bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ciclo de vida y notas ecológicas de Antirrhea geryon Felder y Felder, 1862 (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae: Morphini) en Cundinamarca, Colombia
Authors: Poveda-Castiblanco Leidy Rocío
Published: September 2024

Objetivos: Presentar la primera descripción de los estadios inmaduros de Antirrhea geryon Felder y Felder, 1862, precisar algunas de sus interacciones ecológicas como la presencia de avispas parasitoides idiobiontes y reportar a la palma Geonoma undata como su planta hospedera. Alcance: Aportar al conocimiento de los estadios inmaduros de especies del género Antirrhea con fines de contribuir a su conocimiento y correcta clasificación taxonómica. Metodología: Se establecieron puntos de cría en el Parque Natural Chicaque y se realizó el seguimiento en condiciones de laboratorio e invernadero en el Museo de Historia Natural de la Universidad Pedagógica Nacional (MHN- UPN), en donde se registraron sus cambios morfológicos mediante el empleo de formatos de seguimiento al ciclo de vida de insectos. Resultados: El ciclo de vida de esta especie tuvo una duración de 125 días en condiciones de laboratorio desde la fase de huevo hasta la emergencia del adulto y de 132 días en condiciones naturales, presentándose mayor supervivencia en la cría realizada en campo. Conclusiones: A lo largo del seguimiento fueron evidentes los cambios de coloración y tamaño de los estadios inmaduros y, adicionalmente, se estableció un contraste entre la duración del ciclo de vida y la supervivencia de individuos adultos obtenidos en laboratorio y condiciones naturales, cuyas diferencias se infiere que son debidas a los cambios ambientales de temperatura, humedad relativa y luminosidad en ambos lugares.
Especies neotropicales de Aristolochia (Aristolochiaceae) en la obra de N. J. Jacquin: Taxonomía, tipificación y primeros apuntes etnobotánicos
Authors: González Favio , Pabón-Mora Natalia
Published: September 2024

Nikolaus J. Jacquin (1727-1817), el primer naturalista europeo en herborizar y estudiar plantas del actual territorio colombiano, describió por primera vez numerosas especies del Caribe, entre ellas siete especies de Aristolochia. Actualmente, cinco de estas –A. anguicida, A. caudata, A. maxima, A. oblongata y A. pentandra– son válidas, y las dos restantes –A. barbata y A. pandurata– son sinónimos de A. rugosa y A. odoratissima, respectivamente. Se designan aquí los lectótipos de A. barbata y A. caudata, y se aclara la identidad de las ilustraciones de la cápsula y las semillas de A. caudata en la iconografía de Jacquin. Llama la atención el extenso relato etnobotánico de A. anguicida proporcionado por nativos de Cartagena, que resulta ser el primer reporte de laspropiedades antiofídicas de una especie de Aristolochia nativa del trópico americano.
Comparison of several techniques to determine the lipid profile in “muscovy duck” cairina moschata, Linnaeus, 1758 (Anseriformes: Anatidae)
Authors: Osorio José Henry , Quenán Yoccner Edilson
Published: September 2024

The lipid metabolism of domesticated birds has been studied by altering their diet to increase the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the triglycerides and decrease the total cholesterol in the blood and yolk, which is used for human consumption. The Cairina moschata domestica species can be used to produce meat and eggs. The animals were raised at Vereda Morro Gordo, El Remanso Farm, located in the municipality of Manizales (Colombia), at 1800 m above sea level (23 °C). A total of 79 creole ducks (37 females and 42 males) were raised for 6 months and put under a 12 hours-of-light regime. Several methods to determine the lipid profile in this species were examined: two for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and three for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). All the reagents belonged to BioSystems S.A. laboratories, from Barcelona, Spain. Assays were carried out in the RAYTORT-1904C device, a semiautomatic chemistry analyser. In both cases the direct determination method is recommended; however, TAG levels should not exceed the maximum permitted by manufacturing laboratories. Females showed hypertriglyceridemia when compared to males. There are statistically significant differences as per sex in the values of HDL-cholesterol, LDLcholesterol, and triglycerides, but not in the total cholesterol values.
Conocimiento etnobotánico de la flora útil en un sector de la Perla Amazónica de Puerto Asís (Putumayo): una contribución desde el manejo y uso en la Amazonia colombiana
Authors: Narváez Herrera Alejandra , Flórez Yepes Gloria Yaneth
Published: September 2024

En el departamento del Putumayo se encuentra Angostura, un sector de la Perla Amazónica del municipio de Puerto Asís. Debido a la falta de estudios botánicos en dicho municipio, y la gran reserva de recursos vegetales y culturales existentes, el objetivo principal de este trabajo fue documentar el conocimiento etnobotánico enfocado a los usos y manejo que sus pobladores poseen sobre la flora útil. En esta investigación se desarrolló una fase de campo donde se efectuaron listados libres con 127 informantes, lo cual permitió determinar 187 plantas útiles en diferentes categorías de uso, de estas se resaltan: Aserrío (80), Construcción (72), Alimenticio (55) y Medicinal (54) especies. Se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas para evaluar la influencia de las variables socioculturales en el conocimiento de uso de las plantas, realizando análisis multivariados y modelos causales de etnobotánica cuantitativa. El índice de significancia cultural (ICS) arrojó 31 especies con Significancia muy alta, 60 especies en alta, 80 especies en moderada y 15 especies en Significancia baja. La forma de manejo que más se practica en las zonas de recolección de plantas es el manejo incipiente selectivo, seguido de la recolección simple. El análisis de conglomerados mediante el método de Promedio Aritmético No Pesado (UPGMA) y el modelo causal demuestra que el conocimiento sobre plantas útiles de los habitantes del sector de Angostura se ve influenciado directamente por factores socioculturales como la edad y el nivel educativo; mientras que factores como el género y la ocupación son independientes.
Reducing mining tailings and operational dilution: a new application of the room-and-pillar mining method
Authors: Rodovalho E. , El Hajj T.M. , Teodoro G.C. , de Tomi G. , Tenório J.A.S.
Published: September 2024

