bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sucralose (C12H19Cl3O8) impact on microbial activity in estuarine and freshwater marsh soils
Authors: Westmoreland Amelia G. , Schafer Tracey B. , Breland Kendall E. , Beard Anna R. , Osborne Todd Z.
Published: September 2023

As the general population’s diet has shifted to reflect current weight-loss trends, there has been an increase in zero-calorie artificial sweetener usage. Sucralose (C12H19Cl308), more commonly known as Splenda, is a primary example of these sweeteners. In recent years, it has been identified as an environmental contaminant, and cannot be broken down via bacterial decomposition. This study focuses on the impact of sucralose presence on microbial communities in brackish and freshwater systems. Using a BenthoTorch and LI-8000A CO2/H20 Gas Analyzer, microbial respiration and chlorophyll concentration were measured as indicators of microbial activity in dosed samples taken from both fresh and estuarine marsh environments. Results showed a significant difference between microbial concentration and respiration when dosed with varying levels of sucralose. The diatom community showed a negative correlation with the sucralose concentration. The freshwater cyanobacteria community exhibited a positive correlation with sucralose, in direct contrast to its saltwater counterpart. However, further studies are necessary to confirm any potential use for these communities in the breakdown of sucralose in wastewater treatment plants.
Subtyping of COVID-19 samples based on Cell-Cell interaction in single cell transcriptomes
Authors: Jeong Kyeonghun , Kim Yooeun , Jeon Jaemin , Kim Kwangsoo
Published: September 2023

In single-cell transcriptome analysis, numerous biomarkers related to COVID-19 severity, including cell subtypes, genes, and pathways, have been identified. Nevertheless, most studies have focused on severity groups based on clinical features, neglecting immunological heterogeneity within the same severity level. In this study, we employed sample-level clustering using cell-cell interaction scores to investigate patient heterogeneity and uncover novel subtypes. The clustering results were validated using external datasets, demonstrating superior reproducibility and purity compared to gene expression-or gene set enrichment-based clustering. Furthermore, the cell-cell interaction score-based clusters exhibited a strong correlation with the WHO ordinal severity score based on clinical characteristics. By characterizing the identified subtypes through known COVID-19 severity-associated biomarkers, we discovered a "Severe-like moderate" subtype. This subtype displayed clinical features akin to moderate cases; however, molecular features, such as gene expression and cell-cell interactions, resembled those of severe cases. Notably, all patients who progressed from moderate to severe belonged to this subtype, underscoring the significance of cell-cell interactions in COVID-19 patient heterogeneity and severity.
Accelerated Aging Effects on SRAM PUF reliability at various Temperature and Voltage conditions
Authors: Singh Harshdeep , Bhatta Niraj Prasad , Rahman Md Tauhidur , Amsaad Fathi
Published: September 2023

This paper thoroughly investigates the trustworthiness of Static Random-Access Memory (SRAM) Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) within hardware security. It presents an overview of SRAM PUFs, their significance in hardware security, and their essential features. The paper explores the realms of evaluation metrics and practical examination of SRAM cell start-up values concerning an 8-bit SRAM dataset. Concurrently, it navigates the encountered challenges. A comprehensive pattern analysis of SRAM cell stability is discussed with accelerated aging. Compared the outputs at multiple trials to authenticate the result. The complex interplay of factors that affect the dependability of SRAM PUFs, encompassing environmental conditions, the accumulation of aging effects, and the complex landscape of process variations, is carefully explained and clarified. The paper concludes by summarizing key findings, emphasizing the importance of reliable hardware security, and suggesting future research directions for enhancing SRAM PUF reliability.
Unraveling New Insights: Exploring Risk Factors of Under-Five Mortality in Somaliland using the First-Ever SLDHS 2020 Data and Count Data Regression Models
Authors: Ismail Mohamed A. , Chesneau Christophe , Muse Abdisalam Hassan
Published: September 2023

The high prevalence of zero counts in child mortality distribution in Somaliland prompts an exploration into whether distinct generating processes exist for child mortality and their frequency per mother. This study aims to identify an appropriate count regression model for the number of children who died per mother in Somaliland, addressing concerns of under-dispersion and zero-inflation. Addition[1]ally, it seeks to determine the risk factors associated with under-five mortality and their frequency. The analysis utilizes data from the nationally representative 2020 Somaliland Demographic and Health Survey (SLDHS), where 28.1% of the 4,615 surveyed women reported no under-five mortality. These zero counts may arise from structural or sampling factors, leading to the investigation of two-part zero-inflated and hurdle-count regression models alongside standard one-part count regression models. Diagnostic tools, such as the likelihood ratio test, The Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the Bayesian information criterion (BIC), are employed to determine the most suitable model. The hurdle Poisson regression model emerges as the best fit. The findings highlight several significant factors associated with under-five mortality per mother, including child sex, number of children ever born, access to clean water sources and toilet facilities, geographic region, wealth index, breastfeeding, mothers’ age at first birth, and mothers’ education. Understanding and addressing these factors can guide targeted interventions and policies aimed at reducing under-five mortality and improving child health outcomes. Furthermore, promoting deliveries at healthcare institutions is recommended for mothers.
Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Aurone and Indanone Derivatives as Novel Antibacterial Agents
Authors: Xie Baoxing , Zhao Haiqing , Hu Ailin , Aisa Haji Akber , Niu Chao
Published: September 2023

