bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of growth regulators and water-soluble fertilizers on laboratory and field germination of large-fruited and nutmeg pumpkin seeds
Authors: Ryabchikova N. B. , Shaposhnikov D. S. , Nadezhdkin S. M.
Published: July 2023

Relevance and methodology. This article presents the results of a study on the effect of growth regulators and water-soluble fertilizers on laboratory and field germination of pumpkin seeds of various types. The results of observations of the growth and development of seedlings and roots are presented. The research was carried out by laboratory and field experience. It is established that based on the analysis of the data obtained, it can be concluded that growth regulators have a significant effect on the laboratory and field germination of pumpkin seeds of various species. Treatment of pumpkin seeds with growth regulators and water-soluble fertilizers is one of the promising methods of preparation for sowing. Not only field germination depends on high-quality seeds, but also the density of standing plants, as well as growth, development and disease damage. The variety of active substances in the studied growth regulators have a positive effect on the embryo, activating the accelerated process of nutrient absorption, providing increased germination energy and seed growth strength. There are many requirements for seed material. Germination is the main sowing quality of seeds, it is the ability to give seedlings (in the laboratory) or (in the field) shoots for a certain period of time. Germination also depends on the conditions of storage and germination of seeds. Another important property is the germination energy, the seeds should sprout in a certain time. The higher the germination energy, the seeds are considered better.Results. The use of various types of growth regulators in the technology of pumpkin cultivation, as studies show, is one of the promising agrotechnical measures. The best result when soaking pumpkin seeds of large-fruited pumpkin, in laboratory conditions, was achieved in variants with the use of growth regulators Vigor Forte- 98% and Phytozont – 95%. When soaking nutmeg pumpkin seeds, the best option was also shown by Vigor Forte and Phytozont – 95%.
Krajobraz kulturowy, administracyjny i polityczny a region polityczny. Kilka uwag o istocie zjawisk
Authors: Sobczyński Marek
Published: July 2023

W artykule dokonano przeglądu definicji oraz poglądów w światowej i polskiej literaturze na istotę krajobrazu kulturowego, krajobrazu administracyjnego i krajobrazu politycznego, i w tym kontekście przedstawiono istotę oraz funkcjonowanie regionu politycznego. Jako przykłady przemian regionów politycznych ilustrujących dyskusję z pierwszej części artykułu wybrano zmiany krajobrazu administracyjnego i mapy politycznej na przełomie XX i XXI w. w przestrzeni postradzieckiej, a także w Afryce, Indiach i Kanadzie.
Örtük Program Yaklaşımı: Bir Ölçek Geliştirme Çalışması
Authors: TALU Ayşe Ahsen , TEZCİ Erdoğan
Published: July 2023

Sınıflarda planlı olmayan öğrenme yaşantılarının belirlenmesinin, öğrenme öğretme süreçlerinin yönünün belirlemede önemli olduğu söylenebilir. Planlı olmayan bu öğrenme yaşantıları örtük program ile ilişkilidir. Örtük program yaklaşımlarının analiz edilmesi ise eğitim süreçlerinin doğasını açıklamaya katkı sunacaktır. Çalışma ile eğitim fakültelerinde görev yapan öğretim elemanlarının ve öğretmen adaylarının örtük program yaklaşımlarını belirlemeye yönelik bir ölçek geliştirmek amaçlanmıştır. Ölçeğin geliştirilmesinde, Lynch’in (1989) örtük program teorisinden yararlanılmıştır. Çalışmanın ilk aşamasında 219 öğretim elemanı ve 454 öğretmen adayından oluşan gruptan elde edilen veriler ile Açımlayıcı Faktör Analizi (AFA) yapılmıştır. AFA sonucunda 42 maddelik ölçekten sekiz madde çıkarılmıştır. Bu analiz sonucunda elde edilen 34 maddelik üç faktör ve yedi alt boyuttan oluşan ölçek farklı bir örneklem grubundan (353 öğretmen adayı ve 47 öğretim elemanı) elde edilen veriler ile Doğrulayıcı Faktör Analizi (DFA) yapılmıştır. DFA’dan elde edilen uyum indeksleri AFA ile ortaya çıkan yapının DFA ile desteklendiğini göstermiştir. DFA ile elde edilen yapının uyum indeks değerleri de kabul edilebilir olarak belirlenmiştir. Her iki DFA sonucunun AFA sonuçları ile uyumlu olduğu anlaşılmıştır. Ölçeğin hem alt boyutları hem de geneline ait olarak belirlenen Cronbach Alpha güvenirlik katsayılarının iyi bir düzeyde olduğu söylenebilir. Örtük program yaklaşımı ölçeği, üç faktör, yedi alt boyut ve 34 maddeden oluşmuştur. Sonuçlar, eğitim fakültesi öğretim elemanları ve öğretmen adaylarının örtük program yaklaşımlarını tespit etmek amacı ile geliştirilen ölçeğin güvenilir ve geçerli olduğunu göstermektedir.
‘We capture their comments before we leave the station’: Service User Involvement in the Delivery of Appropriate Adult Schemes
Authors: Peacock Donna , Macdonald Stephen J , Podd Wendy , Cosgrove Faye
Published: July 2023

