bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The main features of the application of the “Case study” method in chemistry lessons
Authors: Sadykov Т.М.
Published: March 2024

One of the priorities of the modern education system of the Republic of Kazakhstan in recent years is the formation of functional literacy of students and finding new methods of teaching subjects of the natural and mathematical cycle. Along with traditional teaching approaches, new pedagogical technologies such as collaborative learning, interactive teaching methods, the project method, online learning, and the situational analysis method known as Case-study (case study method) are gaining popularity.  In this paper, the main features of the use of the Case-study method are identified and described, which contribute to increasing the activity of students and the effectiveness of the learning process in secondary school, the main advantages and types of the method of concrete situations (Case-study), as well as examples of various chemistry cases for 9th-grade students are developed. The study was limited by a small sample size, but the findings provide valuable information for teacher professional development and the development of current chemistry curricula. The results of the survey of students indicate that the use of the method of specific situations (Case-study) when studying individual topics in chemistry increases the success of the assimilation of educational material by students.
Физиканы оқытуда толықтырылған шынайылылық арқылы интерактивті визуализацияны қолдану әдістемесі
Authors: Арымбеков Б.С.
Published: March 2024

Толықтырылған шынайылыққа (AR) негізделген оқу ортасы мұғалімдерге оқу материалдарын ұсынудың жаңа тәсілдерін ғана емес, сонымен қатар оқушыларға материалмен өздігінен жұмыс істеуге мүмкіндігін береді. Алдыңғы зерттеулер AR білім беруде көптеген артықшылықтарға ие екенін көрсетті; дегенмен, зерттеу ынтасындағы жайттарға, мысалы, AR-дың оқушылардың өзіндік тиімділігіне және оқу тұжырымдамасының әсеріне назар аударатындар аз. Бұл зерттеу AR технологиясының оқушылардың өзіндік тиімділігі мен физиканы оқу концепциясына әсерін зерттеу үшін AR негізіндегі термодинамиканы оқыту қолданбасы «GeoGebra AR» арқылы әзірленді. Зерттеудің мақсаты толықтырылған шынайылықтың қолдау көрсететін оқыту әрекеттерінің оқушылардың академиялық үлгерімі мен физиканы оқу ынтасына және олардың AR қолданбаларына деген көзқарасына әсерін зерттеу. Зерттеу орта мектеп физикасы курстарындағы «Термодинамика» бөліміне назар аударды және ішкі және сыртқы жарамдылығын бақылау үшін квазиэксперименттік зерттеу әдісі қолданылды. Зерттеуге екі мектептен 375 оқушы қатысты, оларда екі эксперименталды және екі бақылау тобы кездейсоқ түрде тағайындалды. Бірінші эксперименттік топ және бірінші бақылау топтарына алдын ала тестілеу және одан кейін бағалау жүргізілді; ал екінші эксперименттік топ және екінші бақылау топтары тек кейінгі сынақты тапсырды.
Innovative Government Transformation in The Equalization of Teachers and Education Personnel
Authors: Suhendra Adi , Rosidah  , Harefa Herman Yaarozatulo
Published: March 2024

This article aims to develop video learning media specifically crafted to assist educators in presenting learning materials more tangibly and understandably, particularly within early childhood education. Guided by the Research and Development (R&D) process, the study focuses on two primary objectives: (1) elucidating the intricacies of developing STEAM-based video learning media for Early Childhood Education, incorporating Religious and Moral Values, and (2) evaluating the appropriateness and effectiveness of such media in the educational context. Adopting the ADDIE development model, the research encompasses five pivotal stages: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The validation process for the developed product entails collaboration with media, material, and design experts, complemented by feedback from colleagues. One-to-one tests, Small Group Tests, and Field Test methods are employed to assess the effectiveness of the media. Validation results from these experts affirm that the developed media aligns seamlessly with the criteria for successful application in educational settings. During the product implementation phase involving 15 students, it became evident that this development was an effective learning tool. The post-test scores surpassing the pre-test scores indicate the product's efficacy in enhancing the understanding of morning phenomena, instilling religious and moral values, and fostering STEAM creativity in early childhood education.
Effect of lactic acid bacteria ferment cultures on pork freshness
Authors: Vovkotrub Volodymyr , Kołacz Roman , Iakubchak Olha , Vovkotrub Nataliia , Shevchenko Larysa
Published: March 2024