Aurones and indanones were proved to be potential antibacterial agents in our recent work. Based on strategy of bioisosterism and diene insertion, a series of aurone and indanone derivatives were designed and synthesized, then submitted to the antibacterial activity evaluation on C. albicans, E. coli and S. aureus. According to the results, nineteen of thirty synthesized compounds had inhibitory activity against at least one bacterium. The minimum value of MIC activity was 62.5 µM (A2, B1, B3, B4, B8, C6, D1, D2) and the minimum value of MBC was 62.5 µM (B4, C6). In addition, molecular docking and ADMET prediction were also applied to the possible binding mode and the druggability of active compounds. Our research once again demonstrated that aurone and indanone are good scaffolds for the development of antibacterial agents, especially against S. aureus bacterial.
Reliability Based Design Optimization of a novel double-layer staggered octocopter with improved surrogate model
Authors: Zhu He , Nie Hong , Wei Yuanzun , Wei Xiaohui
Published: September 2023

Surrogate models are commonly used in the aircraft design process to save costs, but the predictions of simplified surrogate models often exist errors. Therefore, improving the accuracy of the surrogate model and conducting uncertainty analysis specifically for the surrogate model are necessary. In this study, a multi-objective optimization was performed on a novel configuration octocopter drone that demonstrated significantly higher aerodynamic efficiency compared to conventional configurations. The aim was to reduce the potential design failures resulting from the use of surrogate models by conducting uncertainty analysis. Under the guidance of experimental design, sample points were selected for computational fluid dynamics(CFD) simulation and a surrogate model was constructed. The errors of the surrogate model were fitted using a normal distribution, and uncertainty analysis and constraints were applied to the surrogate model using the Reliability Index Approach (RIA). The NSGA-III algorithm was employed for optimization. Based on the approximate Pareto front obtained from optimization, additional sample points were selected using orthogonal experimental design to supplement the dataset. The surrogate model was then improved, and the changes in accuracy were analyzed by comparing the probability distribution functions of the errors before and after adding the sample points. The final Pareto front was obtained. Through CFD simulation verification, the surrogate model achieved a prediction accuracy of 99.6%. The optimized unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) exhibited a 113.341% improvement in thrust-to-weight ratio(y) and a 26.5% increase in aero ratio(a). The research demonstrates that the improved surrogate model has a high prediction accuracy and the methodology based on the improved surrogate model and RIA uncertainty analysis plays an important role in the optimization of novel rotorcraft.
Prevalence and Consequences of Workplace Violence among Nurses: A Study at Accra Psychiatric Hospital
Authors: Battanis Yvonne Yawa , Adjorlolo Samuel
Published: September 2023

Background
Workplace violence has been identified as an endemic problem affecting all healthcare workers, especially mental health nurses. In the health sector, less emphasis has been paid to workplace violence, with most studies on violence taking place in high-income nations and only a handful in low- and middle-income countries. This study investigates the prevalence and consequences of workplace violence among mental health nurses working in Accra Psychiatric Hospital, Ghana.
Methods
Data were collected from 233 mental health nurses using a cross-sectional approach and adapted the Workplace Violence in the Health Sector Country Case Studies Research Instrument to collect data on the prevalence and self-reported consequences of workplace violence among nurses. Data were analysed with SPSS Version 23.0 and Microsoft Excel 2008, using descriptive statistics and results presented in tables.
Results
Workplace violence was identified to be prevalent among nurses working in the hospital with 21.9%, 52.8%, and 6.0% reporting physical violence, verbal abuse and sexual harassment cases, respectively. Consequences of workplace violence include being super alert or watchful and on guard; difficulty avoiding thinking about or talking about the event or having feelings related to it; disturbing images/memories/thoughts of the event and feeling sick.
Conclusion
Workplace violence is prevalent among nurses and impacts their health and safety. Ensuring effective strategies and procedures for reducing and reporting violence will help find a lasting solution to workplace violence among mental health nurses.
Self-Adaption Rapid Screening Model Research on Psychological Symptoms of Prisoners in Community Correction Based on Machine Learning
Authors: Xu Zhifei , Pan Zhigeng , Wang Yan , Zhang Yichao , Leng Pengfei
Published: September 2023

