bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
POWER MEDIAN-BASED ESTIMATORS OF FINITE POPULATION MEAN
Authors: Yusuf Ajibola Yahya , Audu Ahmed , Yunusa Mojeed Abiodun
Published: May 2024

In this paper, median based mean estimators for estimating finite population mean are proposed. The proposed estimators were obtained by transforming estimators in literature utilizing mean of auxiliary variable into median based estimators with the aim of obtaining estimators with higher efficiency. The mean square error of the proposed estimators was obtained up to the first order of approximation using Taylor series approach and the optimum values of the unknown of the estimators were obtained by means of partial derivative of the mean square error and equating to zero. A Numerical study was carried out to support the fact that the proposed estimators are more efficient as compared to the existing ones, as the proposed estimators have the least mean squared error at optimum values of the unknown constants and have higher percentage relative efficiency (PRE). This implies that the proposed estimators are more efficient than the traditional ones considered in the study.
ANALYSIS OF SUITABLE DUMP SITES IN KAFANCHAN, JEMA’A LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA
Authors: Dogara Inkuza , Ajobunu Saliu Ibrahim , Umar Jibril Haruna , Kennedy Adams
Published: May 2024

The research focuses on assessing the suitability of dump sites for solid waste disposal in Kafanchan town, Kaduna state, utilizing Surveying and Geo informatics techniques. With the escalating environmental impact of waste due to population growth, urbanization, and industrialization, the study aims to identify appropriate locations for waste disposal. The methodology employs Geographic Information System (GIS) tools, involving the overlaying of datasets and criteria such as drainage, land use, and road networks. The process includes investigating solid waste disposal in Kafanchan, acquiring data through a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, converting criteria into GIS layers, and processing the collected information on a computer system using ArcGIS software. The spatial analysis reveals potential sites suitable for solid waste disposal based on connectivity, contiguity, and overlay methods. The results advocate for the effectiveness of GIS in promptly selecting suitable waste disposal sites. The conclusion emphasizes the recommendation to adopt the identified sites for solid waste disposal in the area. Overall, the study underscores the significance of GIS in addressing contemporary environmental challenges related to waste management and highlights the practical application of spatial tools for sustainable solutions.
B-modes from galaxy cluster alignments in future surveys
Authors: Georgiou Christos , Bakx Thomas , van Donkersgoed Juliard , Chisari Nora Elisa
Published: May 2024

Intrinsic alignment (IA) of source galaxies represents an important contaminant for upcoming cosmic shear surveys. In particular, it is expected on general grounds that IA contains a B-mode while the weak lensing signal does not. Thus, a detection of B-modes offers the possibility to study directly the IA signal of the sources. Galaxy clusters exhibit strong IA and are therefore a natural candidate to look for a B-mode signal. We forecast the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for B-modes from IA of galaxy clusters in the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). We use a perturbative model for the IA multipoles based on the Effective Field Theory of Intrinsic Alignments (EFT of IA), which has recently been validated against N-body simulations. We forecast SNR ≈12 and find that this detectability is not significantly impacted by different analysis choices. Lastly, we also apply our forecast to clusters in the redMaPPer SDSS and DESY1 samples. We find SNR ≈5 and SNR ≈3, respectively, suggesting a detection is within reach, provided accurate redshift information is available.
Optimización de proyectos de obras hidrosanitarias en la provincia del Azuay, mediante la implantación de procesos para su gestión
Authors: Valdivieso Torres Fabricio Antonio , Vázquez Quiroz Pablo Tiberio
Published: May 2024

En la provincia del Azuay, la mayoría de constructores no tienen una cultura de generar procesos para la gestión de proyectos, lo que ocasiona retrasos y perdidas en la ejecución de estos. Por tal motivo se pretende analizar esta problemática que existe en la provincia del Azuay, donde el 68.75% de los ingenieros civiles encuestados considera que generar procesos es importante para gestionar proyectos, pero solo el 9,38% los tiene implementados para sus proyectos de construcción. A partir de estos datos, se realiza una revisión de las distintas fuentes bibliográficas en relación con las directrices y técnicas del proceso de gestión de proyectos que se utilizan actualmente. Tras la revisión de las fuentes bibliográficas, se realiza dos encuestas a profesionales de la ingeniería civil en relación con la forma de gestionar sus proyectos, se ejecuta un análisis de la información obtenida con la revisión bibliográfica y las encuestas a profesionales. Finalmente, se sugiere que existe ignorancia de las buenas prácticas, herramientas y técnicas para la dirección de proyectos debido a que este tipo de conocimiento no es valorado en las aulas universitarias y en muchos casos durante el ejercicio profesional. Motivo por el cual se crea una guía de procesos direccionada a la construcción y al entorno de lugar, para mejorar la gestión de los proyectos hidro-sanitarios en la Provincia del Azuay.
Nutrients Status of Citrus Orchards of District Multan, Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Minhas Asif , Ahmed Niaz , Sajid Muhammad , Sheeraz Muhammad , Irfan Muhammad , Mehmood Yasir
Published: May 2024