The concept of participation is now widely accepted in healthcare and social services, but is less apparent in the delivery of services for vulnerable people who encounter the Criminal Justice System and its associated agencies (Buck et al, 2020).  This article considers the extent to which children and ‘vulnerable’ adults who have been detained in police custody are currently able to actively participate in the design and delivery of Appropriate Adult Schemes.  This paper draws together responses from 43 services in England and Wales concerning levels of service user engagement to ascertain the current level of participation, and to make recommendations for the future.  The paper applies Forbat, et al.'s (2009) models of service user involvement to conceptualise ideological drivers which underpin the Appropriate Adult Scheme's commitment to involvement.  The data reveal that while there is a genuine desire to improve service user participation, that institutional, financial, and attitudinal barriers mean that participation either does not occur or is at a very cursory level.
Logical-semantic analysis of contrast (based on English economic terms)
Authors: Shakiryanov Lev M.
Published: July 2023

The study is based on English economic terms and is devoted to the logical-semantic analysis of contrast according to the following language criteria or elements: relationship type, nomination type, implementation method, word-formation properties, syntactic potential, part-of-speech, lexical-semantic features, combinatorial function. The theoretical significance of the study lies in determining the role of counterdiction at the language and psychology science intersection. The goal of study is a comprehensive theoretical and practical study of the properties of the difference between the economic terms of the English language. To achieve this goal, it is supposed to describe the history of antonymy in linguistics from its origin in order to streamline semantically contrasting (opposite and opposed) units to development to the phenomenon of absolute linguistic and speech universals. Within the framework of this approach, it is necessary to cover the origin of the principle of antonymy based on the phenomenon of oppositions, work on the classifications of antonyms, the use of semantic criteria in the study of the phenomenon, component analysis of opposites, their definitions; also touch upon the research on antonymy, which considers not only the phenomenon itself, but also related concepts, modern studies of contrast. The period from oppositions to the present, covering several centuries, culminated in the emergence of criteria, or elements of a logical-semantic analysis of semantic incompatibilities.
Cloud-Edge Cooperative Control System in Continuous Annealing Processes
Authors: Song Wenshuo , Cao Weihua , Hu Wenkai , Wu Min
Published: July 2023

This study proposes a cloud-edge collaboration framework for temperature regulation in continuous annealing processes. A multiobjective optimization is formulated by ensuring the control accuracy of the temperature to reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency with cloud computing. Based on process analytics, a framework for clustering operating conditions with high real-time requirements is proposed. Further, a recommendation mechanism for furnace temperatures with low real-time requirements is developed in the cloud. Compared with traditional architectures, the cloud-edge collaboration approach improves energy savings and control stability, which demonstrates its effectiveness and practicality.
Genetic diversity and historical demography of underutilised goat breeds in North-Western Europe
Authors: Manunza Arianna , Ramirez-Diaz Johanna , Cozzi Paolo , Lazzari Barbara , Tosser-Klopp Gwenola , Servin Bertrand , Johansson Anna M. , Grøva Lise , Berg Peer , Våge Dag Inge , Stella Alessandra
Published: July 2023

In the last decade, several studies aimed at dissecting the genetic architecture of local small ruminant breeds to discover which variations are involved in the process of adaptation to environmental conditions, a topic that has acquired priority due to climate change. Considering that traditional breeds are a reservoir of such important genetic variation, improving the current knowledge about their genetic diversity and origin is the first step forward in designing sound conservation guidelines. The genetic composition of North-Western European archetypical goat breeds is still poorly exploited. In this study we aimed to fill this gap investigating goat breeds across Ireland and Scandinavia, including also some other potential continental sources of introgression. The PCA and Admixture analyses suggest a well-defined cluster that includes Norwegian and Swedish breeds, while the crossbred Danish landrace is far apart, and there appears to be a close relationship between the Irish and Saanen goats. In addition, both graph representation of historical relationships among populations f4 and f4-ratio statistics suggest a certain degree of gene flow between the Norse and Atlantic landraces. Furthermore, we identify signs of ancient admixture events of Scandinavian origin in the Irish and in the Icelandic goats. The time when these migrations, and consequently the introgression, of Scandinavian-like alleles occurred, can be traced back to the Viking colonisation of these two isles during the Viking Age (793–1066 CE). The demographic analysis indicates a complicated history of these traditional breeds with signatures of bottleneck, inbreeding and crossbreeding with the improved breeds. Despite these recent demographic changes and the historical genetic background shaped by centuries of human-mediated gene flow, most of them maintained their genetic identity, becoming an irreplaceable genetic resource as well as a cultural heritage.
Soft robotic platform for controlled, progressive and reversible aortic constriction in a small animal model
Authors: Roche Ellen , Rosalia Luca , Wang Sophie , Ozturk Caglar , Huang Wei , Bonnemain Jean , Beatty Rachel , Duffy Garry , Nguyen Christopher
Published: July 2023