The SCL-90 Symptom Checklist is a widely used screening scale in psychiatry and psychology in clinical practice,has also been adopted by community correction institutions as the main tool for psychological assessment of community correction prisoners.However, in practical work, there are many problems with the evaluation of this scale, such as a complex number of questions, low cultural level of chief examiner, and insufficient specialization level of the community corrections officer (CCO) .For this reason, grassroots community correction institutions generally use the SF-12 Health Survey Brief as a preliminary screening tool. This scale only has 12 questions, improving work efficiency, but it is prone to missed screening. As a widely used evaluation scale, it also lacks group specificity.
Therefore, this study discusses how to compare the use of multi-label classification algorithm and oversampling method to build machine learning model and find the association between the mental health risk of the special group and the group trait data. By using the idea of computerized adaptive testing (CAT) for reference, and according to the trait level of community correction prisoners, the most suitable one or more subscales from the nine subscales of symptom checklist SCL-90 are personally recommended for the subjects.Thus, adaptive dynamic simplification and personalized recommendation of the SCL-90 scale (between question groups) targeting a specific group of community correctional prisoners have been achieved. This method not only simplifies the number of questions, reduces the test time, improves the work efficiency, but also enhances the pertinence of groups and scenes. It is beneficial for community correction institutions to predict, prevent and warn regulatory safety events, and timely play the role of correction and shaping the heart to effectively prevent and reduce the recidivism of released prisoners.
An Interoperable Web-based Application for 3D City Modelling and Analysis
Authors: Usta Ziya , Cömert Çetin , Akın Alper Tunga
Published: September 2023

This study presents a web-based application developed for the efficient management of large 3D city models (3DCMs). The application offers functionalities such as 3D tiling, web-based visualization, 3DCM generation from 2D data, and 3D spatial analysis. It complies with international standards and utilizes open-source software components. The application includes a 3D tiling tool that implements the OGC 3D Tiles Standard, allowing users to partition their 3DCMs into optimized tiles for storage, transmission, and rendering. A web-based procedural modeling tool enables users to generate 3DCMs from 2D building footprint data without the need for complex modeling languages. A 3D spatial analysis component empowers users to perform comprehensive spatial analyses within the web-based environment. Leveraging modern web technologies facilitates precise and efficient spatial computations. To provide standardized visualization, the application features a viewer and client application built using HTML5 and WebGL technologies. This viewer adheres closely to the 3D Tiles Standard , enabling immersive navigation and interaction with 3DCMs. By combining these components, this web-based application intuitiveize the management of large 3DCMs, offering enhanced visualization, analysis, and model generation capabilities. It represents a milestone in web-based 3D city model management, prioritizing international standards and open-source principles.
The Effect of Quiet Eye Training on Golf Putting Performance in Pressure Situation
Authors: He Qiao , Liu Yunzhou
Published: September 2023

Purpose
This study discussed the effect and mechanism of quiet eye training on the accuracy of golfers´ putts in pressure situations. This study provides methods and basis for targeted attention training and regulation.
Method
22 young golfers in China golf team aged from 13–18 were randomly assigned to the experimental group (quiet eye training group) and the control group (technical guidance group) according to gender. Both groups of participants underwent two consecutive weeks of push training (3 groups per day, 20 times golf putter training each group) separately in accordance with the guidance of a professional psychological research group and an expert coach. Eye tracking technology, biofeedback technology, and subjective evaluation methods were used to test and analyze the push process of the two groups of participants before and after training under pressure situations (Eye movement behaviors and the heart rate were recorded by ASL Mobile Eye-XG and NeXus-2 biofeedback, pressure and state anxiety were evaluated by self-rating pressure scale and S-AI. Golf putting performance was recorded by a research graduate assistant).
Results
A higher hit ratio as well as lower pressure and SAI level was founded in quiet eye training group in the pressure situation, the stationary eye movement time and total fixation time was longer than technical group. The quiet eye training group has a better putting performance.
Conclusions
Quiet eye training can improve the golf putting performance in pressure situations.
Estimation of Water Quality Index using modern-day machine learning algorithms
Authors: Gupta Piyush , Samui Pijush , Quaff A. R.
Published: September 2023

Many human-made activities currently pollute groundwater supplies, with mining operations playing a substantial role in this degradation. Water quality index (WQI) was calculated and forecasted for groundwater in gold mining sites of Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), Karnataka, using several water quality criteria. Aside from the difficulties in obtaining water quality monitoring for a specific location, artificial intelligence (AI) approaches have shown beneficial in consistently calculating target WQI based on optimum combination proportions. In the absence of available data, the most critical input parameters were discovered using three sophisticated deep learning models: convolution neural network (CNN), deep neural network (DNN), and recurrent neural network (RNN). The models were created utilizing the findings of seasonal monitoring experiments using various water quality metrics 80% of the experimental data was used to train the models, with the remainder used to validate the models. The best hyper-parameters for each model were trial-and-error selected; for CNN, DNN, and RNN, variable numbers of hidden layers, neurons, and training algorithms were used. Using parametric analyses on a simulated dataset, the trained models were validated. Mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), determination coefficient (R2), Nash Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), variance account factor (VAF), performance index (PI), Willmott's index of agreement (WI), mean bias error (MBE), and Root Relative Squared Error (RRSE) were used to assess the predictive abilities of proposed models. Furthermore, each model's strengths and weaknesses are examined. The researchers discovered that using CNN to do systematic calculations between water parameters and time series might be a useful tool for rapid water quality monitoring.
Energy Management in Microgrid
Authors: Haldar Arup , Banerji Ambarnath
Published: September 2023

