results of the study showed that the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity (1.82 mg/ml) was observed in the enriched sample on day 7 of storage. On the 14th day of storage in the control sample, the activity decreased to 1.55 mg/ml, while in the sample with sesame flour its value was at the level of 1.75 mg/ml. Thus, it can be argued that the investigated plant by-products can be used as additives to increase the content of dietary fiber and increase the shelf life of products
Anthropogenic deposits and their impact on the natural environment
Authors:   Ural State Mining University, Anatolii Makarov
Published: January 2023

Introduction. This paper considers anthropogenic deposits as a source of environmental contaminants and a cause of air, soil, surface water and ground water pollution. Anthropogenic deposits are represented by dumps of mining enterprises, sludge from processing plants, dumps of metallurgical, fuel and energy, chemical and other industries. Their analysis is currently particularly relevant being aimed at national mineral resource base expansion and mining regions ecology improvement. Research objective is to study the direction of the environmental impact created by anthropogenic deposits formed by inactive enterprises, determine their impact on environmental pollution, and consider them as sources of secondary raw materials. Methods of research. The article is based mainly on the data obtained when studying anthropogenic deposits in the Urals. Theoretical research methods, including analysis and synthesis of data obtained by the authors and information sources on similar facilities in other Russian regions, were used to generalize the results of field and analytical studies, namely mineralogical and petrographic studies the authors performed. Results. This paper studies how various anthropogenic deposits in surface conditions impact the main components of the natural environment, namely air, soil and ground, hydrosphere and biosphere. The main indicators of heavy metals impact and concentration in Ural anthropogenic mineral formations are given. To effectively manage such facilities, it is proposed, first of all, to process, and then reclaim such deposits. Conclusions. Anthropogenic mineral deposits have an integrated negative effect on all components of the natural environment. Environmental monitoring that considers the local character of contamination dissipation is necessary to assess the impact of anthropogenic deposits. The negative environmental impact of these facilities is minimized or significantly reduced during conservation, which is carried out by surface reclamation. However, complete processing of anthropogenic mineral formations is preferable.
The procedure of planning the face shovels layout using the technologies of the Mining and Geological Information Systems
Authors:   Institute of Mining UB RAS, Valerii Kantemirov , Andrei Iakovlev ,   Institute of Mining UB RAS, Roman Titov ,   Institute of Mining UB RAS
Published: January 2023

Introduction. The article considers options for face shovels layout in an open pit based on the developed procedure of mining operations scheduling, which uses block modeling and considers the throughput of rock mass at the horizons, the length of the active extraction front, the quality of the mineral, the specified intensity of excavation, the accepted models of shovels and other attribute electronic data. The approach proposed in this procedure allows to consider many options for face shovels layout in an open pit and choose the best option in a short time in a semi-automatic mode. Research objective is to develop a method for automated layout of shovels along the working horizons of an open pit, based on the results of block modeling. Methods of research. Face shovels layout on the working horizons of an open pit is based on the calculations, computer modeling and technical and operating parameters of shovels, as well as the active extraction front assessment. The main step in solving the problem is to build ore body block models, simulate mining operations, and built an open pit model based on the periods of field development. Based on the results of block modeling, the optimal length of the excavating block on the working horizon for the selected face shovel model is determined. Research results. Based on the block model, shovels layout along the working horizons of the open pit is designed. Conclusions. The proposed procedure, in a short time in a semi-automatic mode, allows to solve the problem of lower horizons opening in deep pits, consider numerous options for face shovels layout in an open pit and choose the best option, minimizes production risks when developing complex deposits and carrying out comprehensive extraction of raw materials.
Scientific, technological and other bases of production processes digitalization
Authors:   Ural State Mining University, Babenko Aleksandr
Published: January 2023

Relevance. “Digital transformation”, “digital twin” and similar terms are media phenomena. However, these and related terms hide meanings, goals, objectives, technologies, prospects and dangers inevitable at the present stage of an industrial society development and transformation into post-industrial and beyond. In literature, digital transformation is usually applied to business management and is not concerned with material production. Research objective is to consider "digitalization" in relation to technical and technological objects of industrial production by the example of a coal mine. Methods of research. In the context of industrial civilization and industrial production, using the methods of system analysis and mathematical modeling, the article considers the development and connection between the processes of automation, digitalization, informatization, and intellectualization. It has been shown that it is possible to preserve and develop industrial production based on its digital transformation, which is based on digital twins that transform the concept of automation. The digital twin, which operates in real time and is synchronized with the simulated production process, is considered as a simulation model of matter and energy transformation processes. The descriptions of a coal mine and its digital twin are considered in a general form. The objectives have been formulated for the optimal production control and its digital twin synchronization. Results. The necessary and critical technologies and possibilities for implementing a digital twin have been identified. The relationship has been shown between the digital transformation of the industry, the objectives of large-scale planning, and the emergence of social problems.