Our understanding of cardiac remodeling processes due to left ventricular pressure overload derives largely from animal models of aortic banding. However, these studies fail to simultaneously enable control over disease progression and reversal, hindering their clinical relevance. Here, we describe a method for controlled, progressive, and reversible aortic banding based on an implantable expandable actuator that can be finely controlled to modulate aortic banding and debanding in a rat model. Through catheterization, imaging, and histologic studies, we demonstrate that our model can recapitulate the hemodynamic and structural changes associated with pressure overload in a controllable manner. We leverage the ability of our model to enable non-invasive aortic debanding to show that these changes can be partly reversed due to cessation of the biomechanical stimulus. By recapitulating longitudinal disease progression and reversibility, this model could elucidate fundamental mechanisms of cardiac remodeling and optimize timing of intervention for pressure overload.
Associations between fluid overload and outcomes in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury: a retrospective observational study
Authors: Hayashi Yosuke , Shimazui Takashi , Tomita Keisuke , Shimada Tadanaga , Miura Rie E. , Nakada Taka-aki
Published: July 2023

Increased fluid overload (FO) is associated with poor outcomes in critically ill patients, especially in acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the exact timing from when FO influences outcomes remains unclear. We retrospectively screened intensive care unit (ICU) admitted patients with AKI between January 2011 and December 2015. Logistic or linear regression analyses were performed to determine when hourly %FO was significant on 90-day in-hospital mortality (primary outcome) or ventilator-free days (VFDs). In total, 1,120 patients were enrolled in this study. Univariate analysis showed that a higher %FO was significantly associated with higher mortality from the first hour of ICU admission (odds ratio 1.34, 95% confidence interval 1.15–1.56, P < 0.001), whereas multivariate analysis adjusted with age, sex, APACHE II score, and sepsis etiology showed the association was significant from the 27th hour. Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that a higher %FO was significantly associated with shorter VFDs from the 1st hour. The significant associations were retained during all following observation periods after they showed significance. In patients with AKI, a higher %FO was associated with higher mortality and shorter VFDs from the early phase after ICU admission. FO should be carefully controlled from the initial phase of critical illness.
Evaluating the Validity and Reliability of the Persian Version of the Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire in a Sample of the Iranian Population
Authors: Ramazani Yousef , Moradinazar Mehdi , Rezaeian Shahab , Najafi Farid , Salimi Yahya
Published: July 2023

Introduction:
The Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire (AEBQ) is a comprehensive instrument used to assess appetitive traits. This study aims to determine the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the AEBQ in a sample of the Iranian population.
Methods
This research is a validation study using data from the Health Integrated System (HIS) of adults in Kermanshah city, West of Iran. The AEBQ was completed by 898 individuals in telephone interviews. To evaluate content validity, the indices of relevancy, clarity, and comprehensiveness of the questionnaire were calculated. The construct validity of the questionnaire was also assessed using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. To evaluate the reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha were calculated.
Results
The overall relevancy, clarity and comprehensiveness of the questionnaire were 83%, 86% and 100% respectively. The Cronbach's alpha of questionnaire was 85%. Seven scales were identified based on the exploratory factor analysis. The items of the two scales "hunger" and "food responsiveness" were loaded on one factor.
Conclusion
The present study has shown that the Persian version of AEBQ is a suitable questionnaire with acceptable validity and reliability to be used as a criterion for assessing a wide range of appetite-related eating behaviors in Iranian people older than 18 years of age.
Comparing the Efficacy of Low-Dose Atropine Eye Drops, Orthokeratology, and Combined Treatment for Myopia Progression Control
Authors: Zhou Peng , Wang Dan-Dan , Fan Lei , Yang Lin , Zhao Ming-Wei
Published: July 2023

Myopia is a common eye condition affecting approximately one-third of the global population. Its prevalence is increasing at an alarming rate in children and adolescents, raising concerns about long-term consequences. Several interventions have been proposed to slow down myopia progression. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of 0.01% atropine eye drops, orthokeratology, and combined atropine eye drops with orthokeratology in controlling myopia progression. This retrospective cohort study involved three international ophthalmic centers in China. Chinese and Caucasian children aged 8–18 years with cycloplegic spherical equivalent between − 1.00 to -6.00 diopters and astigmatism of ≤ 1.50 D in both eyes were included. Patients were divided into four groups: control group (only wear glasses), orthokeratology, 0.01% atropine eye drops, and combined orthokeratology with 0.01% atropine eye drops. Comprehensive ophthalmic examinations were performed at every visit, and the refractive error and axial length were measured at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. A total of 736 eyes of 736 myopic children were included in the study, with 265 in the control group, 155 in the orthokeratology group, 181 in the atropine group, and 135 in the combined group. After 12 months of treatment, the combination of orthokeratology and atropine showed the greatest effect (mean − 0.25D) in slowing myopia progression followed by the atropine group (mean − 0.57D) and the orthokeratology group (mean − 0.42D), with a statistically significant difference compared to the control group (p < 0.001). The results of this study suggest that combined orthokeratology with 0.01% atropine eye drops is more effective in controlling myopia progression compared to orthokeratology or atropine eye drops alone. Therefore, this combined approach could be considered as a potential treatment option for myopia control in children and adolescents.
The formation of KV2.1 macro-clusters is required for sex-specific differences in L-type CaV1.2 clustering and function in arterial myocytes
Authors: Santana Luis , Matsumoto Collin , O'Dwyer Samantha , Manning Declan , Hernandez-Hernandez Gonzalo , Rhana Paula , Fong Zhihui , Sato Daisuke , Clancy Colleen , Vierra Nicholas , Trimmer James
Published: July 2023