Citrus is important and leading fruit crops across Pakistan now facing the decline qualitatively and quantitatively which directly affecting the total production per unit area. The major reason for these changes seems to be improper fertilization of nutrients. In this regard, an experiment has been conducted on the citrus orchards of district Multan, to evaluate the present condition of nutrients in soil and citrus plants. The relationship between soil properties, available nutrients in soil, and plants were also investigated. In 24 orchards, the soil samples at three different soil depths (0-15cm, 15-30cm, 30-45 cm) with 4–6-month-old leaves of the plant were collected. In soils, the N (100%), P (50%), B (70.83%), Fe (16.67%) and Zn (33.33%) were deficient at upper soil layer (0-15cm). The deficiency of these nutrients decreases with increasing soil depth. The leaf analysis of citrus plants showed that there was a deficiency of N (70.83%), P (66.66%), K (12.5%), Zn (66.6%) and B (50%). Among soil properties, the pH is negatively and significantly related to N, P, Fe, and Mn, while CaCO3 and EC showed a negatively significant correlation to P and B respectively at upper soil layer. Organic matter was positive and significantly related to P and Cu at upper soil layer. The significant correlation between soil properties and nutrients decreases with increasing soil depth. The K and Fe in the soil are directly associated with increasing its contents in the leaf.
Biochemical Factors Conducive for the Development of Citrus Canker and its Management using Selected Chemicals and Plant Extracts
Authors: Abbas Tatheer , Sajid Muhammad , Hussain Shahbaz , Mehmood Yasir , Sheeraz Muhammad , Irfan Muhammad , Tayyab Muhammad , Muhammad Shan , Tabassam Sohail Akhtar
Published: May 2024

Citrus belonging to Rutaceae family is one of the most common fruit crops in Pakistan. Citrus canker disease caused by Xanthomonas citri pv. citri is one of the important diseases that causes huge losses to citrus production. The current study was carried out to mitigate this disease by exploitation of four chemicals and plant extracts in-vitro at three different concentrations and in greenhouse with most efficient concentration. The laboratory and greenhouse experiments were performed through inhibition zone technique and foliar spray method, respectively. Four chemicals including streptomycin sulphate, copper oxychloride, kasugamycin and oxytetracycline with different concentrations of 1%, 2% and 3% were evaluated. Under in-vitro environment, streptomycin (2.7 cm) at 3% concentration after 72 hours’ time interval exhibited the most significant results among all chemicals. Similarly, four plant extracts i.e. Moringa (Moringa oleifera), Keekar (Acacia nilotica), Kortuma (Citrullus colocynthis), and Akk (Colotropis gigantia) were evaluated at 25%, 35% and 45% concentrations. Most significant results (1.9 cm) were shown by Moringa extract at 45% concentration after 72 hours’ time interval. Most effective Phytoextract (Moringa oleifera) and chemical (Streptomycin) observed in-vitro were selected for further evaluation in greenhouse which resulted in the reduction of disease incidence by 23% after 45 days’ time interval. Current findings would provide the valuable insights for researchers and the farming community which would prove helpful in the improved management of this particular disease.
Acute and Chronic Pain Management of the Urologic Patient
Authors: Varghese Jonathan , Chang David L. , Mirman Benjamin D. , Capodice Jillian , Shehebar Mourad
Published: May 2024

Objectives: Here, we review opioid-sparing or opioid-free anesthesia and pain management for urologic procedures and pathologies–urological pain syndromes, kidney stone pain management, development of post-surgical pain syndromes, and prevention. We explore acute management of perioperative pain during and after urologic procedures; additionally, we review the pathophysiology of various urologic pain syndromes along with a variety of interventions, including pharmacologic management, nerve blocks, neurolysis, and neuromodulatory therapies in hopes of educating providers who treat the urologic patient.

Methods: Relevant literature on various topics related to acute and chronic urologic pain was reviewed and incorporated into this comprehensive overview. Relevant clinical treatments and treatment guidelines for managing pain related to various urological conditions and syndromes are discussed, compared, and contrasted and conclusions are drawn.

Results and Discussion: Urological pathologies, procedures, pain syndromes and their pharmacologic and interventional pain management strategies are discussed.