Energy demand has shown an increase in recent years, and distributed energy generation and load management systems are essential components in modern Microgrids (MG). An effective and continuous monitoring of the grid represented a challenge. The proposed method regulates the power flow of the microgrid, improving the Load-management performance.
On-site calibration procedure and uncertainty contributions on air temperature sensors
Authors: Aranda Natali Giselle , Merlone Andrea
Published: September 2023

Due to the increasing demand of climate change studies, traceability of measurements according to the International System of Units (SI) becomes fundamental to establish data quality and comparability in time. With the aim of guaranteeing the traceability, in October 2022, an on-site calibration of three thermometers operated by the Osservatorio meteorologico di Moncalieri was assessed. The calibration by comparison against traceable travelling standards was performed in a transportable thermal chamber manufactured by the Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRIM). Results showed that the main uncertainty contributions to the expanded uncertainty were the interpolation method, the chamber inhomogeneity and the repeatability of the sensors under calibration. This current calibration was compared with previous calibration in 2012 (on-site calibration) and in 2016 (laboratory calibration). The comparison analysis evidenced the drift effect on the thermometers and the importance of having an active calibration program to reduce this effect. Regarding the expanded uncertainty, both on-site calibrations presented the same order of magnitude and smaller than the correction values. This paper points out the advantage of performing an on-site calibration: since the calibration involves the same dataloggers and cables in thesame environmental conditions, the calculated calibration curve represents more convincingly the real measurement conditions.
Coordinated Self-Assembly and Feedback Control of Distributed Magnetic Cuboid Robots
Authors: Rogowski Louis William , Kararsiz Gokhan , Bhattacharjee Anuruddha , Lu Yitong , Wang Zhengguang , Zhang Xiao , Becker Aaron T. , Kim Min Jun
Published: September 2023

Small-scale magnetic robots that can assemble, disassemble, and propel under globally applied magnetic fields can be versatile modular subunits for manufacturing and in vivo operations. This paper presents a magnetic cuboid robot that contains assembled cubes with encapsulated freely rotating permanent magnets. This minimalistic, scalable design enables the magnetic cubes to assemble under magnetic fields into a cube chain that can propel using pivot-walking locomotion. A vision-based closed-loop controller that modulates the cuboid robot's position and orientation during pivot walking is presented. The controller is simulated to navigate cuboid robots to user-selected goal locations. A BFS (Breadth-First Search) path-planning algorithm for obstacle avoidance is used to generate optimal paths for closed-loop pivot walking.Two physical workspaces are tested, one with a large free space and the other with a maze.Experiments and simulations demonstrate that magnetic cuboid robots can navigate in complex mazes and selectively self-assemble into cube chains while following the optimal path generated by the motion planner with visual feedback control.
Extra O2 evolution reveals an O2-independent alternative electron sink in photosynthesis of marine diatoms
Authors: Shimakawa Ginga , Matsuda Yusuke
Published: September 2023

Following the principle of oxygenic photosynthesis, electron transport in the thylakoid membranes (i.e., light reaction) generates ATP and NADPH from light energy, which is subsequently utilized for CO2 fixation in the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle (i.e., dark reaction). These two processes generally maintain a strict equal stoichiometry between O2 evolution and CO2 consumption. The tight coupling of photosynthetic light and dark reactions breaks only where an alternative electron flow functions with a large capacity comparable to that of CO2 fixation. Here, we quantitatively monitored O2 and total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) during photosynthesis in the pennate diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and found that evolved O2 was larger than the consumption of DIC, which was consistent with 14CO2 measurements in literature. In our measurements, the stoichiometry of O2 evolution to DIC consumption was always around 1.5 during photosynthesis at different DIC concentrations. The same stoichiometry was observed in the cells grown under different CO2 concentrations and nitrogen sources except for the nitrogen-starved cells showing O2 evolution 4 times larger than DIC consumption. An inhibitor to nitrogen assimilation did not affect the extra O2 evolution. Further, the same physiological phenomenon was observed in the centric diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana. Based on the present dataset, we propose that the marine diatoms possess the metabolic pathway(s) functioning as the O2-independent electron sink under steady state photosynthesis that reaches nearly half of electron flux of the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle.
Effect of organizational culture on organizational learning, employee engagement, and employee performance: Study of banking employees in Indonesia
Authors: Hasan Halid
Published: September 2023

Banking institutions are still interesting to study, as are the problems of their employees. If, in the past, organizational culture was an ideology that was difficult to change, now it is possible to change it due to various economic, social, and political upheavals. This study aims to examine the effect of organizational culture on organizational learning, employee engagement, and employee performance in the banking sphere of Indonesia, involving 215 cashiers, customer service staff, and security guards. Data were analyzed for direct and indirect effects using SEM PLS, with organizational culture as an independent and organizational learning, employee engagement, and employee performance as dependent variables. It was found that organizational culture indirectly affects employee performance through organizational learning and employee engagement, which produced the most significant effect. This serves as evidence that the administration of personnel in the banking sector must be carried out comprehensively, taking into account the needs of employees and adjusting to organizational needs and capabilities. This study can serve as a valuable point of reference for similar research by providing variations to respondents based on age, bearing in mind that the requirements of employees in the current generation are different from previous generations.
Agricultural trade between Malaysia and China: Competitiveness and complementarity
Authors: Tao Zhe , Shankar Ramasamy Siva , Ying Fangli
Published: September 2023