In arterial myocytes, the canonical function of voltage-gated CaV1.2 and KV2.1 channels is to induce myocyte contraction and relaxation through their responses to membrane depolarization, respectively. Paradoxically, KV2.1 also plays a sex-specific role by promoting the clustering and activity of CaV1.2 channels. However, the impact of KV2.1 protein organization on CaV1.2 function remains poorly understood. We discovered that KV2.1 forms micro-clusters, which can transform into large macro-clusters when a critical clustering site (S590) in the channel is phosphorylated in arterial myocytes. Notably, female myocytes exhibit greater phosphorylation of S590, and macro-cluster formation compared to males. Contrary to current models, the activity of KV2.1 channels seems unrelated to density or macro-clustering in arterial myocytes. Disrupting the KV2.1 clustering site (KV2.1S590A) eliminated KV2.1 macro-clustering and sex-specific differences in CaV1.2 cluster size and activity. We propose that the degree of KV2.1 clustering tunes CaV1.2 channel function in a sex-specific manner in arterial myocytes.
A correlation of paramedicine’s professional capabilities to competency frameworks that support current and evolving practice scopes: A literature review.
Authors: Weber Anthony , Scott Devenish , Lam Louisa
Published: July 2023

Background
To ensure that graduates have the competencies required for current and evolving practices, a modern educational approach involves jointly identifying these competencies with input from industry, employees, and professionals. In this process, it is crucial to consider the role of accreditation. Accreditation plays a vital role in ensuring that the curriculum is suitable for diverse roles and that it aims to achieve the required competencies. Therefore, it is necessary to identify how accreditation can guarantee that graduates have the competencies needed to succeed in their field.
Methods
A narrative review of the literature and a directed search of grey literature were performed to identify specific developments in paramedicine competencies and scope of practice and mapped to the professional capabilities published by the Paramedicine Board of Australia. In determining a competency map and accreditation’s role in a competency framework specific to current and evolving paramedic practice, key documents were analysed using a qualitative approach based on content analysis to identify common traits among documents, countries and other professions.
Results
The review process identified 278 themes that were further allocated to 22 major analytical groupings. These groupings could further be mapped to previously reported cognitive, technical, integrative, context, relationship, affective/moral competencies and habits of mind. At the same time, the highest-rated groupings were key competencies of intellectual skills, safety, accountability, clinical decision-making, professionalism, communications, team-based approach and situational awareness. Two groups were represented in the literature but not in the professional capabilities, namely Health and Social continuum and self-directed practice.
Conclusions
This review highlights the importance of measuring and validating the professional capabilities of Paramedicine Practitioners. The study explores various metrics and competency frameworks used to assess competency, comparing them against national accreditation schemes' professional capability standards. The findings suggest that accreditation frameworks play a crucial role in improving the quality of paramedicine practice, encompassing intellectual skills, safety, accountability, clinical decision-making, professionalism, communication, teamwork, and situational awareness.
The study of the relationship between mental workload of nurses and maintaining human dignity of patients
Authors: Rousta Afsaneh , Rabori Roghayeh Mehdipour , Sabzevari Sakineh
Published: July 2023

Background: Nurses in the health care system are the largest group, and many care outcomes are the result of their activities. Due to the long-term contact of nurses with patients, maintaining the patient's human dignity depends on the type of action and reactions of the nurse to the components of human dignity. One of the factors that affect the behavior and performance of nurses in the workplace and can affect their efficiency and productivity is mental workload. Accordingly, the present study was conducted with the aim of determining the relationship between nurses' mental workload and maintaining human dignity of patients in the hospitals of Kerman University of Medical Sciences’ Iran in 2021.
Method: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 2021 on 322 nurses of Kerman University of Medical Sciences were selected using random sampling method. The data was collected using NASA TLX and DICSN questionnaires and analyzed with SPSS software version 15. A significance level of 0.05 was considered.
Results: Based on the results, 26.4% of participants were male and 73.6% were female. 50.6% of nurses were single and 46.9% were married. The mean of mental workload was 71.05±15.48, which is high. The mean of maintaining human dignity of the patients is 140.09±18.74, that is relatively desirable level. A significant statistical correlation was observed between nurses’ mental workload and maintaining patients' human dignity (r=0.30, p<0.001). There was a significant relationship between mental workload with gender (p=0.04) and nurses' marital status (p=0.02); and between maintaining patients' dignity and employment status (p=0.02).
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that, given the relationship between mental workload and human dignity, it may be possible to ask nurses to implement incentive schemes to despite their high mental work experience, try to provide nursing care services respectfully and while maintaining the human dignity of patients, Hold or increase.
Towards Controlled Semi-Autonomous Deconstruction
Authors: Lee Hyung Joo , Brell-Cokcan Sigrid
Published: July 2023