Conclusion: Acute and chronic pain remain essential components of postoperative morbidity, both in the urologic patient and otherwise. The opioid epidemic has further complicated perioperative management, but effective pain control is vital to improving patient outcomes. Close collaboration between urologists, anesthesiologists, and pain specialists is critical in improving patient care.
Assessment of the losses of ecosystem services of non-flowing waters as a consequence of military intervention
Authors: Sova L.
Published: May 2024

This study explores the challenges in developing a contemporary system of assessment indicators for determining damage to biodiversity. It specifically focuses on the eco-economic aspects of assessing losses in ecosystem services of non-flowing water bodies due to military intervention. To achieve the set objectives, the article utilizes a combination of general scientific and specialized methods from modern ecosystem theory and general ecological assessment, including analysis, synthesis, generalization, systematization, abstract-logical methods, and more. The methodological and theoretical foundation of the research is based on key principles of modern ecosystem theory (following the CICES methodology) regarding the assessment of ecosystems based on selected categories (types) of ecosystem services. In this context, a comprehensive evaluation of lost ecosystem services in non-flowing water bodies is proposed, focusing on major types of potential losses (functional features: provisioning, regulation and support, cultural and recreational services). Using the case study of the destroyed Kakhovka Reservoir, the article applies scoring methods (according to Ya. Didukh) and the «transfer of value» method (according to R. Costanza) to calculate losses in ecosystem services. The article suggests a comprehensive structure for the eco-economic assessment of losses in ecosystem services of non-flowing water bodies, combining two distinct components: ecological and economic. The ecological component may include scoring, expert, and experimental assessments, while the economic component may involve the assessment of losses in ecosystem services of freshwater ecosystems in non-flowing water bodies: a) by their major types (functional features); b) in general. The practical application of the proposed methodological approaches allowed for the monetary assessment of the complex of lost ecosystem services of the Kakhovka Reservoir due to military actions, amounting to approximately $27,452,889,000, which should be fully compensated by the aggressor state. Future research prospects lie in the theoretical-methodological justification and development of a domestic mechanism for assessing losses in ecosystem services of surface waters, particularly non-flowing water bodies, resulting from military intervention. These prospects are rooted in a comprehensive examination of scoring, expert, and experimental assessment indicators within the framework of general ecological assessment
Optimization of Sole Production Scheduling
Authors: Moura Ana , Lopes Isabel Cristina , Matias João , Lopes Nuno , Enguiça Ricardo
Published: May 2024

This report addresses a challenge proposed at the 174th European Study Group in Industry to develop an algorithm to optimize processes on rubber soles manufacturing. The objective is to create an order distribution plan that maximizes efficiency, reduces setup times synchronizing molds changing, ensuring that delivery dates are met. This problem can be classified as a parallel machines scheduling problem with sequence dependent setup times. This work presents an heuristic that minimizes the makespan, accounting for the sequence dependent setup times, divided into two steps: (i) a client’s order will be partitioned into sets corresponding to the assigned slots; (ii) reorder the molds within each position of the press, so that setup times are simultaneous. We find solutions for real data, also for cases with double and triple molds for a given size. Results show that synchronization of setup times due to heating and mold changes decrease significantly the makespan.
Navigating the intersection of dramaturgy and artistic research in contemporary theatre education
Authors: Thygesen Mads
Published: May 2024

This paper discusses dramaturgy and artistic research’s evolving role in theatre education, focusing on the Master’s program in Theatre at Oslo National Academy of the Arts as a case study. Drawing inspiration from Richard Jochum’s ideas in “After Artistic Research,” the paper highlights the shift towards incorporating artistic research into the curriculum of art universities. However, it acknowledges the challenges in establishing a clear framework for artistic research within these institutions. The author argues that teaching and practising dramaturgy and artistic research in theatre academies have significant implications, marking a departure from traditional theatre education paradigms. The paper aims to contribute valuable insights and practical strategies to educators and practitioners involved in theatre education and artistic research, emphasising the importance of understanding and navigating the complexities of this evolving field.
Optimizing diagnosis and surgical decisions for chronic osteomyelitis through radiomics in the precision medicine era
Authors: Jia Qiyu , Zheng Hao , Lin Jie , Guo Jian , Fan Sijia , Alimujiang Abudusalamu , Wang Xi , Fu Lanqi , Xie Zengru , Ma Chuang , Wang Junna
Published: May 2024

Introduction: Chronic osteomyelitis is a complex clinical condition that is associated with a high recurrence rate. Traditional surgical interventions often face challenges in achieving a balance between thorough debridement and managing resultant bone defects. Radiomics is an emerging technique that extracts quantitative features from medical images to reveal pathological information imperceptible to the naked eye. This study aims to investigate the potential of radiomics in optimizing osteomyelitis diagnosis and surgical treatment.

Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 93 suspected osteomyelitis patients were analyzed. Radiomics features were extracted from the original lesion region of interest (ROI) and an expanded ROI delineated by enlarging the original by 5 mm. Feature selection was performed and support vector machine (SVM) models were developed using the two ROI datasets. To assess the diagnostic efficacy of the established models, we conducted receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, employing histopathological results as the reference standard. The model’s performance was evaluated by calculating the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Discrepancies in the ROC between the two models were evaluated using the DeLong method. All statistical analyses were carried out using Python, and a significance threshold of p < 0.05 was employed to determine statistical significance.