During the primary pork processing at the stage of cooling half-carcasses, their mass is lost, leading to economic losses. One promising way to solve this problem is to wash halfcarcasses with chilled water. This requires decontaminating meat with microflora, which causes its spoilage. The purpose of the study is to determine the effectiveness of the final treatment of pork half-carcasses with ferment cultures of SafePro® B-SF-443 (Leuconostoc carnosum) and SafePro® B-2 (Lactobacillus sakei) strains for their bioconservation and preservation of freshness. The paper uses organoleptic, chemical, and microbiological research methods. It was established that cooling half-carcasses of pork in the refrigerator using cold water washing contributes to the appearance of signs of meat spoilage in terms of microbial contamination and pH value already on the 4th day of storage. Surface treatment of half-carcasses with suspensions of lactic acid microorganisms of SafePro® B-SF-43 (Leuconostoc carnosum) and SafePro® B-2 (Lactobacillus sakei) strains at a dose of 107 /cm2 provides proper organoleptic parameters and the pH value of pork up to 7 days of storage, which correspond to high-quality meat. Both ferment cultures of lactic acid microorganisms reduce microbial contamination of meat due to the number of mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms in paired carcasses by 1.25 and 0.65 lg CFU/cm2 and increase the number of lactic acid microorganisms by 3.47 and 3.43 lg CFU/cm2 accordingly, this allows extending the shelf life of meat in the chilled form to at least 7 days. The most suitable culture for the final processing of half-carcasses of pork, which are cooled in the refrigerator in combination with washing with chilled water, is the SafePro® B-2 (Lactobacillus sakei) strain. The results obtained are promising for improving the technology of primary pork processing at the cooling stage using ferment cultures of lactic acid microorganisms as natural preservatives, which will increase the shelf life of meat, considering its quality and safety
ANALISIS STRATEGI BISNIS MENGGUNAKAN DIGITAL MARKETING PADA UMKM DI ERA NEW NORMAL PASCA PANDEMI COVID-19
Authors: Lestari Tri , Ilyas Fadli , Rusmayanti Santi , Damhudi Dedi
Published: March 2024

Penelitian pada Kecamatan Sukorejo, Kabupaten Pasuruan memiliki tujuan untuk mengevaluasi dampak keterlibatan masyarakat dalam memitigasi dampak negatif budaya organisasi dan sistem pelaporan pelanggaran terhadap pencegahan kecurangan dalam pengelolaan keuangan desa. Metodologi yang digunakan adalah dengan memasukkan partisipasi masyarakat sebagai variabel moderasi. Penelitian ini menggunakan metodologi penelitian kuantitatif dengan pendekatan asosiatif. Metode pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan menyebarkan kuesioner ke 8 desa di Kecamatan Sukorejo. Pendekatan analisis data menggunakan metodologi Structural Equation Model (SEM) dengan menggunakan perangkat lunak SmartPLS 3. Perangkat lunak ini memungkinkan pengujian model pengukuran dan model struktural secara bersamaan. Data primer dari survei dan data sekunder dari penelitian sebelumnya merupakan dua jenis sumber data yang digunakan.. Temuan penelitian menunjukkan bahwa budaya organisasi memiliki dampak yang baik, sedangkan sistem whistleblower tidak memiliki dampak yang nyata. Temuan ini juga menunjukkan bahwa keterlibatan masyarakat dapat meningkatkan dampak budaya organisasi dan mekanisme whistleblower. Hal ini menunjukkan adanya korelasi langsung antara kualitas budaya organisasi dan mekanisme whistleblowing dengan efektivitas pencegahan fraud dalam pengelolaan dana desa.
Artificial Intelligence Based Decision Support System for Education Management in Higher Education
Authors: Widodo Yohanes Bowo , Korwa Renny Ursula , Nuraini Rini
Published: March 2024

Universities face challenges in improving the effectiveness of lecturer performance evaluation to support education and research development. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers the potential to optimize the evaluation process through automation, big data analysis, and smarter decision-making. This research aims to identify and implement strategies for the implementation of artificial intelligence in lecturer performance evaluation systems in higher education. The main focus is to improve the objectivity, accuracy, and efficiency of the evaluation process, so as to provide more meaningful feedback to lecturers. This research uses qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data were obtained through literature studies, interviews with education and technology experts, and analysis of existing lecturer performance evaluation data. An AI system was developed to process and analyze evaluation data by utilizing machine learning algorithms to provide more accurate evaluation recommendations. The result of this research is that implementing artificial intelligence in the lecturer performance evaluation system succeeded in improving the accuracy of the evaluation. The system is able to provide recommendations for lecturer development based on a thorough analysis of their performance. In addition, the time efficiency of the evaluation process was also significantly improved. The conclusion of this study shows that artificial intelligence implementation strategies can be successfully applied in lecturer performance evaluation systems in higher education. With increased objectivity, accuracy, and efficiency, this system makes a positive contribution to human resource management in the academic environment. It also encourages further implementation of AI technology in lecturer performance evaluation to improve the quality of higher education.
A multi-average based pseudo nearest neighbor classifier
Authors: Li Dapeng , Guo Jing
Published: March 2024

Conventional k nearest neighbor (KNN) rule is a simple yet effective method for classification, but its classification performance is easily degraded in the case of small size training samples with existing outliers. To address this issue, A multi-average based pseudo nearest neighbor classifier (MAPNN) rule is proposed. In the proposed MAPNN rule, k ( k − 1 ) / 2 ( k > 1) local mean vectors of each class are obtained by taking the average of two points randomly from k nearest neighbors in every category, and then k pseudo nearest neighbors are chosen from k ( k − 1 ) / 2 local mean neighbors of every class to determine the category of a query point. The selected k pseudo nearest neighbors can reduce the negative impact of outliers in some degree. Extensive experiments are carried out on twenty-one numerical real data sets and four artificial data sets by comparing MAPNN to other five KNN-based methods. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed MAPNN is effective for classification task and achieves better classification results in the small-size samples cases comparing to five relative KNN-based classifiers.
Prevailing and Maximum Drought Intervals in the Iraqi Mesopotamia Plain Region: Index-Based Estimation
Authors: Mohammed H.S. , Shlash M.A. , Mahdi H.H.
Published: March 2024