The discernment of trade competitiveness and complementarity findings holds crucial implications for policymakers, facilitating the formulation and implementation of strategies conducive to fostering economic growth. This study aims to determine the latest level of competitiveness and complementarity of the agricultural trade between Malaysia and China. This investigation uses quantitative research methodologies to draw upon data extracted from the UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database, specifically employing the HS2012 (HS12) classification system from 2017 to 2019. The empirical findings illuminate significant trends. China displays a pronounced comparative advantage in exporting agricultural products classified by HS12 items 05, 13, and 16, whereas Malaysia exhibits a pronounced comparative advantage in exporting HS12 items 14, 15, 18, 19, and 21. The examination of trade dynamics unveils that HS12 item 07 demonstrates a complementary relationship in terms of China’s exports and Malaysia’s imports, while HS12 items 14, 15, and 19 exhibit complementarity from the perspective of Malaysia’s exports and China’s imports. The trade intensity index (>1) substantiates the profound interconnectedness characterizing bilateral agricultural trade ties between the two nations. The investigation uncovers inter-industry advantages within HS12 items 06, 07, 11, 14, and 16, juxtaposed with intra-industry advantages specifically about HS12 item 23. The findings provide evidence of the inherent comparative advantages prevalent within diverse agricultural product categories. Consequently, this study not only aids policymakers but also furnishes traders within Malaysia and China with strategic insights, thereby facilitating the development of plans to augment the competitive prowess within their respective agricultural sectors.
Spatial varying and co-occurring future climate changes over a heterogeneous river basin: a multivariate approach
Authors: Gehlot Lalit Kumar , Patel P. L. , Timbadiya P. V.
Published: September 2023

This study explored co-occurring climate-scale changes across the physioclimatically heterogeneous Tapi River basin (TRB) for baseline (1991–2020) and future periods (2021–2100). We used a novel multivariate framework comprising multi-model ensembles of bias-corrected rainfall and temperature from five global climate models (CMIP-5), 12 climate indices (six for each variable), and principal component analysis (PCA). The univariate assessment showed statistically significant warming of 1.1–1.8 °C (1.5–4.0 °C) under RCP-4.5 (RCP-8.5) scenarios. The Middle Tapi basin showed a substantial shift towards a wetter climate regime in the future. The multivariate assessment of spatially varying climate indices resulted in four significant principal components (PCs). The relative evaluation of these PCs showed that nearly 41.6% (47.0%) of the TRB is vulnerable to the transition of the current climatic patterns to the dry–warm (wet–warm) regime under RCP-8.5 (RCP-4.5) in the near (distant) future. On the optimistic side, under RCP-4.5 and RCP-8.5, 53.0% and 69.8% of the TRB displayed signs of uniform temporal distribution with wet rainfall regimes and profound warming towards the end of the 21st century, respectively. The study outcomes would help to devise policies for regional sustainability and adopt mitigation measures to enhance resiliency in a changing climate.
Waterborne transmission of protozoan parasites: a review of worldwide outbreaks – an update 2017–2022
Authors: Bourli Pavlina , Eslahi Aida Vafae , Tzoraki Ourania , Karanis Panagiotis
Published: September 2023

The current study presents a comprehensive review of worldwide waterborne parasitic protozoan outbreaks reported between 2017 and 2022. In total, 416 outbreaks were attributed to the waterborne transmission of parasitic protozoa. Cryptosporidium accounted for 77.4% (322) of outbreaks, while Giardia was identified as the etiological agent in 17.1% (71). Toxoplasma gondii and Naegleria fowleri were the primary causes in 1.4% (6) and 1% (4) of outbreaks, respectively. Blastocystis hominis, Cyclospora cayetanensis, and Dientamoeba fragilis were independently identified in 0.72% (3) of outbreaks. Moreover, Acanthamoeba spp., Entamoeba histolytica, Vittaforma corneae, and Enterocytozoon bieneusi were independently the causal agents in 0.24% (1) of the total outbreaks. The majority of the outbreaks (195, 47%) were reported in North America. The suspected sources for 313 (75.2%) waterborne parasitic outbreaks were recreational water and/or swimming pools, accounting for 92% of the total Cryptosporidium outbreaks. Furthermore, 25.3% of the outbreaks caused by Giardia were associated with recreational water and/or swimming pools. Developing countries are most likely to be impacted by such outbreaks due to the lack of reliable monitoring strategies and water treatment processes. There is still a need for international surveillance and reporting systems concerning both waterborne diseases and water contamination with parasitic protozoa.
Assessing groundwater quality: a case study in Ghana Talensi district
Authors: Iddrisu Umar Farouk , Armah Edward Kwaku , Tetteh Emmanuel K. , Amedorme Bright Selorm
Published: September 2023