Results and Discussion: A total of 1,037 radiomics features were extracted from each ROI. The expanded ROI model achieved significantly higher accuracy (0.894 vs. 0.821), sensitivity (0.947 vs. 0.857), specificity (0.842 vs. 0.785) and AUC (0.920 vs. 0.859) than the original ROI model. Key discriminative features included shape metrics and wavelet-filtered texture features. Radiomics analysis of MRI exhibits promising clinical translational potential in enhancing the diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis by accurately delineating lesions and identifying surgical margins. The inclusion of an expanded ROI that encompasses perilesional tissue significantly improves diagnostic performance compared to solely focusing on the lesions. This study provides clinicians with a more precise and effective tool for diagnosis and surgical decision-making, ultimately leading to improved outcomes in this patient population.
A comparison of anterior reconstruction of spinal defect using nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide 66 cage and autologous iliac bone for thoracolumbar tuberculosis: a stepwise propensity score matching analysis
Authors: Li Qiujiang , Xiu Peng , Yang Xi , Wang Lei , Liu Limin , Song Yueming
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Previous studies have confirmed the advantages and disadvantages of autogenous iliac bone and nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide 66 (n-HA/PA66) cage. However, there is no conclusive comparison between the efficacy of the two implant materials in spinal tuberculosis bone graft fusion. The aim of this study was to analyze the mid-to long-term clinical and radiologic outcomes between n-HA/PA66 cage and autogenous iliac bone for anterior reconstruction application of spinal defect for thoracolumbar tuberculosis.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent anterior debridement and strut graft with n-HA/PA66 cage or iliac bone combined with anterior instrumentations between June 2009 and June 2014. One-to-one nearest-neighbor propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match patients who underwent n-HA/PA66 cage to those who underwent iliac bone. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) and visual analogue score (VAS). Radiographic evaluations included cage subsidence and segmental angle.

Results

At the end of the PSM analysis, 16 patients from n-HA/PA66 cage group were matched to 16 patients in Iliac bone group. The C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) values in the n-HA/PA66 group decreased significantly from 33.19 ± 10.89 and 46.63 ± 15.65 preoperatively, to 6.56 ± 2.48 and 9.31 ± 3.34 at the final follow-up, respectively (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the CRP and ESR values between the two groups at the final follow-up. The VAS and JOA scores in the iliac bone and n-HA/PA66 group were significantly improved at the 3-month follow-up postoperatively (both p < 0.001). Then, improvements of VAS and JOA scores continue long at final follow-up. However, there were no significant differences in the VAS and JOA scores at any time point between the two groups (p > 0.05). Although the segmental angle (SA) significantly increased after surgery in both groups, there was no significant difference at any time point after surgery (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the cage subsidence and fusion time between the two groups.

Conclusion

Overall, our data suggest that the n-HA/PA66 cage outcomes are comparable to those in the autogenous iliac bone, with a similar high fusion rate as autogenous iliac bone.
Heel-to-toe drop effects on biomechanical and muscle synergy responses during uphill walking
Authors: Jiang Liang , Qu Feng , Yang Zihan , Chen Xue , Gao Xianzhi , Sun Qing , Huo Bo
Published: May 2024

Uphill walking is a common task encountered in daily life, with steeper inclines potentially imposing greater biomechanical and neuromuscular demands on the human body. The heel-to-toe drop (HTD) in footwear may influence the biomechanical and neuromuscular pattern of uphill walking; but the impact remains unclear. Adjustments in HTD can modulate biomechanical and neuromuscular patterns, mitigating the demands and optimizing the body’s response to different inclinations. We hypothesize that adjustments in HTD can modulate biomechanical and neuromuscular patterns, mitigating the demands and optimizing the body’s response to different inclinations. Nineteen healthy men walked on an adjustable slope walkway, with varied inclinations (6°, 12°, 20°) and HTD shoes (10mm, 25mm, 40 mm), while the marker positions, ground reaction forces and electromyography data were collected. Our study reveals that gait temporo-spatial parameters are predominantly affected by inclination over HTD. Inclination has a more pronounced effect on kinematic variables, while both inclination and HTD significantly modulate kinetic and muscle synergy parameters. This study demonstrates that an increase in the inclination leads to changes in biomechanical and neuromuscular responses during uphill walking and the adjustment of HTD can modulate these responses during uphill walking. However, the present study suggests that an increased HTD may lead to elevated loads on the knee joint and these adverse effects need more attention.
Modernizing and harmonizing regulatory data requirements for genetically modified crops—perspectives from a workshop
Authors: Storer Nicholas P. , Simmons Abigail R. , Sottosanto Jordan , Anderson Jennifer A. , Huang Ming Hua , Mahadeo Debbie , Mathesius Carey A. , Sanches da Rocha Mitscheli , Song Shuang , Urbanczyk-Wochniak Ewa
Published: May 2024