Drought indices are an effective tool for evaluating the impact of drought on environments, such as its duration and severity. Here, monitoring and evaluation of meteorological drought were conducted for 3-decades (1984-2014) in the Mesopotamia Plain Region in Iraq using the Drought Indices Calculator DrinC1.7(91) software based on monthly precipitation data recorded by thirteen stations covering the overall study area. The calculations for the standardised precipitation index (SPI), the exceedance probability, the frequency of repetitions of consecutive drought years, and the return period were conducted. Results revealed that the general average drought level was moderately dry, and in most parts of the study region, the percentage of rainy years is less than the dry years, where, on the average annual yearly scale, it is 40% for rainy years and 60% for the dry years. Moreover, the exceedance probability and the frequency decrease when the drought interval increases and the dominant event is a one-year drought and the maximum drought interval occurred within the return period of 3-decades was eight consecutive years (1998-2006), with a 3.33% exceedance probability.
Assessment of Lung Function in Scavenger Workers at Some Waste Dumpsites in Baghdad City
Authors: Khaleel Huda A. , Talib Adel H. , Sultan Maitham A.
Published: March 2024

Waste scavengers face occupational hazards from exposure to toxic landfill emissions, putting them at risk for respiratory illnesses. This study aimed to assess the impacts of landfill gases on lung function in scavengers. Spirometry was used to evaluate lung function in scavengers at 5 dumpsites in Baghdad compared to non-exposed controls. The results showed that winter measurements in the internal measuring point for carbon dioxide indicated that the highest concentration was 454.89 ppm in the Adhamiya landfill and the lowest concentration was 397.65 ppm in the Baghdad Aljadeeda landfill. Lung disease cases were recorded and correlated to landfill sites, work duration, and seasons. The results of the lung efficiency examination showed a clear decrease in spirometry parameters at high-pollution landfill sites with varying concentrations of particulates and gases compared to the control group—more airway restriction cases correlated with increased years of scavenger exposure and higher pollutant levels. As noted, severe respiratory symptoms increased in the summer season likely due to the influence of climatic factors.
Incoherence between systemic and skin tissue response to transfusion in volume-resuscitated patients withoutacute bleeding
Authors: Cavalcante dos Santos Elaine , Creteur Jacques , Taccone Fabio Silvio
Published: March 2024

Alterations in skin blood flow (SBF) may help to detect occult hypoperfusion in critically ill patients after fluid resuscitation. In this study, SBF is globally unaltered by red blood cell transfusion (RBCT) in non-bleeding critically ill patients after initial resuscitation; however, 37.5% of patients showed a significant increase in SBF. No correlation between relative changes in SBF and systemic variables after RBCT was observed.
ELINA: Emotion low-resources INference algorithm based on 1D ConvNets
Authors: Cardoso-Moreno Marco A. , Luján-García Juan Eduardo , Yáñez-Márquez Cornelio
Published: March 2024

In this study, a thorough analysis of the proposed approach in the context of emotion classification using both single-modal (A-13sbj) and multi-modal (B-12sbj) sets from the YAAD dataset was conducted. This dataset encompassed 25 subjects exposed to audiovisual stimuli designed to induce seven distinct emotional states. Electrocardiogram (ECG) and galvanic skin response (GSR) biosignals were collected and classified using two deep learning models, BEC-1D and ELINA, along with two different preprocessing techniques, a classical fourier-based filtering and an Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) approach. For the single-modal set, this proposal achieved an accuracy of 84.43±30.03, precision of 85.16±28.91, and F1-score of 84.06±29.97. Moreover, in the extended configuration the model maintained strong performance, yielding scores of 80.95±22.55, 82.44±24.34, and 79.91±24.55, respectively. Notably, for the multi-modal set (B-12sbj), the best results were obtained with EMD preprocessing and the ELINA model. This proposal achieved an improved accuracy, precision, and F1-score scores of 98.02±3.78, 98.31±3.31, and 97.98±3.83, respectively, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach in discerning emotional states from biosignals.
Research on simulation of community resilience improvement path based on fuzzy DEMATEL and fuzzy cognitive map
Authors: Liang Weijing , Xue Ye , Xu Jing
Published: March 2024

With the increasing global disaster risks, constructing more inclusive, flexible, and resilient communities has become crucial for effectively carrying out disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief work. However, existing research on community resilience mostly focuses on the selection of key factors and the assessment of community resilience, lacking in-depth exploration of the interactions between factors and simulation studies of key paths. Therefore, this paper applies the Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (Fuzzy DEMATEL) method to select important factors of community resilience. Based on this, the maximum average difference entropy method is used to analyze the relationships and influence mechanisms among different factors, thus identifying the key factors and key paths affecting community resilience. The Fuzzy Cognitive Map (FCM) is then used to simulate the paths. The study finds that factors of community resilience can be categorized as input, intermediary, and output types, and further analysis of their influence mechanisms reveals four key paths and four key factors. Through pathway simulation, different improvement states of community resilience are observed when triggering the input-type factors of the key paths. Therefore, under limited resources, a phased and systematic approach to enhancing community resilience should be adopted. The contribution of this study lies in providing a comprehensive analysis of factors and pathway selection methods, and through pathway simulation, it offers a scientific basis and decision support for improving and constructing community resilience in practice.
RETRACTED: Evaluation of individual innovation and entrepreneurship effect based on linear space model and grey correlation
Authors: Li Zhiyuan , Hu Chunhua , Hou Zhanshan
Published: March 2024