Because most life processes are directly or indirectly related to water, people are investigating on the various sources of drinking water supply. Surface water and groundwater are the most common sources of water for domestic and other uses. The availability of safe and sufficient drinking water in developing countries’ rural and many urban areas is critical. Groundwater has become the primary source of drinking water supply in northern Ghana, particularly in rural areas. Tongo, in northern Ghana, is entirely dependent on groundwater for its drinking water supply. The quality of groundwater from 15 boreholes and open well samples was assessed in this study. The primary goals of the research are to assess the quality of groundwater for drinking and to determine the distribution of major ions in groundwater and the factors that control them. Groundwater physicochemical parameters were within the WHO guidelines limit. However, coliform bacteria were found in some groundwater sources. Anthropogenic, natural, and ion exchange processes were also identified as controlling groundwater major ion distribution. Insanitary conditions were identified as potential sources of contamination during field observations. As a result, the regular monitoring of groundwater resources could reveal more about the area's groundwater quality status.
Driving factors for decoupling water resources ecological footprint and economic growth in water-deficient cities dominated by agriculture
Authors: Zhang Wenqi , Liu Defu , Chen Xianming , Zhou Xiaoguo , Ding Yifan , Zhang Jialei
Published: September 2023

To explore the key factors and specific thresholds of water resources limiting economic development, and to provide technical support for water resources management in cities dominated by agriculture similar to Zhangjiakou. We used the Tapio elastic decoupling method to quantitatively evaluate the decoupling relationship between the water resources ecological footprint (WEF) and economic growth. Then the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) and mathematical statistics are used to identify the key factors and threshold effects. The results show a significant decreasing trend in the WEF and obvious spatial differences in Zhangjiakou between 2006 and 2015, with agricultural ecological footprint dominating all districts and counties (77.54 ± 14.35%). The changes in technological effect are a contributing factor to the decoupling between the WEF and the economy in Zhangjiakou, while the economic effect is the main restricting factor. In particular, there is a high correlation between the WEF and the number of water-saving irrigation machines and the total power of agricultural machinery. According to the findings, for water-scarce cities such as Zhangjiakou, where agriculture is the primary focus, it is suggested that increasing the number of agricultural machinery can effectively alleviate the problem of water scarcity constraining economic development.
FUNKCJONOWANIE KOMUNIKACYJNE I SPOŁECZNE DZIECKA/UCZNIA ZE SPEKTRUM ZABURZEŃ AUTYSTYCZNYCH (ASD) I DZIECKA/UCZNIA Z MUTYZMEM WYBIÓRCZYM (MW) – PODOBIEŃSTWA I RÓŻNICE
Authors: Marciniak-Firadza Renata
Published: September 2023

Autyzm i mutyzm, chociaż mają wspólne komponenty (por. np. trudności z werbalnym komunikowaniem się, problemy w nawiązywaniu interakcji społecznych, trudności z kontaktem wzrokowym, nadwrażliwość na dotyk czy dźwięk), to stanowią dwa odmienne etiologicznie zaburzenia. Celem artykułu jest wskazanie podobieństw i różnic między tymi dwoma zaburzeniami w sferze funkcjonowania komunikacyjnego i społecznego dziecka/ucznia. Wiedza dotycząca funkcjonowania dziecka/ucznia z mutyzmem wybiórczym i ze spektrum autyzmu pozwoli specjalistom na prawidłową diagnozę różnicową, jak i wykluczającą.
FABI FAMILY BALANCE INVENTORY – INNOWACYJNA METODA DIAGNOZY RÓWNOWAGI MIĘDZY ŻYCIEM ZAWODOWYM I RODZINNYM
Authors: Kulesza Marek
Published: September 2023

Artykuł przedstawia innowacyjną, oryginalną metodę diagnozowania równowagi pomiędzy życiem zawodowym i rodzinnym wykorzystującą metodykę ambulatory assessment oraz narzędzie FABI – Family Balance Inventory. Samo narzędzie oraz postępowanie diagnostyczne są efektem międzynarodowego projektu partnerskiego zrealizowanego w latach 2017–21 przez badaczy Uniwersytetu Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego we współpracy z zespołem Katolickiego Uniwersytetu Eichstätt–Ingolstadt. W artykule przedstawiono kontekst powstania narzędzia, jego metodyczne, koncepcyjne i teoretyczne założenia oraz propozycje jego umocowania i wykorzystania w postępowaniu diagnostycznym realizowanym z jego wykorzystaniem.
METHODOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF QUALITATIVE TESTS IN THE SCOPE OF HISTORY OF ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION
Authors: Wolter Edyta
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this article is to present the subject of methodological implications of qualitative (interpretative / understanding) research in the scope of the history of ecological education. This article explains the idea of culture. It presents the method of qualitative research: hermeneutics, the foundations of the hermeneutic tradition in European culture is listed / defined here, and a review of key concepts that should be understood in the process of carrying out scientific research in the field of environmental education. It has a substantial structure (issue layout) and consists of three parts and a conclusion.
PEDAGOGICAL STUDENTS AS ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION ANIMATORS
Authors: Potyrała Katarzyna , Tuszyńska Ligia , Makiewicz Małgorzata
Published: September 2023