Genetically modified (GM) crops that have been engineered to express transgenes have been in commercial use since 1995 and are annually grown on 200 million hectares globally. These crops have provided documented benefits to food security, rural economies, and the environment, with no substantiated case of food, feed, or environmental harm attributable to cultivation or consumption. Despite this extensive history of advantages and safety, the level of regulatory scrutiny has continually increased, placing undue burdens on regulators, developers, and society, while reinforcing consumer distrust of the technology. CropLife International held a workshop at the 16th International Society of Biosafety Research (ISBR) Symposium to examine the scientific basis for modernizing global regulatory frameworks for GM crops. Participants represented a spectrum of global stakeholders, including academic researchers, GM crop developers, regulatory consultants, and regulators. Concurrently examining the considerations of food and feed safety, along with environmental safety, for GM crops, the workshop presented recommendations for a core set of data that should always be considered, and supplementary (i.e., conditional) data that would be warranted only on a case-by-case basis to address specific plausible hypotheses of harm. Then, using a case-study involving a hypothetical GM maize event expressing two familiar traits (insect protection and herbicide tolerance), participants were asked to consider these recommendations and discuss if any additional data might be warranted to support a science-based risk assessment or for regulatory decision-making. The discussions during the workshop highlighted that the set of data to address the food, feed, and environmental safety of the hypothetical GM maize, in relation to a conventional comparator, could be modernized compared to current global regulatory requirements. If these scientific approaches to modernize data packages for GM crop regulation were adopted globally, GM crops could be commercialized in a more timely manner, thereby enabling development of more diverse GM traits to benefit growers, consumers, and the environment.
Optimisation of the biological production of levulinic acid in a mixed microbial culture fed with synthetic grape pomace
Authors: Correa-Galetote David , Serrano Antonio , Ciudad Gustavo , Pinto-Ibieta Fernanda
Published: May 2024

Levulinic acid (LA) is a polymer with a vast industrial application range and can be co-produced as a minor by-product during the biological production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). However, the influence of key parameters as tools for favouring the production of LA over PHA is still unclear. In this study, we investigated how several critical operational conditions, i.e., carbon-nitrogen ratio (C/N), organic loading rate (OLR) and airflow, can be optimised to favour LA accumulation over PHA production by a mixed microbial culture (MMC), using synthetic grape pomace (GP) hydrolysate as the substrate. The results showed that it was possible to direct the MMC towards LA accumulation instead of PHA. The maximum LA yield was 2.7 ± 0.2 g LA/(L·d) using a C/N of 35, an airflow of 5 L/min and an OLR of 4 g sCOD/(L·d). The OLR and, to a lesser extent, the C/N ratio were the main factors significantly and positively correlated with the biological synthesis of LA.
Current challenges in imaging the mechanical properties of tissue engineered grafts
Authors: Luo Lu , Okur Kerime Ebrar , Bagnaninchi Pierre O. , El Haj Alicia J.
Published: May 2024

The mechanical performance of tissue-engineered grafts is crucial in determining their functional properties, integration with native tissue and long-term repair outcome post-implantation. To date, most approaches for testing the mechanical properties of tissue-engineered grafts are non-sterile and invasive. There is an urgent need to develop novel sterile approaches for online monitoring mechanical properties of engineered tissues in order to ensure these engineered products meet the desired mechanical strength prior to implantation. In this paper, we overview various approaches for mechanical testing of engineered tissues, which span from traditional methods to medical imaging concepts in magnetic resonance elastography, ultrasound elastography, and optical coherence elastography. We focused on the applicability of these methods to the manufacturing of tissue-engineered products online, e.g., if such approach provides a sterile monitoring capacity and is capable of defining mechanical heterogeneity in engineered tissues throughout their growth in vitro in real-time. The review delves into various imaging modalities that employ distinct methods for inducing displacement within the sample, utilizing either strain-based or shear wave-based approaches. This displacement can be achieved through external stimulation or by harnessing ambient vibrations. Subsequently, the imaging process captures and visualizes the resultant displacement. We specifically highlight the advantages of novel non-invasive imaging methods such as ultrasound elastography and optical coherence elastography to assess the mechanical properties of engineered tissues in vitro, as well as their potential applications in cancer study, drug screening and the in vivo evaluation of the engineered tissues.
Effects and optimization of airflow on the thermal environment in a data center
Authors: Jiang Di
Published: May 2024