This article has been retracted. A retraction notice can be found at https://doi.org/10.3233/JIFS-219433.
Cigarette tasting Chinese text classification for low-resource scenarios
Authors: Diao Xiu-Li , Zhang Hao-Ran , Zeng Qing-Tian , Song Zheng-Guo , Zhao Hua
Published: March 2024

At present, the Chinese text field is facing challenges from low resource issues such as data scarcity and annotation difficulties. Moreover, in the domain of cigarette tasting, cigarette tasting texts tend to be colloquial, making it difficult to obtain valuable and high-quality tasting texts. Therefore, in this paper, we construct a cigarette tasting dataset (CT2023) and propose a novel Chinese text classification method based on ERNIE and Comparative Learning for Low-Resource scenarios (ECLLR). Firstly, to address the issues of limited vocabulary diversity and sparse features in cigarette tasting text, we utilize Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) to extract key terms, supplementing the discriminative features of the original text. Secondly, ERNIE is employed to obtain sentence-level vector embedding of the text. Finally, contrastive learning model is used to further refine the text after fusing the keyword features, thereby enhancing the performance of the proposed text classification model. Experiments on the CT2023 dataset demonstrate an accuracy rate of 96.33% for the proposed method, surpassing the baseline model by at least 11 percentage points, and showing good text classification performance. It is thus clear that the proposed approach can effectively provide recommendations and decision support for cigarette production processes in tobacco companies.
Association between vitamin D receptor (APAI rs7975232) genotypes and vitamin D serum levels in Iraqi multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Lafi Zahraa Kadhim , Mohammed Bushra Jasim
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-term condition characterized by chronic inflammation, damage to the myelin sheath, and progressive nerve cell degeneration. It is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease. The aim of the present investigation was to analyze the connection between variations in the vitamin D receptor gene. (APAI rs7975232) and vitamin D serum levels among MS patients. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 75 Iraqi patients with MS (33 male, 42 female), and 75 control group volunteers who appeared to be in good health with an age range of 20–50 years. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism was detected by HRM RT-PCR and vitamin D serum levels were assessed by ELISA. RESULTS: Detection of VDR gene polymorphism in MS patients discovered that the wild genotype was C/C 15 (20%), the heterozygous genotype CA was 27(36%), and the homozygous genotype AA was 33(44%), whilst allele C occurrence was 57(38%) and allele A was 93(62%), compared per control genotype C/C was 40(53.3%), CA genotype was 20(26.6%), AA genotype was 15(20%), C allele frequency was 100(66.6%) and A allele was 50(33.3%) with highly significant difference (P≤0.001). Analysis of vitamin D serum levels showed much higher levels in the control group (43.40±0.85 pg/ml) than in the MS patients group (15.46±0.93 pg/ml; P≤0.001). Result of relationship between Vitamin D serum level with genotype of VDR among individuals with MS was found to be significant decrease (5.3±0.52) at AA genotype of MS patients, followed by (11.79±0.68) in CA genotype and finally (15.52±0.93) in CC genotype, all highly significant (P≤0.01). CONCLUSION: There was a notable correlation observed with VDR (APAI rs7975232) genotypes and Vitamin D serum level in MS Iraqi patients.
Profiling injuries sustained following implementation of a progressive load carriage program in United States marine corps recruit training
Authors: Kelly Karen , Niederberger Brenda , Givens Andrea , Bernards Jake , Orr Robin
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND: Load carriage tasks during United States Marine Corps (USMC) recruit training can cause injury. Load carriage conditioning, if optimized, can reduce injury risk. OBJECTIVE: To compare injuries sustained by USMC recruits following participation in either the Original Load Carriage (OLC) program or a Modified Load Carriage (MLC) program. METHODS: Retrospective musculoskeletal injury data were drawn from the USMC San Diego Sports Medicine injury database for recruits completing the OLC (n = 2,363) and MLC (n = 681) programs. Data were expressed as descriptive statistics and a population estimate of the OLC:MLC relative risk ratio (RR) was calculated. RESULTS: The proportion of injuries sustained in the MLC cohort (n = 268; 39% : OLC cohort, n = 1,372 : 58%) was lower, as was the RR (0.68, 95% CI 0.61– 0.75). The leading nature of injury for both cohorts was sprains and strains (OLC n = 396, 29%; MLC n = 66; 25%). Stress reactions were proportionally higher in MLC (n = 17, 6%; OLC n = 4, 0.3%), while stress fractures were proportionately lower (MLC n = 9, 3%; OLC n = 114, 8%). Overuse injuries were lower in MLC (– 7%). The knee, lower leg, ankle, and foot were the top four bodily sites of injuries and the Small Unit Leadership Evaluation (SULE), Crucible, overuse-nonspecific, running, and conditioning hikes were within the top five most common events causing injury. The prevalence rates of moderate severity injury were similar (MLC = 23%; OLC = 24%), although MLC presented both a higher proportion and prevalence of severe injuries (MLC = 6%; OLC = 3%, respectively). CONCLUSION: A periodized load carriage program concurrently increased exposure to load carriage hikes while reducing injuries both during the load carriage hikes and overall.
SADSNet: A robust 3D synchronous segmentation network for liver and liver tumors based on spatial attention mechanism and deep supervision
Authors: Yang Sijing , Liang Yongbo , Wu Shang , Sun Peng , Chen Zhencheng
Published: March 2024