Obecny stan wiedzy potwierdza, że ​​edukacja ekologiczna jest częścią integralnego procesu pedagogicznego każdej placówki oświatowej, mającego na celu m.in. rozwój działań proekologicznych. Celem badań było zdiagnozowanie poziomu świadomości ekologicznej absolwentów kierunków pedagogicznych oraz ich determinacji do angażowania się w działania edukacyjne ze społecznościami lokalnymi na rzecz zrównoważonego rozwoju. Badania oparto na paradygmatycznych założeniach zrównoważonego rozwoju, teorii aktywności społecznej, teorii przywództwa edukacyjnego oraz teorii świadomości ekologicznej. Koncepcja badawcza opierała się na refleksji nad różnicami między liderami pod kątem ich potencjału przywódczego, tj. transformacyjnego lub transakcyjnego. Wyniki dotyczą wiedzy na temat podstawowych koncepcji zrównoważonego rozwoju, deklaracji zachowań przywódczych zagregowanych do skal transaktywnej i transformacyjnej oraz refleksji nad uwarunkowaniami podejmowania przez młodych edukatorów działań na rzecz środowiska lokalnego. Przeprowadzone badania pozwalają na stwierdzenie konieczności przebudowy systemu edukacji ekologicznej na wszystkich poziomach kształcenia oraz podniesienia rangi liderów społeczności lokalnych poprzez formalne wzmocnienie ich pozycji ekologicznej.
A Review of Stem Cell Therapy in Ischemic Heart Disease, Where are We Now?
Authors: Kiwan Yahya , Shehab Abdulla , Shehab Omer Abdulla , Elnour Asim Ahmed
Published: September 2023

Background:

Regenerative therapies to rejuvenate the heart have a significant appeal for researchers. Preliminary findings from pre-clinical studies suggest that bone marrow cells may have reparative and regenerative effects on heart muscles, creating a ripe area for research. Many generations of stem cells used in pre-clinical and early clinical studies have shown promising but variable results.

Objective:

The current review article discusses the dilemmas in applying stem cell therapy to cardiovascular diseases and possible strategies to make it feasible.

Methods:

The field of regenerative therapies continued to progress with second-generation cells, third-generation cells, combination cell therapy, and the use of cell products alone. Research showed promising positive results in multiple randomized phases 1, 2, and 3 clinical trials in addition to numerous meta-analyses. The gaps in knowledge included stem-cell sources, their delivery routes, dosing, types of cells, and the indicated cardiac conditions.

Results:

The results from the latest randomized clinical trials, namely the Dream-HF, showed improved left ventricle function, symptoms, and overall survival. Studied patient populations include post-myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic/non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, intractable/microvascular angina, and cardiac surgery for congenital and valvular heart disease. The phase 3 DREAM-HF trial did not meet the primary heart failure endpoint of reducing hospital admission. Still, it showed a clinically significant reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including recurrent MI and stroke, by 60%. A 60% reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a 79% reduction in cardiovascular mortality in patients with evidence of inflammation (high CRP). The latter finding suggests a more anti-inflammatory effect. This effect was much higher than that observed in the PARADIGM-HF trial, which showed a 20% relative risk reduction in cardiovascular mortality. By combining the results of the DREAM-HF trial with MSC-HF, ixCELL-DCM, CONCERT-HF, and REGENERATE-DCM, the potential for clinical applications of cell therapy is promising.

Conclusion:

There is a promising role for cell therapy in the management of cardiovascular diseases. Results of trials in the setting of heart failure are more encouraging in both ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. This is in contrast with acute myocardial infarction, where the results have been variable. Amongst all the various cell types tested MSCs show the most significant promise for treating HF.
An Early Detection and Classification of Alzheimer's Disease Framework Based
on ResNet-50
Authors: Nithya V P , Mohanasundaram N , Santhosh R.
Published: September 2023

Objective:

The objective of this study is to develop a more effective early detection system for Alzheimer's disease (AD) using a Deep Residual Network (ResNet) model by addressing the issue of convolutional layers in conventional Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and applying image preprocessing techniques.

Methods:

The proposed method involves using Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalizer (CLAHE) and Boosted Anisotropic Diffusion Filters (BADF) for equalization and noise removal and K-means clustering for segmentation. A ResNet-50 model with shortcut links between three residual layers is proposed to extract features more efficiently. ResNet-50 is preferred over other ResNet types due to its intermediate depth, striking a balance between computational efficiency and improved performance, making it a widely adopted and effective architecture for various computer vision tasks. While other ResNet variations may offer higher depths, they are more prone to overfitting and computational complexity, which can hinder their practical application. The proposed method is evaluated on a dataset of MRI scans of AD patients.

Results:

The proposed method achieved high accuracy and minimum losses of 95% and 0.12, respectively. While some models showed better accuracy, they were prone to overfitting. In contrast, the suggested framework, based on the ResNet-50 model, demonstrated superior performance in terms of various performance metrics, providing a robust and reliable approach to Alzheimer's disease categorization.