In this research, the escalating energy consumption challenges in data centers are addressed by optimizing airflow organization designs. Through the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, three different airflow strategies were evaluated and improved: underfloor precision air conditioning, inter-column air conditioning, and backplane air conditioning. These cooling systems, which are usually considered in isolation, were compared in a comprehensive manner to get a full picture of their efficiency and effectiveness. The findings reveal that the implementation of cold aisle containment (CAC) or hot aisle containment (HAC) significantly improves air supply efficiency (ASE) and reduces the supply heat index (SHI), leading to a more uniform temperature distribution and enhanced cooling performance. Specifically, the ASE increased from 65.69% to 85.57% and 90.25% for underfloor precision air conditioning and from 71.29% to 92.16% and 92.17% for inter-column air conditioning, with corresponding reductions in SHI. The backplane cooling system offered consistent ambient temperatures throughout the room, eliminating thermal hotspots without the need for aisle containment. This study offers a comparative analysis of different airflow organization schemes, highlighting the benefits of aisle containment in precision and inter-column air conditioning and the suitability of backplane air conditioning for high-density cooling without the need for traditional aisle separation. The results are crucial for informing energy-efficient cooling strategies in data center design and operation.
Design and synthesis of new dihydropyrimidine/sulphonamide hybrids as promising anti-inflammatory agents via dual mPGES-1/5-LOX inhibition
Authors: Al-Wahaibi Lamya H. , Elshamsy Ali M. , Ali Taha F. S. , Youssif Bahaa G. M. , Bräse S. , Abdel-Aziz Mohamed , El-Koussi Nawal A.
Published: May 2024

A novel series of dihydropyrimidine/sulphonamide hybrids 3a–j with anti-inflammatory properties have been developed and tested as dual mPGES-1/5-LOX inhibitors. In vitro assay, results showed that compounds 3c, 3e, 3h, and 3j were the most effective dual inhibitors of mPGES-1 and 5-LOX activities. Compound 3j was the most potent dual inhibitor with IC50 values of 0.92 µM and 1.98 µM, respectively. In vivo, anti-inflammatory studies demonstrated that compounds 3c, 3e, 3h, and 3e had considerable anti-inflammatory activity, with EI% ranging from 29% to 71%. Compounds 3e and 3j were equivalent to celecoxib after the first hour but exhibited stronger anti-inflammatory effects than celecoxib after the third and fifth hours. Moreover, compounds 3e and 3j significantly reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-6) with gastrointestinal safety profiles. Molecular docking simulations explored the most potent derivatives’ binding affinities and interaction patterns within mPGES-1 and 5-LOX active sites. This study disclosed that compound 3j is a promising anti-inflammatory lead with dual mPGES-1/5-LOX inhibition that deserves further preclinical investigation.
HSP90 is part of a protein complex with the L polymerase of Rift Valley fever phlebovirus and prevents its degradation by the proteasome during the viral genome replication/transcription stage
Authors: Alem Farhang , Brahms Ashwini , Tarasaki Kaori , Omole Samson , Kehn-Hall Kylene , Schmaljohn Connie S. , Bavari Sina , Makino Shinji , Hakami Ramin M.
Published: May 2024

The mosquito-borne Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) from the Phenuiviridae family is a single-stranded RNA virus that causes the re-emerging zoonotic disease Rift Valley fever (RVF). Classified as a Category A agent by the NIH, RVFV infection can cause debilitating disease or death in humans and lead to devastating economic impacts by causing abortion storms in pregnant cattle. In a previous study, we showed that the host chaperone protein HSP90 is an RVFV-associated host factor that plays a critical role post viral entry, during the active phase of viral genome replication/transcription. In this study, we have elucidated the molecular mechanisms behind the regulatory effect of HSP90 during infection with RVFV. Our results demonstrate that during the early infection phase, host HSP90 associates with the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (L protein) and prevents its degradation through the proteasome, resulting in increased viral replication.
Empowering engagement: unveiling motivational drivers for social media adoption: a Facebook case study
Authors: Allam Hesham , Dempere Juan , Lazaros Edward J. , Davison Chris
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Social networking websites and applications are increasingly becoming significant cultural phenomena. However, the motivation driving individuals to utilize these platforms, particularly in the Middle East, remains unclear. While numerous studies have explored technology adoption, limited research has investigated social media usage in the UAE. Therefore, this study proposes and empirically analyzes a framework based on a modified version of the Technology Acceptance Model to understand the factors influencing users’ opinions, objectives, and actual usage of social media platforms, focusing on Facebook.

Methods

To investigate these factors, we employed structural equation modeling and smart PLS techniques on a sample of 540 participants. We aimed to identify predictors such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, as well as a hedonic dimension encompassing perceived enjoyment, curiosity, and perceived connectedness, in shaping users’ attitudes towards Facebook usage. Additionally, we examined the relationship between social presence and users’ intentions to use Facebook.

Results

Our analysis revealed that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are significant predictors of users’ attitudes towards utilizing Facebook. Furthermore, the hedonic dimension, comprising perceived enjoyment, curiosity, and perceived connectedness, also plays a crucial role in shaping users’ attitudes. Moreover, social presence was found to have a significant association with users’ intentions to use Facebook.