The selection of an underground mining method stems from a multivariate analysis that considers geomechanical, geological, economic, and operational parameters. Even after identifying the most compatible method, there is no assurance that the mining company will achieve the best performance. The geological complexity of some deposits requires adaptations of methods described in the literature to obtain more selectivity and reduce mining waste. There are some studies on geometry of underground structures, but a methodology that describes an adaptation of a room-and-pillar mining method for ore bodies with down-dip varying from 20° to 25° is novel. The present work aimed to reduce dilution by adapting the traditional room-and-pillar mining method (TRP) to inclined ore bodies. This new method is entitled short-hole room-and-pillar (SHRP). The equations that measure the dilution are defined according to the geometry of stopes and openings. The results comprise comparative analyses of the operational and planned dilutions to measure the performance of the SHRP method. The average operating dilution of the SHRP method was more than five times lower than the planned dilution according to the TRP method. Low operational dilution indicates high selectivity of the method and its potential to reduce underground mining tailings.
Prediction of physico-mechanical rock characteristics from electrical resistivity tests
Authors: Kahraman S. , Öğretici E.
Published: September 2024

The indirect estimation of intact rock properties is particularly useful for preliminary investigations in engineering projects. In this paper we examine the usability of electrical resistivity, a nondestructive measurement, for the prediction of physical and mechanical rock characteristics. Physico-mechanical tests (uniaxial compression, Brazilian tensile, density, and porosity tests) and electrical resistivity measurements were performed on specimens of 36 rock types. Before the resistivity tests, the specimens were completely saturated with saline solution. Evaluation of the test results showed that there are medium or strong correlations between resistivity and rock properties. There are also strong or stronger correlations between the two parameters for the rock classes. The regression equations developed were statistically tested, and their validity was confirmed. The results were also compared with previous studies. The conclusion is that electrical resistivity measurement can be used for reliably estimating physical and mechanical rock characteristics.
Optimizing the cut-off grade for tabular gold deposits, considering the South African gold tax and mineral resource royalty regime
Authors: Birch C.C. , Cawood F.T.
Published: September 2024

The South African mineral resource royalty system, initiated in 2010, employs a hybrid ad valorem approach tied to profitability ratios. This rate is then applied to the total revenue from mineral sales. In this article we explore how the profitability ratio in the mineral resource royalty formulae interacts with the gold tax formula as applied to South African gold mines, devising a strategy for cut-off grade optimization. The study focuses on nine narrow, tabular-reef (Witwatersrand) gold mines. The approach involves a mixed-integer cut-off grade optimizer utilizing Excel Solver, incorporating relevant royalty and income tax formulae. Different mineral resource royalty cost scenarios were examined. Ignoring these costs in the break-even analysis lowers the cut-off grade but slightly boosts profits compared to considering expected costs. The developed optimizer model, recognizing the profitability aspect of the mineral resource royalty and income tax formulae, yielded a 6% lower cut-off grade than the base case. This is significant for increasing mine life. While the profit differences are marginal (0.2% compared to the break-even base case), substantial improvements were noted: a 6% increase in stope tons above cut-off grade, and a 4% rise in total revenue. Enhanced resource utilization (3% extra gold kilograms) reduces necessary development and overall costs, allowing for a reduction in the cut-off grade and ultimately, more profit.
A formulation for optimum risk in open-pit mining
Authors: Venter J. , Wesseloo J. , Maybee B.
Published: September 2024

The selection of open-pit slope angles involves high-value decisions with small changes in slope angle, often representing significant changes in net present value. The existing methods used to define design acceptance criteria have evolved from factor of safety to probability of failure (P[F]) to risk consequence to risk frontiers, which represents current state of the art. Current design acceptance measures are based on references to published tables representing the experience and judgement of their authors, who did not specify the purpose of the measures contained therein. As the purpose of the published design acceptance criteria is not specified (i.e., definite stability, marginal stability, optimization, etc.), such tables cannot be used to achieve optimum slope angles that maximize profitability. This paper develops a design acceptance criterion that maximizes profitability by defining a formulation for optimum risk that balances expected risk and reward. The model developed is titled the Mining Risk Model (MRM), and is applied to open-pit slope angle selection through an equation for optimum probability of downside (P[£)]O) that balances the upside or opportunity, the P[F], and the downside impact. This formulation for optimum risk is unique, as many authors have presented objective functions for their risk models that can be optimized, but none of the sources reviewed contained a formulation for optimum risk. The MRM is sufficiently flexible to allow the design performance measure that drives P[F], and hence P[D] O, to be selected based on the intended goal. Furthermore, the essential information that must be known to quantify optimum risk is defined. This allows users to determine what information to collect for optimum risk decisions. A further benefit of the MRM is that slope angle decisions and pit shells can be ranked to select the best option, and a threshold is provided that separates acceptable from unacceptable decisions. Finally, the workflow and information required to determine optimum risk are presented.
Fragmentation of votive offerings in the sanctuary of Olympia
Authors: Scarci Azzurra
Published: September 2024