The automation of deconstruction processes presents unique difficulties due to the harsh working
conditions involved. In this research, we aim to address these limitations by advancing the teleoperated
machine, BROKK 170, towards a developed semi-autonomous concept. We propose a framework for
robot-assisted deconstruction, exploring the communication and sensing systems of the prototype
deconstruction robot, along with its capabilities. Additionally, field tests are conducted to evaluate the
performance of the proposed approach in real-world scenarios. The potentials and limitations drawn
from these initial results are discussed.
Spatiotemporal patterns of evapotranspiration in the Xiangjiang River Basin from 2000 to 2020
Authors: Li Suxun , Feng Chang , Yang Liu
Published: July 2023

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a crucial parameter in the process of the hydrological cycle. It is vital for water resource management in the Xiangjiang River Basin (XRB) within Hunan Province of China to explore the spatial and temporal dynamic characteristics of ET. Based on MOD16, this study revealed the characteristics of spatiotemporal patterns of ET in the XRB from 2000 to 2020. We first applied land use data and change rate for overall trend analysis on ET. Then, we obtained migration routes of ET through standard deviation ellipse (SDE). Furthermore, we demonstrated the effects of monsoon and urban expansion on ET change. The results showed: (1) while the ET of artificial surfaces decreased the change rate in most regions of the XRB was 8.83%, indicating that the overall trend of ET in the XRB was increasing. (2) At 10-year intervals, the SDE center of ET all migrated in a clockwise direction. (3) The correlation between precipitation and ET is more obvious than that between temperature and ET. (4) With the influence of monsoon on precipitation in East Asia, the changes in precipitation are consistent with the ET change.
Decolonising water diplomacy and conflict transformation: from security-peace to equity-identity
Authors: Nagheeby Mohsen , Amezaga Jaime
Published: July 2023

Water diplomacy and conflict transformation are dominated by an interest-based paradigm, where attention is given solely to achieving security and peace. We intend to critically challenge this paradigm – which is mainly dominated by the views of the Global North – by emphasising two other important but often overlooked elements: equity and identity. We argue that diplomacy within the contemporary paradigm is easily manipulated by the broader security and peace interests of foreign powers in a manifestation of global and regional geopolitical rivalry. We conclude that pro-security-peace water diplomacy is an inefficacious remedy, and posit instead that equity and particularly identity should be placed at the heart of water diplomacy and conflict transformation. While introducing a new alternative definition, we call for a paradigm shift, from security-peace to equity-identity orientation, to give space for the voice of the Global South in the analysis of hydropolitical relations. This approach affords additional insights into and explanations for hydropolitical patterns, and helps us to define new strategies for decolonising water diplomacy in practice.
A Unique Perspective on Lead Compounds for Dementia with the Lewy
Body
Authors: Subramani Menaka , Sivaperuman Amuthalakshmi , Natarajan Ramalakshmi , Dhinakaran Keerthana
Published: July 2023

Dementia with Lewy Bodies is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by abnormal α-
Synuclein aggregate accumulation in Lewy Bodies and Lewy Neurites and the most common form of
dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. The presynaptic protein alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) regulates synaptic
vesicle trafficking and the subsequent release of neurotransmitters in the brain. These aggregates
go through a number of crucial stages, such as aggregation, oligomerization, and fibrillation.
Treatment of this disorder is generally symptomatic. This necessitates the development of cuttingedge
therapeutic approaches that can either stop or change the course of the diseases. Many studies
have shown that α-synuclein is a significant therapeutic target and that inhibiting α-synuclein aggregation,
oligomerization, and fibrillation is an important disease-modifying strategy. Since α-syn is a
defining feature of Parkinson’s disease, the current review provides an overview of plant phytochemicals
and synthetic heterocyclic compounds that target α-syn in Parkinson's disease in order to develop
new drugs for Dementia with Lewy Bodies.
Zakat compliance behavior in formal zakat institutions: An integration model of religiosity, trust, credibility, and accountability
Authors: Febriandika Nur Rizqi , Kusuma Dilla Gading , Yayuli Yayuli
Published: July 2023

Indonesia boasts the largest Muslim population worldwide; however, the allocation of zakat funds remains relatively low. This is primarily due to the fact that numerous Muslim communities have yet to channel their zakat contributions through formal institutions. Many individuals are still unaware of their obligation to pay zakat. Previous research has predominantly employed theoretical frameworks in consumer behavior, with limited emphasis on formal zakat institutions. Consequently, there is a scarcity of socialization and counseling initiatives pertaining to formal zakat institutions within the community. Therefore, the objective of this study is to develop a model for understanding zakat compliance behavior within formal zakat institutions, with a focus on the variables of religiosity, trust, credibility, and accountability. This investigation seeks to provide a comprehensive and in-depth comprehension of the topic. The study employs a quantitative research design, utilizing the Structural Equating Modeling (SEM) method. A total of 346 respondents, categorized as Muslim citizens obligated to pay zakat, were included in the sample. The study findings indicate that accountability and credibility significantly influence trust, whereas trust and religiosity impact zakat compliance behavior. Notably, trust emerges as the most influential variable regarding compliance with zakat payments within formal zakat institutions. Conversely, the variable of religiosity exerts the weakest impact on compliance with zakat payments in formal institutions. These findings suggest that zakat institutions should prioritize the credibility variable to enhance the trust of zakat payers, thereby increasing compliance with zakat payments.
Comparison of Antibiotic-Resistant Pattern of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase and Carbapenem-Resistant Escherichia Coli Isolates from Clinical and Non-Clinical Sources
Authors: Joseph Itoro Sunday , Okolo Ijeoma Onyinye , Udenweze Evangeline Chinyere , Nwankwo Chinenye Emelda , Peter Ikemesit Udeme , Ogbonna Ifeoma Precious , Iroha Ifeanyichukwu Romanus
Published: July 2023