Discussion

These findings contribute to our understanding of the factors influencing the adoption and usage of social media platforms, particularly in the context of the UAE. By highlighting the importance of both utilitarian and hedonic aspects, this research provides insights into the complex motivations behind individuals’ acceptance of dynamic applications like Facebook. Furthermore, our empirical model lays the groundwork for exploring additional factors that may influence the uptake of information systems and social media utilities, thereby advancing attitude-behavior theories in this domain.
The influence of accent and device usage on perceived credibility during interactions with voice-AI assistants
Authors: Pycha Anne , Zellou Georgia
Published: May 2024

Voice-AI assistants offer innovative ways for people to interact with technology, such as delivering search results through human-sounding voices. Unlike printed text, however, voices are associated with particular characteristics, such as accents, which have the potential to influence perceived credibility. Voice-AI assistants are also a relatively new phenomenon, and while people who use them frequently may be inclined to trust them, other people may not be. The current study investigated how voice accent and frequency-of-use affected users’ credibility assessments of search results delivered by voice-AI assistants. Participants, who were native speakers of American English and self-classified themselves according to how frequently they used voice-AI assistants, listened to statements produced by neural text-to-speech in either an American English or British English accent. They then rated the credibility of both the information content and the voice itself, along several dimensions. Results showed that in multiple conditions, participants perceived information delivered by British-accented voices as more credible than that delivered by American English-accented voices. Furthermore, frequency-of-use exerted a significant effect on perceived trustworthiness of a voice. These findings have implications for the ethical design of voice-AI systems, and for human-computer interaction more generally.
Staging reinterventions for remodeling of residual aortic dissection: a single-center retrospective study
Authors: Chen Bailang , Huang Kunpeng , Zhuang Xianmian , Wang Zanxin , Wei Minxin
Published: May 2024

Objective

Inadequate remodeling of residual aortic dissection (RAD) following repair of Stanford A or B aortic dissections has been identified as a significant predictor of patient mortality. This study evaluates the short- to mid-term outcomes of staged reinterventions for RAD at a single center with prospective follow-up.

Methods

Data were retrospectively collected from patients with RAD who underwent staged reinterventions or received none-surgery treatment in the Cardiovascular Surgery Department of our hospital between July 2019 and December 2021. The cohort included 54 patients with residual distal aortic dissection post-primary surgery, comprising 28 who underwent open surgery and 26 who received thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Patients were divided into two groups: those who underwent staged stent interventions for distal dissection [staged reintervention (SR) group] and those who did not undergo surgery (non-surgery group). For the SR group, second or third staged stent interventions were performed. The study assessed distal remodeling of aortic dissection between the groups, focusing on endpoints such as mortality (both general and aortic-specific), occurrences of visceral branch occlusion, necessity for further interventions, and significant adverse events. Morphological changes were analyzed to determine the therapeutic impact.

Results

The study encompassed 54 participants, with 33 in the SR group and 21 in the non-surgical control group. Baseline demographics and clinical characteristics were statistically comparable across both groups. During an average follow-up of 31.5 ± 7.0 months, aortic-related mortality was 0% in both groups; all-cause mortality was 3% (one case) and 5% (one case) in the SR and control groups, respectively, with no statistically significant difference noted. In the SR group, a single patient experienced complications, including renal artery thrombosis, leading to diminished blood flow. An increased true lumen (TL) area and a decreased false lumen area at various aortic planes were observed in the SR group compared to the control group.

Conclusion

The staged reintervention strategy for treating RAD is safe and provides promising early results.
Case Report: Intravascular ultrasound-guided management of acute myocardial infarction in a rare coronary artery case with multiple ostia and varied lesions
Authors: He Huabin , Ao Qin , Chen Jianhai , Zhang Jun , Yuan Xiangyang
Published: May 2024

Anomalous origin of the coronary artery (AOCA) in coronary arteries represent a rare congenital variation, especially when three or more openings coexist, accompanied by conditions such as myocardial infarction, acute heart failure, and severe stenosis in three vessels, making it even rarer. This study reports a rare case of a patient admitted for the first time with acute myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography revealed four openings, along with the aforementioned rare conditions. Guided by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), treatments were administered for different lesions in various vessels. IVUS confirmed a rare case with a 1 mm extremely short left main coronary artery and three openings. The two-year follow-up results for this patient are deemed satisfactory, indicating a favorable prognosis.
Sudan's rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease guidelines: a simplified approach in an endemic country
Authors: Ali Sulafa Khalid M. , Karrar Zein A. , Elkurdufani Nawal , Ibrahim Nazik
Published: May 2024

Background

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a preventable sequelae of group A beta hemolytic streptococcal infection leading to an immune reaction: acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and progressive heart valve dysfunction. RHD is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children and young adults in Sudan and many low/middle-income countries. In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a resolution for RHD mandating that each country adopt updated guidelines for ARF and RHD management. These current guidelines are mainly directed to primary healthcare workers.