A new project at the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie in Mainz is investigating the phenomenon of fragmentation of copper alloy votive offerings in the sanctuary of Olympia. By using a variety of methodologies, thousands of fragments have already been analysed to to gain insight into the function and significance of this phenomenon, when and how the objects were destroyed, and the reasons why they were recovered in large numbers.
Roman original or deliberate fake?
Authors: Ojeda David
Published: September 2024

A private collection in Cordoba contains a previously unpublished bronze head. It is not a Roman original. Its iconographic incongruences and its intentional fractures suggest a malicious intention in its manufacture. It is possibly a fake that someone intended to introduce in the art market. A second bronze portrait of the same personage belongs to a private collection in Murcia. It has similarly never been made known. It is also a modern sculpture, confirming the non-ancient origin of the bronze in Cordoba. The joint study of the two objects can serve as a methodological example of the procedure to detect modern fakes of bronze portraits with an antique appearance.
Small bronzes as votive offerings from the Sanctuary of Diana in Nemi
Authors: Grossi Federica
Published: September 2024

The Sanctuary of Diana in Nemi is one of the most important archaeological sites in central Italy: the complex, built on different levels, consisted of three terraces with a great temple, a theatre, a nymphaeum and also other facilities, dating from the VII century BC to the Severian Age, with traces of destruction in the IV century AD.
Since 2003, the University of Perugia carried on archaeological excavations in various parts of the Sanctuary, cooperating with both the Soprintendenza of Lazio and, from 2014, the Ludwig- Maximilians Universität of München.
A considerable amount of materials has been brought to light from the site, of which votive bronze small-casted figurines are just a small part. Many of them represent gods, heroes and normal human beings, but there are also parts of human bodies or gods features.
So, aim of this paper will be a preliminary analysis of these figurines, primarily to identify the subjects and then to describe their productive techniques. Finally, starting from the contexts of provenance, each one will be described and put in relation with parallels, not only to find a suitable chronology, but also to understand the meaning behind their use in such an important historical and archaeological place.
Raetia resumed. Between iconography and context
Authors: Piccioni Aura , Schwab Roland
Published: September 2024

This paper’s title, “Raetia Resumed,” is largely intended to reflect the fact that earlier research on the Raetian bronze fragments was interrupted and subsequently resumed by a project entitled Römische Großbronzen am Limes – Fragmente im raetischen Raum.
Herein, we shall offer a panoramic perspective on several case studies that demonstrate the variety of the contexts and the fragments as well as aspects of their chemical and isotopical composition. Analysis of these fragments from an interdisciplinary perspective yielded archaeological and historical, iconographical, and archaeometallurgical data that encapsulate the complexity of Raetian culture.
Die „Kovacs-Vase“
Authors: Lehmann Stephan , Vida Tivadar
Published: September 2024

The Kovacs Vase was first made known under scholars in Munich in 1996, but its origins and current owner are unknown. It could be shown that the pictorial scenes come from the Greek Pankration. It has now been proposed to date the Kovacs Vase to 400 AD. The successful fight of the alround-fighter Privatulus is shown in five scenes, with legends attached to the fight pictures describing the athletes in more detail. The inscriptions also indicate that it must have been an experienced and victorious all-fighter from the Green Circus Party (factiones). What is unusual is that the loser Victorinus is also mentioned by name, possibly also a successful fighter, over whom victory may have meant an outstanding achievement for Privatulus. All additions are written in a vulgar Latin that is similar to Proto-Romance and is difficult to understand. The overview and comparison of silver and non-ferrous metal jugs and vases from the 4th to 8th centuries shows that in the toreutics of this period both traditional forms and motifs have been present since the 4th century and new forms and decorative elements appear that clearly differ from the late Roman origins. The Kovacs Vase combines ‘classic’ shapes and motifs from the 6th century with innovative elements that indicate an independent, classicist development. It could be that it was made in a workshop in northern Italy. Although written sources mention gymnastic agones, no firmly dated images from the 5th century are known to date. Against this historical-archaeological background, the Kovacs Vase with its depictions and inscriptions is a unique testimony to Greek agonistics in late antiquity.
SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR FORMULATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF STRUCTURED FILLER PREPARED FROM UNDERUSED SQUID FRACTIONS
Authors:   Kaliningrad State Technical University, Alshevskiy D.L. , Mavlyudov R.S. ,   Kaliningrad State Technical University, Alshevskaya M.N. ,   Kaliningrad State Technical University
Published: September 2024