Conclusion:

The proposed ResNet-50 model with shortcut links between three residual layers, combined with image preprocessing techniques, provides an effective early detection system for AD. The study demonstrates the potential of deep learning and image processing techniques in developing accurate and efficient diagnostic tools for AD. The proposed method improves the existing approaches to AD classification and provides a promising framework for future research in this area.
An Updated Review on the Chemistry, Biological Characteristics and Analytical
Techniques of Dapagliflozin
Authors: Chaudhari Ujwal , Sahu Jagdish K. , Dande Payal R.
Published: September 2023

Background:

Globally, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevalence is increasing. A patient must have lifetime therapy for diabetes to manage it and prevent any complications. There are many different medications that can be used to treat Type 2 diabetes. Still, almost all of them concentrate on the declining insulin sensitivity and secretion that are associated with the onset of the illness.

Methods:

There is growing interest in the development of innovative anti-diabetic medications that are not insulin-reliant because treatments with such insulin-dependent mechanisms of action usually lose their effectiveness over time. One such technique is the inhibition of renal glucose reuptake.

Results:

Dapagliflozin, the first line of selective sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors that re-duce renal glucose reabsorption, is currently being developed as a therapy for Type 2 diabetes. Numerous analytical techniques have been developed for its detection, measurement, and regular quality control procedures.

Conclusion:

This review deliberates a thorough discussion on the chemistry of Dapagliflozin, all of its pharmacological actions with analytical and bioanalytical analyses, and more information on the clinical trials.
1. Governação europeia multiníveis, inteligência coletiva e cooperação territorial
Authors: Covas António
Published: September 2023

A tese que aqui apresento procura correlacionar a governação multiníveis europeia e a governabilidade em território aberto com a abertura para novas formas de cooperação interurbana e inter-regional, nos planos supranacional, infranacional e transnacional, que a transição digital e as plataformas colaborativas podem ajudar a promover e estabelecer e, agora, vistas mais como questões de processo e procedimento do que como questões de estrutura e sistema.
Understanding Senior Adults’ Needs, Preferences, and Experiences of Commercial Exergames for Health: Usability Study
Authors: Wang Yu-Han
Published: September 2023

Background

Many senior adults are at risk of mental and physical disorders due to a lack of sufficient exercise. Therefore, adherent exercise should be urgently promoted to improve senior adults’ muscle strength, preventing falls and conditions caused by physical and cognitive decline. However, off-the-shelf exercise games, so-called exergames, are mainly targeted at the younger generation or children, while senior adults are neglected, when this age group strongly needs exercise. Exergames could serve as a health intervention for promoting exercise.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate senior adults’ experience, perceptions, and acceptance of game technology to promote exercise in order to suggest game design guidelines.

Methods

In this usability study, participants engaged in playing Nintendo Switch and Xbox Kinect games, after which semistructured interviews were conducted. Before the gameplay, the participants provided their background information, exercise habits, and use of technology products. Next, all participants completed a workshop including 3 activities (brief instructions on how to play the games: 20 minutes; playing the selected exergames: 80 minutes; semistructured interviews: 20 minutes) for 2 hours a day for 3 days each. The participants played the latest Nintendo Switch games (eg, Just Dance, Boxing, Ring Fit Adventure) and Xbox Kinect games (eg, Kinect Adventures!, Mini Games). Just Dance, Zumba, and Boxing were played in activity 1; Ring Fit Adventure and Mini Games in activity 2; and Kinect Adventures! in activity 3. Reflexive thematic analysis was applied to identify the relative themes generated from the interviews.

Results

In total, 22 participants (mean age 70.4, SD 6.1 years) were enrolled in the workshop in May 2021. The results of the generated themes included incomprehension of game instructions, psychological perception of game technology, and game art preferences. The subthemes generated from game art preferences included favorite game genres, characters, and scenes.

Conclusions

There is a significant need for customized game tutorials considering senior adults’ cognitive and physical aging. Furthermore, the adventure game genre is preferable to other games. Humanlike game characters are preferable, especially those with a fit and healthy body shape. Nature scenes are more enjoyable than indoor stages or rooms. Furthermore, the game intensity design and playing time should be carefully planned to meet the World Health Organization’s criteria for physical activity in older adults. Intelligent recommendation systems might be helpful to support older adults with various health conditions. The guidelines suggested in this study might be beneficial for game design, exercise training, and game technology adoption of exergames for older adults to improve health.
Merits and Pitfalls of Social Media as a Platform for Recruitment of Study Participants
Authors: Oudat Qutaibah , Bakas Tamilyn
Published: September 2023

Efficient and effective methods of recruiting participants for studies have characteristically come with many challenges. The unprecedented rise of social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram has revolutionized the ease of recruiting participants as compared to more traditional methods such as newspaper or radio advertisements. While these new advancements may seem to increase the success of recruitment, they are not without their own faults and limitations. In this paper, we intend to dissect the advantages and disadvantages of social media platforms in recruiting participants. Specifically, we will discuss the advantages of targeted and rapid recruitment, engagement, and cost reduction as well as the disadvantages of representativeness, privacy concerns, limited control, and limited access.