Methods

Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) in collaboration with the WHO East Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) assembled a committee for updating RHD guidelines. We conducted a systematic literature search from 2000 to 2022 in National Institute of Health Database (PubMed) under the following titles: streptococcal pharyngitis, acute rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease, benzathine penicillin. Best available, evidence-based practices for diagnosis and management of ARF/RHD were selected and adapted to Sudan's situation. The guidelines were critically appraised by the committee then endorsed to the FMOH and WHO EMRO Noncommunicable Disease Departments in January 2023. This paper describes the updated guidelines.

Results

Simplified algorithms are provided for diagnosis of bacterial pharyngitis including two clinical criteria: sore throat and the absence of viral symptoms in the target age group. A simplified algorithm for diagnosis and management of ARF is adopted using two levels of diagnosis: suspected case at primary level where penicillin prophylaxis is started and secondary/tertiary care where echocardiography is performed and diagnosis confirmed or excluded. Echocardiography screening is recognized as the standard method for early diagnosis of RHD; however, due to the anticipated limitations, its implementation was not adopted at this time. Streptococcal skin infection is included as a precursor of ARF and a detailed protocol for benzathine penicillin administration is described.

Conclusion

The Sudan guidelines for ARF/RHD management were updated. Endorsement of these guidelines to FMOH and WHO EMRO is expected to improve control of RHD in the region.
Visualization as irritation: producing knowledge about medieval courts through uncertainty
Authors: Schwandt Silke , Wachter Christian
Published: May 2024

Visualizations are ubiquitous in data-driven research, serving as both tools for knowledge production and genuine means of knowledge communication. Despite criticisms targeting the alleged objectivity of visualizations in the digital humanities (DH) and reflections on how they may serve as representations of both scholarly perspective and uncertainty within the data analysis pipeline, there remains a notable scarcity of in-depth theoretical grounding for these assumptions in DH discussions. It is our understanding that only through theoretical foundations such as basic semiotic principles and perspectives on media modality one can fully assess the use and potential of visualizations for innovation in scholarly interpretation. We argue that visualizations have the capacity to “productively irritate” existing scholarly knowledge in a given research field. This does not just mean that visualizations depict patterns in datasets that seem not in line with prior research and thus stimulate deeper examination. Complementarily, “irritation” here consists of visualizations producing uncertainty about their own meaning—yet it is precisely this uncertainty in which the potential for greater insight lies. It stimulates questions about what is depicted and what is not. This turns out to be a valuable resource for scholarly interpretation, and one could argue that visualizing big data is particularly prolific in this sense, because due to their complexity researchers cannot interpret the data without visual representations. However, we argue that “productive irritation” can also happen below the level of big data. We see this potential rooted in the genuinely semiotic and semantic properties of visual media, which studies in multimodality and specifically in the field of Bildlinguistik have carved out: a visualization's holistic overview of data patterns is juxtaposed to its semantic vagueness, which gives way to deep interpretations and multiple perspectives on that data. We elucidate this potential using examples from medieval English legal history. Visualizations of data relating to legal functions and social constellations of various people in court offer surprising insights that can lead to new knowledge through “productive irritation.”
Calcareous nannofossil records and the migration of the Agulhas Return Current during the last 40 kyr
Authors: Yu Chonghan , Su Xin , Ding Xuan , Zhang Jie , Tao Chunhui , Lv Shihui
Published: May 2024

The Agulhas Return Current (ARC) transports warm tropical and subtropical waters eastward into the southern Indian Ocean. It plays a crucial role in the oceanographic connections between the Indian, Atlantic, and Southern oceans. Modern oceanographic observations show that the latitudinal position of the ARC varies interannually. However, its historical positional variations remain poorly understood. Calcareous nannofossils can be a good indicator of ancient current migration, although their record in the Southwest Indian Ocean is poorly studied. This research aims to understand the characteristics and downcore variation of the calcareous nannofossil assemblages and trace the record of the ancient ARC. To achieve these goals, this study analyzed pelagic sediments of multicore 34IV-SWIR-S021MC03, 34IV-SWIR-S032MC04, and 34IV-SWIR-S040MC05 from the Southwest Indian Ocean. A total of 13 nannofossil species have been identified. The assemblages belong to the subtropical convergence zone regime. They are characterized by warm and cold water species, dominated by Emiliania huxleyi, Calcidiscus leptoporus, Gephyrocapsa muellerae, and Florisphaera profunda. According to the AMS14C age model and phytoplankton ecological signatures, this study establishes a calcareous nannofossil indicator to trace the migration of the ancient ARC during the last 40 kyr. The result shows three periods of migration: 40–22 kyr, the ancient ARC was in the far north and was moving southward; 22–14 kyr, a transitional period, the ancient ARC was moving northward; 14–3 kyr, the ARC was moving southward. This further suggests that the migration of the ancient ARC is more complex than the two recognized phases, and there were essential turning points around the last glacial maximum period. It also acknowledges that the ancient ARC is sensitive to interglacial periods and can be influenced simultaneously by the Southern Hemisphere monsoon and westerly winds.