When developing formulations of structured fillers from various fractions of squid, it is necessary to establish parameters that affect the rheological and organoleptic characteristics of the resulting semi-finished product. The researches of influence of the ratio of the mass fraction of various fractions of squid, the complex food additive KF Stabipro FET, as well as temperature processing conditions on the rheological and organoleptic properties of structured fillers were carried out. The mass fraction of the food additive KF Stabipro FET equal to 4–5%, as well as the mass fraction of crushed mantle, crushed skin, fermented squid skin equal to 20 to 50%, necessary for the production of a structured filler suitable for the further production of semi-finished squid products were established.
Pablo Melogno’s legacy: interpreting Kuhn’s work on science education
Authors:   Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Garcia-da-Silva-Oliveira Deivide
Published: September 2024

As this paper coincides with the first anniversary of Pablo Melognos passing, it delves into his profound contributions as a distinguished philosopher of science to the field of science education. Focused on his unique perspective shaped by an extensive exploration of Thomas Kuhn’s philosophy, the paper aims to elucidate Melogno’s distinctive insights into science education. The methodology employed involves a theoretical and exploratory analysis of Melogno’s limited but qualitatively rich works on science education. Melogno’s perspective on science education emerges in a deep engagement with Kuhn’s philosophy. Despite shifts in his assessment of Kuhn’s ideas, Melogno’s core vision about science education remains steadfast throughout all his texts. By advocating a holistic understanding of the history of science, Melogno emphasizes the importance of cultivating critical thinking skills in students, while not forgetting to teach scientific concepts, methods, and theories. His stance rejects the notion of total ruptures in scientific paradigms as a way to avoid indoctrination. Furthermore, the paper proposes investigations into the relationship between Melogno’s defense of partial ruptures, fostering a more nuanced historical perspective and promoting critical thinking in science education. In essence, Melogno’s legacy extends beyond the footsteps of Kuhn, as he carved his own philosophical path, leaving indelible marks on the landscape of scientific thought.
Pembentukan Malaysia: Reaksi dan Harapan Pemimpin dan Rakyat Sarawak
Authors: Mansor Suffian , Mat Enh Azlizan , Awang Pawi Awang Azman
Published: September 2024

The formation of Malaysia is one of the more significant episodes in understanding the country’s historical chronology. This is because it symbolizes a large union in Southeast Asia through the merging of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore. Behind the proposal for Malaysia’s formation, there were various reactions both opposing and supporting among the leaders and people of Sarawak. The proposal surprised them because the purpose of this plan was unclear. Therefore, this idea initially received negative reactions from Sarawak leaders. The opposition from the leaders of Sarawak were clearly plastered all over the front pages of newspapers in Sarawak, Singapore, and Malaya. In response, leaders from Malaya, Singapore, and Britain endeavoured to persuade the leaders and people of Sarawak about the benefits of the Malaysia formation plan. This brought relief to most Sarawak leaders who desired independence along with development for Sarawak. Against this background, this article attempts to uncover the reasons why there was a shift from negative to positive reactions among a significant number of Sarawak leaders. To obtain the research findings in this article, the research method used is content analysis, utilizing primary materials from archival documents. Newspapers were also utilized in the analysis of this article. These primary sources are supplemented with secondary sources that provide a comprehensive analysis to address the questions raised in the article. In this regard, several books related to the history of Malaysia’s formation are used. Findings from this study indicate that perceived assurances were sufficient for Sarawak’s independence within the formation of Malaysia. This is the hope of leaders and people of Sarawak for joining in the formation of Malaysia.
Az alacsony presztízsű foglalkoztatottak térbeli eloszlásának összefüggései Magyarországon, 2011-2022
Authors: Lőrinc Balázs , Káposzta József
Published: September 2024

A 21. század tudásalapú gazdasági fejlődése következtében a munkavállalók foglalkoztatási kilátásai jelentősen megváltoztak. A munkaerőpiac ezen átalakulása kiemelten érintette az alacsonyan képzett, hátrányos helyzetű munkavállalók csoportjait, hiszen akik nem tudták követni az átalakulás kihívásait, azok a munkaerőpiac perifériájára kerültek. Napjainkra a hátrányos helyzetűek felzárkóztatásának kérdése Magyarország számára a kiemelt stratégiai célok közé került, ahol a legfontosabb kérdés, hogy milyen módon lehet az alacsony képzettségű, a területi különbségek kialakulásában kiemelt szerepet játszó társadalmi rétegeket fejlődési pályára állítani, a munkaerőpiac aktív szereplőivé tenni. E tézisekhez kapcsolódva tanulmányunkban a hátrányos helyzetben lévők egy speciális csoportját, az alacsony presztízsű, szakképzettséget nem igénylő foglalkozásokban dolgozókat vonjuk vizsgálat alá.
A foglalkoztatottak számának 2011 és 2022 között végbemenő nagyarányú (közel 20%-os) növekedése által hazánk 2022-re közel került a teljes foglalkoztatottság állapotához, ugyanakkor a foglalkoztatottak számának nagyarányú növekedése területileg egyenlőtlen módon ment végbe. A 2011 és 2022 közötti intervallumban növekvő igény láthatóa magasabb készségszintet igénylő foglalkozások iránt, amivel közel azonos ütemben változott az egyszerű, speciális szakképzettséget nem igénylő alacsony presztízsű foglalkozásokban dolgozó létszámnövekedése is.
Tanulmányunkban próbát teszünk olyan területi összefüggések bemutatására és elemzésére, amelyek a hazai félperiféria és periféria munkaerőpiaci átalakulási folyamatainak tendenciáira hívják fel a figyelmet és a stratégiai fejlesztésekhez megkerülhetetlen tényeket tárnak elénk. Mindezen összefüggések is arra inspirálnak minket, hogy keressük a választ a szükséges gazdasági növekedés területi irányaihoz, a területfejlesztés hosszú távú stratégiai céljaihoz, amiket erősen determinálnak az alacsony presztízsű munkavállalók területi eloszlásai.
A roma népesség száma Északkelet-Magyarországon – területi sajátságok a legutóbbi adatok tükrében
Authors: Pénzes János , Apáti Norbert , Balázs Dóra , Kovács Dávid , Pásztor István Zoltán
Published: September 2024