Highlights

• Introduce a data augmentation strategy to expand the required different morphological data during the training and learning phase, and improve the algorithm’s feature learning ability for complex and diverse tumor morphology CT images. • Design attention mechanisms for encoding and decoding paths to extract fine pixel level features, improve feature extraction capabilities, and achieve efficient spatial channel feature fusion. • The deep supervision layer is used to correct and decode the final image data to provide high accuracy of results. • The effectiveness of this method has been affirmed through validation on the LITS, 3DIRCADb, and SLIVER datasets.

BACKGROUND:

Accurately extracting liver and liver tumors from medical images is an important step in lesion localization and diagnosis, surgical planning, and postoperative monitoring. However, the limited number of radiation therapists and a great number of images make this work time-consuming.

OBJECTIVE:

This study designs a spatial attention deep supervised network (SADSNet) for simultaneous automatic segmentation of liver and tumors.

METHOD:

Firstly, self-designed spatial attention modules are introduced at each layer of the encoder and decoder to extract image features at different scales and resolutions, helping the model better capture liver tumors and fine structures. The designed spatial attention module is implemented through two gate signals related to liver and tumors, as well as changing the size of convolutional kernels; Secondly, deep supervision is added behind the three layers of the decoder to assist the backbone network in feature learning and improve gradient propagation, enhancing robustness.

RESULTS:

The method was testing on LITS, 3DIRCADb, and SLIVER datasets. For the liver, it obtained dice similarity coefficients of 97.03%, 96.11%, and 97.40%, surface dice of 81.98%, 82.53%, and 86.29%, 95% hausdorff distances of 8.96 mm, 8.26 mm, and 3.79 mm, and average surface distances of 1.54 mm, 1.19 mm, and 0.81 mm. Additionally, it also achieved precise tumor segmentation, which with dice scores of 87.81% and 87.50%, surface dice of 89.63% and 84.26%, 95% hausdorff distance of 12.96 mm and 16.55 mm, and average surface distances of 1.11 mm and 3.04 mm on LITS and 3DIRCADb, respectively.

CONCLUSION:

The experimental results show that the proposed method is effective and superior to some other methods. Therefore, this method can provide technical support for liver and liver tumor segmentation in clinical practice.
The prognostic significance of fibroblast growth factor-23 in predicting complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus, especially when associated with obesity
Authors: Marchenko Anastasia , Pasiieshvili Lyudmila
Published: March 2024

type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is considered a global health problem with an exceptionally high economic burden not only for families but also for countries overall. In 90-95% of T2DM cases, varying degrees of obesity are observed. One aspect contributing to complications in T2DM involves musculoskeletal system impairment, specifically alterations in bone mineral density (BMD), indicative of bone architecture disruption, leading to secondary osteoporotic conditions. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), known for their regulatory influence on metabolism, are identified as mechanisms activated in T2DM. Within this group, fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) is acknowledged. In individuals with T2DM and excess weight or obesity, conditions conducive to increased FGF-23 synthesis are established, contributing to disturbances in mineral metabolism. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the content and role of FGF-23 in the development of secondary osteoporosis in T2DM patients with concurrent obesity. A total of 103 patients with type 2 diabetes were involved, with 83 cases featuring elevated body weight or obesity (main group). To assess the impact of obesity on FGF-23 changes, a comparison group of 20 T2DM patients with normal body weight (NBW) was formed. The average age of patients with comorbid conditions was 43±4.6 years, and for those with isolated T2DM, it was 44.1±2.1 years. The average duration of T2DM across groups ranged from 1 to 13 years (6.7±2.4 years on average). Control FGF-23 values were obtained from a group of 20 practically healthy individuals of similar age and gender. The diagnosis of T2DM was confirmed according to the Unified Medical Assistance Protocol "Diabetes Mellitus" (Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine dated December 21, 2012, No. 1118). Thus, all examined T2DM patients were in the subcompensation stage with a moderate degree of disease severity. The presence and severity of obesity were assessed according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF, 2005) criteria based on the body mass index (BMI) calculation using the Ketle formula. In the examination of 83 T2DM patients with obesity, a probable increase in fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) in serum was determined, correlating with osteoporotic changes in dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Therefore, FGF-23 can be utilized as a marker for bone mineral density status and control of treatment measures.
Associations of hypertension with clinical and instrumental characteristics in the ukrainian cohort of patients hospitalized for COVID-19
Authors: Honchar Oleksii , Ashcheulova Tetiana
Published: March 2024