The increasing rate of antibiotic resistance among E. coli especially those mediated by extended spectrum beta-lactamases and carbapenem-resistant (CR) presents a major threat to public health and healthcare delivery globally. The aim of this research was to compare the antibiotic resistant pattern of extended spectrum beta-lactamase and carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli isolates from clinical and non-clinical sources. A total of two hundred and fifteen (215) clinical and non-clinical samples were collected for the study. The collected samples were analysis using Standard Microbiological protocol for isolation and identification. Phenotypic detection of ESBL Production and carbapenem resistant was performed using Double Disk Synergy Test (DDST) and Modified Hodge Test (MHT) respectively. Antibiogram studies of ESBL producing and Carbapenem-resistant E. coli was determined using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method. The result of isolation and characterization revealed higher occurrence rate of clinical isolates of E. coli  66.1 % over non-clinical sample 54.0%. Phenotypic ESBL screening of isolated E. coli revealed overall detection rate of 35(30.4 %) and 13(13.0 %) in clinical and non-clinical source respectively while overall detection rate of carbapenem resistant ESBL producers accounted 9.6 % and 8.0 % in clinical and non-clinical isolates respectively. The isolates exhibited high percentage of resistance to nitrofurantion 100 %, cefepime 100 % colistin 66.7 %, amikacin 50.0 % and also exhibit MDR with MARI value of ≥ 0.5. Comparison of antibiotic resistant pattern of carbapenem-resistant extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing E. coli isolates from clinical and non-clinical sources showed no statistical significant difference P-value < 0.05 but were 100 % susceptible to ciprofloxacin and gentamicin. The pattern of similar MDR portrayed by clinical and non-clinical isolate should not be overlooked due to its hyper-motility and virulence domination leading to possible AMR transfer to other bacterial organisms and also, appropriate measures such as pretreatment of animal excrement before being used as fertilizers and the quality of irrigation water, hospital effluent discharge need to be taken into consideration to prevent the spread of resistant determinant.

Keywords: Escherichia coli, Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase, Carbapenem-Resistant, clinical, non-clinical
Wpływ zmienności światowych cen cukru na sytuację ekonomiczno-finansową sektora cukrowniczego
Authors: Sznajder Piotr
Published: July 2023

W historii gospodarczej świata cukier jest uznawany za jeden z pierwszych produktów globalnych, a sytuacja podażowo-popytowa na światowym rynku miała duży wpływ na rozwój rynków lokalnych. Polski sektor cukrowniczy od wielu lat pozostaje pod wpływem rynku światowego. Reforma systemu regulacji rynku cukru w UE spowodowała, że rynek unijny i krajowy w coraz większym stopniu są uzależnione od sytuacji na rynku światowym. Potencjał produkcyjny krajowego przemysłu cukrowniczego jest większy od zapotrzebowania na rynku wewnętrznym i nadwyżki podaży są kierowane na eksport. Równocześnie system regulacji rynku powoduje, że 200 tys. t cukru musi być importowane, aby pokryć różnicę między zapotrzebowaniem i kwotą produkcyjną. Polski przemysł cukrowniczy importuje coraz większe ilości trzcinowego cukru surowego do rafinacji, która umożliwia lepsze wykorzystanie czynników produkcji. Ceny rynku światowego wyraźnie wpływały na ceny zbytu w kraju i wyniki finansowe sektora.
Zmiany na rynku nawozów mineralnych w Chinach i Indiach
Authors: Zalewski Arkadiusz
Published: July 2023

W Chinach i Indiach wzrost zapotrzebowania na surowce rolne w ostatniej dekadzie spowodował istotne zwiększenie popytu na nawozy mineralne. W artykule przeanalizowano zmiany, jakie zaszły na rynku nawozów mineralnych w tych krajach. Opisano zmiany produkcji, handlu zagranicznego oraz zużycia nawozów mineralnych. Określono udział tych krajów w rynku światowym. Wykorzystano dane International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) oraz United States Geological Service (USGS), które posłużyły do obliczenia podstawowych wskaźników bilansu rynkowego. Przeprowadzone badania wykazały, że w Chinach rosnący popyt na nawozy mineralne spowodował wzrost produkcji do poziomu, który pozwolił na całkowitą rezygnację z importu i przeznaczanie nadwyżek podaży na eksport. W Indiach, przy podobnej dynamice wzrostu popytu na nawozy mineralne, produkcja wzrosła nieznacznie, a import musiał być zwiększony kilkukrotnie. Doprowadziło to do istotnego zwiększenia presji na światową podaż nawozów mineralnych i przyczyniło się do drastycznych podwyżek cen w latach 2007-2008.
Potencjał produkcyjny i uwarunkowania rozwoju rolnictwa w województwie zachodniopomorskim
Authors: Ossowska Luiza , Janiszewska Dorota
Published: July 2023