A roma népesség becsült lélekszáma az etnikai klasszifikációs megközelítéstől függően jelentősen változhat, az önbevallási adatok jellegzetesen alacsonyabbak, míg a heteroidentifikáció, azaz a külső minősítés tipikusan magasabb értékeket eredményez. A tanulmányban előbbire a népszámlálások, utóbbira – részben – a szerzők által összegyűjtött, települési önkormányzati becslések adnak példát. A különböző adatforrások alapján azonban a tendencia egyértelműnek tűnt Magyarországon; a roma népesség száma és aránya is dinamikusan növekedett az elmúlt évtizedekben. Ebben okozott törést a 2022-es népszámlálás, amely jelentős csökkenést jelzett az identitását felvállaló cigányság lélekszámában.
A tanulmány Északkelet-Magyarország példáján tárja fel a népszámlálási és az önkormányzati becslésekből származó adatok egymástól való eltéréseit, valamint a kirajzolódó változások területi mintázatát. Az önkormányzati becslések hátterét egy közelmúltban elkészült, a vizsgált térség 999 településének adatait magába foglaló adatbázis biztosítja. Utóbbi megközelítés alapján Északkelet-Magyarországon a roma népesség aránya mintegy másfél százalékponttal, 17,3%-ra nőtt, míg a népszámlálási adatok alapján két százalékponttal, 4,6%-ra mérséklődött. A két megközelítés közötti különbség mértéke alapvetően várható volt, az eltérő tendencia azonban kevéssé volt sejthető. A népszámlálások tükrében 14-re mérséklődött a legalább 50%-os roma-népességarányú települések száma 2022-re, míg az önkormányzati becslések alapján számuk megduplázódott, közelítve a 140-et.
A különböző adatforrások alapján megjelenő eltérő tendencia különösen az elmaradott településcsoportok esetében okoz dilemmát, mivel a népszámlálási adatok alapján oldódni látszik, míg az önkormányzati becsült értékek szerint tovább erősödik a cigányság települési léptékű szegregálódása.
Parameter Estimation of the Inverted Kumaraswamy Distribution by Using L-Moments Method: An Application on Precipitation Data
Authors: Bağcı Kübra
Published: September 2024

Modeling precipitation data plays a critical role in water resource and flood management. Statistical distributions are frequently used in describing hydrological variables. Different distributions and estimation methods have been presented in previous studies for modeling precipitation data. In this study, the inverted Kumaraswamy distribution is considered for its advantageous properties, and the L-moments and maximum likelihood methods are employed in estimating the parameters of the inverted Kumaraswamy distribution. In the application part, the annual maximum monthly precipitations recorded in the Rize, Türkiye are modeled with the inverted Kumaraswamy distribution. To the best of the author’s knowledge, the L-moment method is considered for the first time to estimate the parameters of the inverted Kumaraswamy distribution. In addition, the efficiencies of the estimation methods are compared with a Monte-Carlo simulation study. For evaluating the performances of the estimation methods, the goodness of fit criteria including root mean square error, Kolmogorov Smirnov test, and coefficient of determination (R^2) are used in the application part of the study. The results show that for the data considered, the L-moments method yields more accurate results than the maximum likelihood method in estimating the parameters when the sample size is small. Accordingly, the corresponding distribution with L-moments estimations provides a better fit to precipitation data obtained from the Rize station.
Investigation of the Annealing and Cu Doping Effect on Structural and Optical Properties of CdZnS Nanomaterial Deposited by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis
Authors: Abdulhasan Zarkooshi Ahmed , Kaleli Murat
Published: September 2024

This study investigates doped CdZnS thin films synthesized through the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique, followed by annealing at temperatures of 400 and 500 °C. X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that both undoped CdZnS and Cu-doped CdZnS thin films exhibit cubic crystal structures, with a preferred orientation along the (111) plane. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements indicated that the CdZnS thin film has a smooth surface, whereas the Cu-doped CdZnS film shows clustered particles, attributed to the effect of copper doping acting as an activator metal ion. Electron dispersive scanning (EDS) analysis confirmed that the Cd, Zn, and S elements are present in acceptable chemical stoichiometry (Cd + Zn/S = 1:1), with a ratio of 3:1, consistent with the molar amounts used in the precursor solutions. The band gap of the CdZnS thin film decreased from 3.12 to 2.56 eV after annealing at 500 °C, attributed to an increase in crystal size. In contrast, the band gap of the Cu-doped CdZnS thin film decreased from 2.51 to 2.22 eV, lower than that of pure CdZnS, due to the formation of additional phases such as zinc oxide and copper oxide within the CdZnS host structure during annealing.
Polynomial Representation of Vernam Cipher
Authors: Aygun Emin , Yılmaz İncinur
Published: September 2024