long COVID-19 syndrome causes sustained limitations in activity and work capacity in a significant proportion of convalescents, the risk of which is higher among patients who required hospitalization. Phenotyping of COVID-19 survivors based on the most common comorbidities’ role in shaping the risks of the acute phase endpoints and development of post-covid syndrome can be used to improve the efficacy of predicting the course of the disease. To study the associations of hypertension (HT) with the clinical features of acute COVID-19 in hospitalized patients, severity of residual functional disorders and pulmonary affection by the time of discharge. Material and methods. 221 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (age 53,4 ± 13,6 years, 53% female) were examined 1-2 days before discharge. The study protocol included interview and analysis of medical documentation to retrospectively extract the anamnestic data and clinical features of the acute phase; lung ultrasound, reactive hyperemia test of the brachial artery, and a 6-minute walk test. Results. The most frequently identified comorbidities in the study cohort were HT, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, which were present in 40%, 38%, and 10% of participants, respectively. Hypertensive patients were older (57,8 ± 11,8 vs 50,7 ± 13,9 years, р < 0,001), had higher BMI (31,7 ± 5,3 vs 31,7 ± 5,3 кг/м2, р < 0,001), higher prevalence of obesity (59% vs 25%, p < 0,001) and type 2 diabetes (21% vs 2%, p < 0,001) compared to normotensive participants, but were characterized by comparable laboratory indices, parameters of pulmonary parenchyma affection (by CT scan and lung ultrasound), endothelial function, SpO2 levels during the acute phase of the disease and by the time of discharge, as well as age- and anthropometric parameters-adjusted 6-minute walk distance (67,4 ± 10,5 % vs 69,5 ± 13,6 %, p > 0,05). Hypertensive patients hospitalized for COVID-19 were characterized by older age, higher prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes compared to normotensive participants but did not differ in their laboratory profile (including markers of systemic inflammation, prothrombotic activation, renal function, and liver damage), levels of pulmonary affection by CT and lung ultrasound, and endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in a reactive hyperemia test of the brachial artery. The observed decrease in the 6-minute walk distance in patients with HT was explained by differences in age and anthropometric parameters.
Aerodynamic Design and Performance Analysis of Mars Ascent Vehicles
Authors: Mwaene Eretia , Banda Lazarus Obed Livingstone
Published: March 2024

The mid-lift-to-drag ratio vehicle possesses larger dimensions and enhanced aerodynamic characteristics compared to the conventional sphere-cone reentry vehicle, suggesting its suitability for crewed missions to Mars. This research employs Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to investigate the influence of varying geometries on the aerodynamic properties of mid-lift-to-drag ratio vehicles. The aerodynamic analysis of four distinct configurations demonstrates that a bow shock wave forms on the windward side, leading to a reduction in flow velocity and subsequent increases in pressure and temperature after the shock wave. The simulation results for the four configurations in both laminar and turbulent flow conditions, specifically using the Shear-Stress Transport (SST) model, reveal that turbulence results in higher aerodynamic heating compared to laminar flow. Moreover, the aerodynamic heating is greater at a 40° angle of attack than at 30°. In this study, the transition phenomena of four geometric configurations are examined using the k-ω-γ transition model. The findings indicate a pronounced transition to turbulence on the windward side of the Ellipsled 2.00-0.25 and Hammerhead-Nominal configurations under conditions of high Reynolds numbers, transitioning from laminar to turbulent flow. The investigation into the aerodynamic characteristics of mid-lift-to-drag ratio vehicles holds substantial importance for ensuring the safety and success of Martian reentry missions, highlighting the critical nature of aerodynamic behavior in the context of space exploration.
EVALUATING THE ENVIRONMENTAL LICENSING PROCESS OF MARINE CALCAREOUS ALGAE BY THE IBAMA IN BRAZIL: CONTRIBUTIONS TO INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING
Authors: Ferreira Luana , Anjos José
Published: March 2024

Currently, the efforts of marine research and marine resources exploitation are rising. However, debate usually is divided into economic and conservation approaches. One procedure used in Brazil to achieve coherence between economic development and environmental management in exploitation of natural resources is the environmental licensing. In Brazil, this activity is relatively recent and so little is known about the actual negative environmental impacts. The goal of this paper was to evaluate the main positive and negative aspects from environmental licensing process of exploitation of marine algae in Brazil guided by the IBAMA, focusing on processes with operation license emitted or expired. This qualitative research and methodology was developed into different stages between 2014 to 2015, analysis of legislation, information in licensing online systems and consultation in the technical collection of IBAMA head office, in Brasília. From processes evaluated, some of the main negative aspects found were incomplete studies, occurrence of irregularities, time elapsed and judicial intervention. On the other hand, positive aspects were strategies to give more speed and efficiency to processes. For breaching the conditions of operating licenses, all these licenses were suspended. The improvement of environmental licensing is needed and very required by several actors. However, it needs a broad discussion that considers the institutional existing experiences and limitations, mainly under challenges and pressure in its operational, budgetary or political performance.
4-H Afterschool Resource Guide: Starting 4-H Clubs in After-School Programs
Authors: Junge Sharon K. , Spero Vanessa , Crawson Niki , Davis J. R. , Dorn Tara , Rasa Edwards Beth , Hall Stacy , Henry Karen , Janney Heather , Kerr Beth , Lazzari Andrea , Morgan Abby , Popa Kristie , Smalley Cindy , Souers Melinda , Stenroos Katelin , Valencia Laura , West Travis , Winters Tracy , Wood Mary-Louise
Published: March 2024