W badaniach przyjęto dwa założenia wyjściowe: 1). pomimo podobnych uwarunkowań rolnictwo w regionach niemieckich (Meklemburgia – Pomorze Przednie oraz Szlezwik – Holsztyn) jest lepiej rozwinięte niż w północnych województwach Polski (zachodniopomorskim i pomorskim); 2). uwarunkowania rozwoju rolnictwa województwa zachodniopomorskiego na poziomie lokalnym są zróżnicowane. Założeniom podporządkowano cele badawcze. Pierwszy z nich to ocena potencjału produkcyjnego rolnictwa woj. zachodniopomorskiego na tle wybranych regionów. Drugi to ocena zróżnicowania uwarunkowań rolnictwa w woj. zachodniopomorskim. Przy ocenie zróżnicowania wzięto pod uwagę uwarunkowania przyrodnicze i pozaprzyrodnicze. Poziom uwarunkowań gmin wyznaczono metodą wskaźnika syntetycznego.
Stanowisko Indii w negocjacjach rolnych WTO
Authors: Wróbel Anna
Published: July 2023

Celem opracowania jest analiza stanowiska Indii w negocjacjach rolnych WTO. Artykuł został podzielony na trzy części. W części pierwszej dokonano charakterystyki indyjskiego sektora rolnego. Następnie omówiono podstawy polityki handlowej Indii. Zasadnicza część rozważań dotyczy postulatów Indii w negocjacjach rolnych WTO.
What are Production Determinants of Bioeconomy?
Authors: Maciejczak Mariusz
Published: July 2023

The concept of bioeconomy focuses on clustering different socio-economic processes of both traditional and innovative sectors of economy that focus on the use of renewable resources, and by applying knowledge and innovative technologies, and delivering products and services that are important from private and public points of view. Such an approach requires utilization of resources that differ from classical economic classification of production factors. The paper argues that instead of land, labor, capital and entrepreneurship, from the bioeconomy point of view it is more important to look at: renewable resources such as biomass sources, investments in research and development activities and people engaged in such activities as well as innovations, which could be considered as production determinants. Based on the latest Eurostat data for the year 2011, the paper presents the state of these determinants in the European Union’s main bioeconomy sectors.
Environmental Awareness of Rural Population in the Light of the Authors' Research
Authors: Wielewska Izabela , Zuzek Dagmara
Published: July 2023

High regard for the natural environment is a value which is widely accepted and declared by Polish society. However, this positive attitude toward nature does not fully correspond with actual choices of environmental values and environmentally friendly consumer behavior. This article is an attempt to determine the environmental awareness of inhabitants of rural areas of the Chojniki powiat (county) located in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. The study was conducted in the second quarter of 2014 using the diagnostic poll method, which included 224 rural inhabitants. The study shows that only a small percentage of inhabitants of rural areas make the type of environmentally-friendly choices in their everyday lives which would make them environmentally conscious consumers.
Geological Hazards of Housing Development of a Pliocene Terrace Land Plot in the City of Rostov-on-Don
Authors: Gridnevsky A. V.
Published: July 2023

Introduction. In Rostov-on-Don the industrial and civil construction is carried out under a number of geological hazards: soils subsiding deformations, landslides, underfloodings, suffusions. Building up the new urban districts has always led to the groundwater surge. The Pliocene terrace building conditions in the eastern part of the city are characterised by the high risk of underflooding due to the shallow groundwater, low hydraulic gradients and water permeability of soils. The data on the present state of the groundwater level is not published in the media. Based on the materials on the territory geological structure and hydrogeological conditions, as well as on the numerical hydrogeological modeling, the present paper aims to investigate the groundwater balance determining factors and to develop the geofiltration monitoring recommendations for constraining the underflooding.Materials and methods. The geological structure and hydrogeological conditions of the territory were analysed using the published reading and graphical materials, as well as the engineering and geological survey results. The aquifers’ geometrical parameters analysis and the spatial data visualisation were made by means of the QGIS geographic information system. For creating and analysing the numerical geofiltration models, the Visual Modflow software product of Aquaveo company was used.Research results. The natural and technogenic geofiltration state of the territory under investigation had been forming for many years. The study of the designed numerical hydrogeological model indicates on the high risk of local underflooding as well as defines the conditions of its spreading throughout the entire territory. The role of the ravine-gully system that drains the aquifer and constrains the underflooding has been assessed. To control the territory groundwater balance and to specify the aquifers’ parameters, the layout of the observational hydrogeological wells network has been developed. Discussion and conclusion. The existing groundwater balance is vulnerable. Building up the territory is highly likely to cause additional infiltration of technogenic water and to lead to underflooding. The territory development project should envisage the geofiltration process monitoring and groundwater draining solutions.
The Psychological Motif in the Context of Bharati Mukherjee: Dimple and Jasmine
Authors: Sharma Madhuri , Jafri Dr. Shadan
Published: July 2023