Storing information or data has been one of the basic needs of humans for many years and these needs have led to the existence of some systems throughout the years. In this paper, soft sets represented by polynomials will be encrypted and decrypted in line with their representations. We are going to use the Rijndael Algorithm for soft sets and then encrypt and decrypt the data in accordance with its algorithm. The Rijndael algorithm is an algorithm which carries out the cyclic process according to the keys it has. At the end of each loop, the key is renewed and is applied to the data. These data are firstly shown in strings. While enumerating, it starts with zero index and ends with one less than string length.
Investigation of Biological Activity of Squamarina cartilaginea (With.) P. James Species Distributed in Türkiye
Authors: Değirmenci Banu Ceren , Kocakaya Mustafa , İlgün Selen , Şeker Karatoprak Gökçe , Kocakaya Zekiye , Ceylan Ahmet
Published: September 2024

In this study, the methanol extract of Squamarina cartilaginea, a species distributed in Türkiye, was investigated for its antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, and DNA protective effects. The chemical composition of the extract was elucidated through spectroscopic determination of total phenols, total flavonoids, and chromatographic quantification of usnic acid. Antimicrobial activity was assessed using the disk diffusion method, revealing a significant zone of inhibition with a diameter of 17.5 mm against M. luteus and S. aureus. The antioxidant activity was evaluated through scavenging activities against DPPH and ABTS radicals, demonstrating a concentration-dependent potent scavenging activity against ABTS radicals. Cytotoxic activity was determined using the MTT method on DU-145 (Human Prostate Cancer Cell Line) and Colo 205 (Human Colon Cancer Cell Line) cell lines. The extract exhibited strong cytotoxic activity against the Colo 205 cell line, with a viability percentage of 33.16±2.01 at a concentration of 3.906 µg/mL. Furthermore, the S. cartilaginea extract demonstrated DNA protective activity on pBR322 plasmid DNA against UV and H2O2 exposure.
Synthesis, Anticholinesterase and Antioxidant Activity of Thiosemicarbazone Derivatives
Authors: Kaya Betül , Acar Çevik Ulviye , Karakaya Abdüllatif , Ercetin Tugba
Published: September 2024

In this research, we report the synthesis and evaluation of novel thiosemicarbazones as anti-Alzheimer’s agents. The structural clarification of the newly synthesized compounds was carried out by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and MS analyses. According to the in vitro cholinesterase inhibition assay, compounds showed more inhibitory potential against AChE than BuChE. The in vitro antioxidant activity of the synthesized compounds was measured via two different methods. According to ferrous ion-chelating assay compound 2b demonstrated 5.26% activity when compared to BHT (2.57%). DPPH radical scavenging activity assay revealed that compound 2b showed the most potent antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 43.91 ± 0.021μM. Among the synthesized compounds, compound 2b was found as the most potent antioxidant agent.
Determination of the Short-Term Drought Stress Tolerance of Three Barley Varieties Using Physiological and Biochemical Changes
Authors: Baltacıer Gamze , Acar Okan
Published: September 2024

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is an important agricultural plant that can adapt to stress conditions. Abiotic stress factors significantly reduce growth, photosynthetic efficiency and metabolic processes in barley. Drought stress increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plant cells, and the antioxidant defense system reduces damage caused by overproduction of ROS. The aim of this study was to determine the physiological and biochemical effects of short-term drought stress on some barley cultivars (Kalaycı-97, Harman and Yaprak) grown in Turkey. In 21-day-old seedlings, short-term drought stress decreased the total chlorophyll content. The amount of total protein reduced in the Harman variety, while it increased by 19% in Kalaycı-97 and 27% in Yaprak. The H2O2 content decreased in Yaprak while increasing by 76% in the Kalaycı-97 variety. It was demonstrated that TBARS levels increased by 62% in Kalaycı-97 and 26% in Yaprak. In other ways, while drought stress caused a 48% decrease in APX activity in Kalaycı-97, it caused a 42% and 20% increase in APX activity in Harman and Yaprak, respectively. However, in Kalaycı-97 and Yaprak, CAT increased by 48% and 69%, respectively. These results indicate that Yaprak genotype is tolerant, Kalaycı-97 sensitive and Harman moderately tolerant to short term drought stress.
Characterization of ZnSe Thin Film Electrodeposited at Room Temperature in Aqueous Medium without Complexing Agents
Authors: İldan Özmen Sevda
Published: September 2024

This study includes a simple electrodeposition technique for the fabrication of ZnSe thin film at room temperature and in an aqueous medium without additional complexing agents. Comprehensive analysis of the optical, structural, and morphological characteristics of the ZnSe thin film electrodeposited onto an ITO substrate was conducted using UV-Vis spectrometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and field emission–scanning electron microscopy (FE–SEM). Furthermore, the photoelectrochemical properties were evaluated through current-time (I-t) measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) under light on/off conditions. Mott-Schottky analysis was also performed to determine the conductivity type, carrier concentration, and flat band potential of the ZnSe thin film. Structural investigations revealed that the ZnSe thin film has a hexagonal structure, the longitudinal optical (LO) phonon mode, stretching and bending vibration modes of Zn-Se. The carrier type of the ZnSe thin film was identified as n- type semiconductor and photoelectrochemical measurements exhibited a photoresponse under the light illumination
Modeling Long Memory Volatilities of Nigeria Selected Macro Economic Variables with Arfima and Arfima Figarch
Authors: Adewole Ayoade
Published: September 2024