This resource guide is designed to be used by Extension/4-H professionals and after-school providers to deliver well-formed, positive youth development programs in after-school sites. It includes information on initiating the development of 4-H clubs at after-school sites, volunteer training resources and exercises, how to sustain the clubs, and connections to the community and beyond. The original educational material was edited and revised for this edition by the National Association of 4-H Youth Development Professionals Afterschool Working Group, led by Vanessa Spero. Published by the 4-H Youth Development Department, UF/IFAS Extension, March 2024.
Evaluating Pomegranate Cultivars for Resistance to Anthracnose Fruit Rot, a Severe Fungal Disease in Florida and Southeast United States
Authors: Schaller Alexander , Deng Zhanao , Vallad Gary E. , Chater John M.
Published: March 2024

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) has primarily been cultivated at home in Florida and other southeastern states. Over the past 15 years, growers, nurseries, researchers, and Extension agents have explored the potential of pomegranate as an alternative fruit crop. Early field trials revealed that pomegranates are highly susceptible to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, causing severe anthracnose fruit rot and premature fruit drop. The development and use of disease-resistant cultivars are considered some of the best methods to manage this disease. This publication presents our findings from evaluating 35 pomegranate cultivars under natural disease pressure in central Florida and by artificial inoculation. The susceptibility of such pomegranate cultivars varied widely, with six exhibiting resistance to anthracnose fruit rot. More comprehensive research is warranted to further develop anthracnose-resistant cultivars and to enhance our understanding of disease resistance in this crop.
H-2A Workers in Demand in the Ornamental Horticulture Industry
Authors: Wei Xuan , Campbell Benjamin L. , Khachatryan Hayk , Brumfield Robin G.
Published: March 2024

The US agricultural industry depends on immigrant farm labor, particularly in the specialty crop sector where tasks like harvesting require a lot of labor. Most US farmworkers are from other countries, and almost half are not authorized to work in the United States.  The importance of immigrant labor in meeting the demand for workers in the nursery and floriculture production sector has been further highlighted with this industry's recent growth. This publication offers an overview of the increasing demand for H-2A workers in the ornamental horticulture industry, examines growers' challenges, and explores the underlying factors affecting workers’ participation in the H-2A program. It guides industry stakeholders to monitor changes in immigration policies and labor regulations, including the H-2A program and to adjust labor management practices accordingly. It includes strategies to address  labor challenges and remain competitive in the marketplace
Beneficios de las quemas controladas o prescritas
Authors: Andreu Michael G. , Demers Chris , Long Alan , Sus Soraya
Published: March 2024

Esta publicación ofrece una visión general introductoria de la función del fuego en los sistemas forestales, los beneficios de la utilización de quemas controladas o prescritas como parte del manejo forestal, la seguridad necesaria y las precauciones reglamentarias que los propietarios y administradores de tierras deben cumplir en el uso de las quemas controladas o prescritas.
Pinus serotina Michx., Pond Pine
Authors: Plauche Audrey C. , LaPierre Gage D. , Andreu Michael G.
Published: March 2024

This publication provides an in-depth profile of Pinus serotina for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as the academic audiences.
Citrus Pest Quick Guide: Orangedog
Authors: Diepenbrock L. M. , Ray K. L. , Burrow J. D.
Published: March 2024

This publication is a brief description of the life cycle and damage of the orangedog. It is one publication in a series of quick guides to citrus pests. Each fact sheet is designed to be a quick reference of citrus pests for both residential and commercial industry audiences.
The American Sand Wasp
Authors: Kuhlman Marirose P. , Dale Adam G.
Published: March 2024

This article describes the identification, biology, and importance of the American sand wasps (Bembix americana Fabricius), which are a subspecies-complex of large, robust wasps in the subfamily Bembicinae. They nest gregariously in bare soil and provision their nests with flies (order Diptera). The females are progressive provisioners, meaning they continue to provide their developing larvae with prey until the larvae pupate. Males participate in a distinctive mating behavior called a “sun dance” in which groups of males fly low over nesting areas waiting for females to emerge so they can be the first to mate with them. Adults feed on flower nectar and can often be found visiting a variety of wildflowers. This species has a broad ecological range and can be found nesting in a variety of soil types and habitats.
Centipedegrass for Florida Lawns
Authors: Unruh J. B. , Lindsey A. J. , Schiavon M.
Published: March 2024

Centipedegrass is a commonly grown, low input turfgrass used in landscapes throughout the state of Florida. This factsheet provide science based information on the culture and management of centipedegrass including mowing, irrigation, pest control, and cultural practices.
Sample Collection for Ganoderma Butt Rot of Palms
Authors: Dhillon Braham , Chakrabarti Seemanti
Published: March 2024

Palms are an integral part of the urban landscape in Florida. Ganoderma butt rot of palms, a disease caused by the wood-decaying white-rot fungus Ganoderma zonatum, is one of the major biotic concerns for the landscape industry. The lethal disease is prevalent across palm-growing regions in the US, and all palm species are believed to be susceptible to this fungus. It may take six months to a year for the diseased palm to die once the initial symptoms appear. But with the availability of a disease diagnostic assay, this fungal pathogen can be detected using saw dust samples collected from declining palms, several months before symptoms appear. Collect good quality samples by following these steps and understanding the caveats associated with each step.
Livestock Vaccines: Principles, Types, and Important Factors to Consider
Authors: Campos Krauer Juan M. , Bittar João H. J.
Published: March 2024