Human beings are born bare by nature with no pleasure, grievance, knowledge, information, awareness. They mould their personality and behaviour by society or by self effort so as to suit themselves for any situation or exposure with safe and healthy conduct. Human beings own behaviour play an important role in deciding how a person acts in a particular situation. Our psychology is the driving force which guides us to behave that results into good or bad outcome.
Modeling and Rendering with eXpressive B-Spline Curves
Authors:   Nanyang Technological University, Seah Hock Soon , Tandianus Budianto ,   Singapore Institute of Technology, Sui Yiliang ,   Nanyang Technological University
Published: July 2023

eXpressive B-Spline Curve (XBSC) is a resolution-independent and computationally efficient technique for vector-based stroke modeling and rendering with the flexibility in defining and adjusting the shape and other parameters of the stroke. It generalizes the existing Disk B-Spline Curve (DBSC) geometric representation, which itself is a generalization of the Disk Bézier curve. XBSC allows flexible shape and color manipulation and rendering of strokes with asymmetrical shape control and rich color management. These properties make XBSC suitable for modeling freeform stroke shapes and animation, specifically in squash and stretch, a common technique to bestow elasticity and flexibility in shape changes. During the squash and stretch animation computation, we constrain the shape of the XBSC stroke to conserve its area. To achieve this, we apply the simulated annealing algorithm to iteratively adjust the XBSC while maintaining its area. We show several drawings, rendering and deformation examples to demonstrate the robustness of XBSC.
Texture Spectral Similarity Criteria Comparison
Authors:   Institute of Information Theory and Automation, Czech Academy of Sciences, Pod Vodarenskou vezi 4, 182 08 Prague, Czechia, Havlíček Michal , Haindl Michal ,   Institute of Information Theory and Automation, Czech Academy of Sciences, Pod Vodarenskou vezi 4, 182 08 Prague, Czechia,   Faculty of Management, University of Economics, Jarošovská 1117, Jindřichův Hradec, Czechia
Published: July 2023

Criteria capable of texture spectral similarity evaluation are presented and compared. From the fifteen evaluated criteria, only four criteria guarantee zero or minimal spectral ranking errors. Such criteria can support texture modeling algorithms by comparing the modeled texture with corresponding synthetic simulations. Another possible application is the development of texture retrieval, classification, or texture acquisition system. These criteria thoroughly test monotonicity and mutual correlation on specifically designed extensive monotonously degrading experiments.
Monte Carlo Based Real-Time Shape Analysis in Volumes
Authors:   Stony Brook University, New York, USA, Gurijala Krishna , Wang Lei ,   Stony Brook University, New York, USA, Kaufman Arie ,   Stony Brook University, New York, USA
Published: July 2023

We introduce a Monte Carlo based real-time diffusion process for shape-based analysis in volumetric data. The diffusion process is carried out by using tiny massless particles termed shapetons, which are used to capture the shape information. Initially, these shapetons are randomly distributed inside the voxels of the volume data. The shapetons are then diffused in a Monte Carlo fashion to obtain the shape information. The direction of propagation for the shapetons is monitored by the Volume Gradient Operator (VGO). This operator is known for successfully capturing the shape information and thus the shape information is well captured by the shapeton diffusion method. All the shapetons are diffused simultaneously and all the results can be monitored in real-time. We demonstrate several important applications of our approach including colon cancer detection and design of shape-based transfer functions. We also present supporting results for the applications and show that this method works well for volumes. We show that our approach can robustly extract shape-based features and thus forms the basis for improved classification and exploration of features based on shape.
Synthetic-Real Domain Adaptation for Probabilistic Pose Estimation
Authors:   Instituto Tecnologico de Informatica, Camino de Vera, S/N Spain 46022, Valencia, Del-Tejo-Catala Omar , Perez Javier ,   Instituto Tecnologico de Informatica, Camino de Vera, S/N Spain 46022, Valencia, Guardiola Jose-Luis ,   Instituto Tecnologico de Informatica, Camino de Vera, S/N Spain 46022, Valencia, Perez Alberto J. ,   Instituto Tecnologico de Informatica, Camino de Vera, S/N Spain 46022, Valencia, Perez-Cortes Juan-Carlos ,   Instituto Tecnologico de Informatica, Camino de Vera, S/N Spain 46022, Valencia
Published: July 2023

Real samples are costly to acquire in many real-world problems. Thus, employing synthetic samples is usually the primary solution to train models that require large amounts of data. However, the difference between synthetically generated and real images, called domain gap, is the most significant hindrance to this solution, as it affects the model’s generalization capacity. Domain adaptation techniques are crucial to train models using synthetic samples. Thus, this article explores different domain adaptation techniques to perform pose estimation from a probabilistic multiview perspective. Probabilistic multiview pose estimation solves the problem of object symmetries, where a single view of an object might not be able to determine the 6D pose of an object, and it must consider its prediction as a distribution of possible candidates. GANs are currently state-of-the-art in domain adaptation. In particular, this paper explores CUT and CycleGAN, which have unique training losses that address the problem of domain adaptation from different perspectives. The datasets explored are a cylinder and a sphere extracted from a Kaggle challenge with perspective-wise symmetries, although they holistically have unique 6D poses. CUT outperforms CycleGAN in feature adaptation, although it is less robust than CycleGAN in keeping keypoints intact after translation, leading to pose prediction errors for some objects. Moreover, this paper found that training the models using synthetic-to-real images and evaluating them with real images improves the model’s accuracy for datasets without complex features. This approach is more suitable for industrial applications to reduce inference overhead.