The research delved into analysing the stochastic characteristics of Nigeria's Real GDP, the exchange rate of the Naira to US Dollar, and the inflation rate employing Autoregressive fractionally integrated moving average (ARFIMA) and the Autoregressive Fractionally Integrated Moving Average Fractionally Integrated Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (FIGARCH) modelling approach. The ability of the hybrid formation of ARFIMA-FIGARCH model with Nigeria macroeconomic variables in modeling the periodicity of long memory volatilities was examined. ARIMA GARCH method of modeling was also employed in analyzing the volatilities of Nigeria selected macroeconomic variables to enrich the study. The efficiency of ARFIMA, ARFIMA FIGARCH and ARIMA GARCH models were evaluated with the forecast evaluation measurements. Results revealed that ARFIMA FIGARCH and ARIMA GARCH models are more adequate in modeling the Inflation rate and the exchange rate while ARFIMA present more adequacies in modeling the RGDP. This result revealed evidence of high volatilities in Nigeria Inflation and the exchange rate of Naira to US dollar
Effect of the Size of the Molecular Mass of Some Amine Groups Modified to Maleic anhydride-alt-1-Octadecene Copolymer on Thermal Stability
Authors: Zengin Hacıbayram
Published: September 2024

In this study, 1-octadecene-alt-maleic anhydride (OC-MA) copolymer was synthesized by radical polymerization method. The synthesized copolymer was first time modified with ammonia, methylamine, aniline and hexamethylenediamine reagents in acetone environment. The modified amidic acid derivatives were divided into two parts as quantity. One of these amounts was dried as an amidic acid derivative, and the other was imidized in dimethylformamide environment with constant stirring at 150 °C for 5 hours. Structural characterizations of the obtained samples were determined from the FTIR spectra. Thermal stability was compared from Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) curves. It was established that the modified copolymers were thermally more stable than that of the original OC-MA copolymer. However, it was observed that the size of the molar masses of the reagents participating in the modification reactions showed linear or parabolic increases according to thermal parameter temperature of the decomposition reaction obtained from the TGA and DSC curves.
Examination of Biological Activity of Passiflora edulis (Çarkıfelek) Extract via Phytochemical Analysis
Authors: Tunç Tutku , Sümer Zeynep , Öksüz Kerim Emre
Published: September 2024

In recent years, the use of medicinal plants as sources of drugs or herbal extracts has been of great importance. Passiflora edulis is nowadays widely studied for its antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant potential. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the phytochemical structure of ethanol extract of P. edulis leaves and to investigate its biological properties such as antimicrobial and anticancer activities. The ethanol extract of P. edulis leaves was obtained and analyzed by GC-MS. The antimicrobial activity of P. edulis leaf extract was determined by MIC test. XTT method was used to determine the antiproliferative activity. In the phytochemical analysis of P. edulis extract, dodecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, and n-hexadecanoic acid were found the most. The antimicrobial effect of P. edulis leaf extract was found against pathogenic microorganisms. In addition, P. edulis leaf extract was found to have high anticancer activity against OvCar and MCF-7 cell lines, while it had the highest effect on the PC-3 cell line. It is thought that the effectiveness of this antiproliferative and antimicrobial activity is related to the secondary metabolites determined by GC-MS analysis
SOME GEOMETRIC STRUCTURES RELATED TO DESARGUES CONFIGURATION IN PG(2,5)
Authors: Altıntaş Kahriman Elif , Bayar Ayşe
Published: September 2024

In this study, we investigate geometric structures related to Desargues configuration in PG(2,5), using an algorithm implemented in C#. We determine different six complete (11,3)-arcs containing Desargues configuration, a (6,2)-arc not containing Desargues configuration, a complete (16,4)- arc, and an affine plane in PG(2,5).
How Does the Digital Economy Influence the Pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals?
Authors: Moussa Wajdi , Mgadmi Nidhal , Guachaoui Afef , Regaïeg Rym
Published: September 2024

Our study aims to examine the impact of the digital economy on sustainable development during international financial crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the current war between Russia and Ukraine. To do this, we collected an annual dataset from 1990 to 2022 for twenty-eight developed and twenty-five developing countries, to identify links between environmental, socio-economic, and proxy indicators of the digital economy. We estimate these links using the Within and GLS methods and use the Hausman (1978) test for individual effects to determine the nature of these links. Our results show that the digital economy has made a positive and significant contribution to sustainable development. For developing countries, mobile technologies have positive and significant effects on sustainable development, whereas, in developed countries, these effects are less elastic. The Internet has a positive and significant effect on the Human Development Index. While trade openness plays a driving role in environmental performance, it has a negative impact on equitable and sustainable development.
Enhancing Book Recommendation Accuracy through User Rating Analysis and Collaborative Filtering Techniques
Authors: Chongwarin Jirat , Manorom Paiboon , Chaichuay Vispat , Boongoen Tossapon , Li Chunqiu , Chansanam Wirapong
Published: September 2024