This publication presents information on the basic mechanisms and types of livestock vaccines available, as well as a few best practices for vaccine management. This information can help improve your herd health and success in your next herd vaccination. Written by Juan M. Campos Krauer and João H. J. Bittar, and published by the Veterinary Medicine—Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension, January 2024.
Communicating About Water in the Floridan Aquifer Region: Part 4—The Media’s Role in Water Perceptions
Authors: Hundemer Sadie , Ramadan Shenara
Published: March 2024

Local and regional news media often have a major impact on public awareness of and interest in water challenges. It is not simply what the media report that affects public perceptions, but also how they report it. A study of nine years of water reporting from six newspapers in the Floridan Aquifer region revealed a hierarchy of frames used to relate water conditions to human interests. The dominant reasons provided for readers to care about water conditions were economics, human health, and ecosystem impacts (in that order). Ecosystem impacts receive comparatively little journalistic attention, and this may have unintended effects. For example, public interest in water issues may not be as high as it would be if ecosystem impacts were robustly covered. Water news framing can also impact the objectives of water policy. If ecosystem impacts are not emphasized in the media, they may not be adequately attended to in governance.
Extension Mentor’s Discussion and Action Guide
Authors: Leitheiser Karlibeth , Benge Matt
Published: March 2024

Mentorship is a dynamic, developmental relationship between a mentor and a mentee (Kram, 1983). When the mentoring relationship is first established, it can be difficult to set norms and expectations for both parties. Mentor relationships should be established early in the mentee’s career, and the mentor relationship can benefit both the mentor and the mentee by providing a space for collaboration, learning, and support (Ragins, 1997). This publication provides a detailed discussion and action guide to help Extension mentors form and build their relationship with their mentee.
Pemanfaatan citra sentinel-2a untuk analisis rehabilitasi lahan kritis menggunakan fuzzy logic di Kecamatan Kertasari
Authors: Abdulah Agung Hamdan , Somantri Lili , Ismail Arif
Published: March 2024

Kecamatan Kertasari merupakan wilayah dengan lahan kritis terluas di Kabupaten Bandung. Lahan kritis disebabkan oleh faktor seperti kerapatan vegetasi sangat buruk, kemiringan lereng sangat curam, dan erosi sangat berat. Tujuan utama penelitian ini adalah menganalisis identifikasi dan klasifikasi lahan kritis menggunakan fuzzy logic untuk direkomendasikan dengan teknologi agroforestri sebagai upaya rehabilitasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan lahan kritis di kawasan dalam dan luar hutan lindung di Kecamatan Kertasari diklasifikasikan dengan empat kelas. Kelas dominan yang terdapat pada kawasan hutan lindung adalah kelas agak kritis dengan luas mencapai 1380,07 Ha, dan kelas terkecil adalah kelas tidak kritis dengan luas mencapai 107,59 Ha. Sedangkan lahan kritis diluar kawasan hutan lindung dengan kelas yang dominan adalah kelas potensial kritis dengan luas mencapai 1732,39 Ha, dan kelas terkecil adalah kelas tidak kritis dengan luas mencapai 268,91 Ha. Pada kawasan hutan lindung desa dengan luas lahan kritis terluas adalah Desa Neglawangi dengan luas mencapai 396,24 Ha, untuk luas terkecil adalah Desa Resmitingal dengan luas mencapai 0,09 Ha. Kawasan diluar hutan lindung dengan luas lahan kritis terluas adalah Desa Neglawangi dengan luas mencapai 858,97 Ha, dan luas terkecil adalah Desa Sukapura dengan luas mencapai 0,005 Ha. Hasil tersebut kemudian dianalisis untuk rekomendasi rehabilitasi lahan kritis menggunakan agroforestri.
Beyond traditional defenses: Unraveling the dynamics of reserves and exchange rate volatility in the face of economic sanctions
Authors: Alwadeai Ahmed , Vlasova Nataliia , Mareeh Hadi , Aljonaid Nadeem
Published: March 2024

This study investigates the impact of economic sanctions on exchange rate volatility, with a specific focus on the role of foreign reserves in mitigating these effects across 21 countries from 2002 to 2022. Employing advanced econometric models, including Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE) and Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS), our analysis identifies a positive correlation between economic sanctions and increased exchange rate volatility. A significant finding is that high reserves-to-GDP ratios do not fully stabilize exchange rate volatility in the presence of economic sanctions, challenging the traditional view of reserves as reliable stabilizers. It also demonstrates an inverse relationship between heightened reserves-to-GDP ratios and economic growth during periods of sanctions, indicating that larger reserves may reflect economic difficulties rather than strength. These findings implicitly call for a reevaluation of economic policies in favor of adopting strategies that mitigate global economic uncertainties. Supported by previous literature, the importance of international cooperation and governance that foster economic and trade diversification is highlighted. This approach can provide alternative sources of foreign exchange and reduce economic vulnerability to sanctions, enhancing overall economic resilience and stability.