Since online electronic books have become popular, book recommendation systems have been invented and challenged to handle the high demand from users in the digital era. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a book recommendation model using data mining techniques through RapidMiner Studio. The datasets used were comprised of 981,756 user ratings. Before conducting the data analytics, the data was pre-processed to eliminate duplicates and retain only the highest ratings. Collaborative Filtering (CF) techniques, particularly k-Nearest Neighbours (k-NN) and Matrix Factorization (KF), were employed to elicit insightful information for development and to highlight their capabilities in handling enormous datasets. Furthermore, statistical analysis, visualization, elementary modelling, and model combinations were investigated to compare their performance.
To reinforce creditability, modelling techniques and parameter adjustments were integrated to optimize the performance of the algorithms, since the results indicated that different model settings and data partitions impacted the effectiveness of the recommendation system. Additionally, these results demonstrated the potential of hybrid models in improving the accuracy and efficiency of recommendation systems and highlighted the trade-off between algorithmic approaches and dataset characteristics that interplay in optimizing the performance of recommendation systems.
Improving Human Pose Estimation with Integrated Dual Self-Attention Mechanism in High-Resolution Network
Authors: Kumaresan S Prabha , Yee Lee Fong , Palanichamy Naveen , Annan Elham
Published: September 2024

Human Pose Estimation (HPE) in computer vision (CV) has garnered significant attention due to its diverse applications. Deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) may be solutions for addressing this challenge, but still face several critical issues. Many existing models employ serial convolution with pooling, leading to low-resolution outputs that are suboptimal for the precise localisation required in HPE. They often prioritise local feature learning, overlooking crucial contextual relationships between key-points. This work addresses these challenges by proposing a novel approach for enhancing HPE. Firstly, the paper evaluates the high-resolution network (HRNet) and its comparative advantages over other CNN architectures. Secondly, it introduces a dual self-attention (DSA) mechanism designed to enhance the model’s global awareness, thereby enriching feature maps with contextual information. Thirdly, it integrates the DSA mechanism into HRNet, crafting DSA-HRNet. The model performance was tested on the COCO Val 2017 validation dataset, showing improvements of 2.3% in mean average precision (mAP), 3% in AP at 50 (AP50), and 2.7% in AP at 75 (AP75). Finally, the work includes an investigation into the effectiveness of the DSA mechanism within the HRNet framework, through a series of experiments, showing this work offers a streamlined and effective solution for improving HPE.
Deep Reinforcement Learning in Cryptocurrency Trading: A Profitable Approach
Authors: Tay Xue Hao , Lim Siew Mooi
Published: September 2024

This study proposes an Automatic Cryptocurrency Trading System using Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL). Six popular cryptocurrencies were used: Bitcoin, Ethereum, BinanceCoin, DogeCoin, Cardano, and WAVES. Development of the trading system started with building three timeseries models – Temporal Convolutional Neural Network (TCNN), Long Short-Term Memory Network (LSTM), and Gated Recurrent Unit Network (GRU) – to predict future prices. Then, cryptocurrency sentiment data was scraped using the Alternative.me API. Data on historical prices, predicted future prices, cryptocurrency sentiment index, technical indicators, and trading account information was fed as input states to three DRL Agents — Deep Q Network (DQN), Advantage Actor Critic (A2C), and Recurrent Proximal Policy Optimization (RPPO) — which were trained using a custom-developed trading environment. Each agent was given $1000 initial capital for all six cryptocurrencies to trade using three possible actions — Buy, Sell and Hold — and were back-tested on one year of unseen data. Our DQN model had the highest overall return on investment (ROI) of $740, an average 12.3% ROI across all six cryptocurrencies, with an ROI of 63.98% achieved for BinanceCoin. However, A2C and RPPO both had negative ROI.
Developing a Holistic Framework for Assessing the Development of the Digital Economy
Authors: Zhong Ni , Cheng Ming Yu , Tey Sheik Kyin , Fok Kuk Fai
Published: September 2024

Rapid advancements in information and communication technologies (ICT) have accelerated the expansion of the digital economy (DE). However, the lack of a universally accepted definition has hindered a systematic assessment of the progress of the DE. A robust framework to evaluate various aspects of DE activities is crucial to fully capture the potential of the DE. This study conducts a systematic review of academic literature to identify and analyse various dimensions of the DE, aiming to propose a framework to assess the development of the DE. A comprehensive analysis of 161 articles from the Scopus database (2010–2024) identifies four core dimensions, namely digital infrastructure, digital industrialisation, industrial digitisation and digital innovation as the primary focus of existing DE research. These findings lay the groundwork for developing the framework to assess the development of the DE.
Maintaining the Free Flow of Information. A Manifesto-like Intervention for Practice-Based Research in Academic Training Programs for Multimedia Journalism
Authors: Echle Evelyn
Published: September 2024

With a changing media landscape in mind, this article takes a closer look at academic training standards for journalists. Focusing on multimedia production and innovative science, it analyses the impact on business models, resources and working conditions. As an interventionist appeal, it argues in favour of practice-based research and new training methods. Key demands include a greater awareness of the democratic role of journalism, ethical sensitivity and sustainable funding. By interweaving theory, practice and politics, this Manifesto-like paper aims to strengthen the profession of journalism and build a bridge between academia and practical training.