bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sex-Stratified Mendelian Randomization Study on the Associations Between Dietary Habits and Colorectal Cancer Risk
Authors: Huang Qilu
Published: November 2024

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major global health challenge, with dietary habits being a key modifiable risk factor. Understanding the relationship between specific dietary habits and CRC can offer valuable insights for prevention. This study aimed to investigate the associations between 72 dietary habits and CRC risk using a sex-stratified Mendelian randomization (MR) approach.Methods: We performed a sex-specific Mendelian randomization study in males and females to assess the causal associations between 72 dietary habits, including drinking water intake, low-calorie drink intake, fizzy drink intake, orange juice intake, and instant coffee intake, and CRC risk. Significant SNPs (P < 5e-6) associated with dietary habits were selected as instrumental variables after clumping. Five MR methods were applied, including Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW) with multiplicative random effects. Sensitivity analyses using IVW, MR-Egger, and leave-one-out tests were conducted to assess pleiotropy and heterogeneity. Dietary habits that remained significant after FDR correction (P < 0.05) were considered to have a significant association with CRC risk.Results: After FDR correction, significant associations were identified in males for average weekly fortified wine intake (OR (95% CI) = 0.985 (0.979–0.991), P = 3.30E-07), sweet pepper intake (OR (95% CI) = 0.996 (0.994–0.998), P = 6.56E-05), and bacon intake (OR (95% CI) = 1.002 (1.001–1.003), P = 0.000417887). In females, symptoms and signs concerning food and fluid intake were significantly associated with CRC (OR (95% CI) = 1.083 (1.046–1.121), P = 6.08E-06). No evidence of pleiotropy or heterogeneity was observed in the sensitivity analyses.Conclusion: This study provides robust evidence that several dietary habits are causally associated with CRC risk in a sex-specific manner. The findings emphasize the importance of personalized dietary recommendations for CRC prevention and highlight key dietary factors influencing CRC risk in both males and females.
Temperature field reconstruction of stirred friction welding based on deep learning work conditions features fusion
Authors: Lou Chenxukun , Xu Feng , Gui Liang , Li Runhan , Qi Changheng , Zuo Dunwen
Published: November 2024

The evolution of the temperature field during the friction stir welding (FSW) process is critical to both weld seam quality and the realization of intelligent welding. Traditional finite element simulations, while accurate, are time-consuming and unsuitable for real-time correction, while neural network-based methods for reconstructing the temperature field often lack the efficiency required for real-time monitoring. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a temperature field reconstruction method for FSW that integrates deep learning and working condition feature fusion. The method utilises a generative adversarial network (UGAN) model to achieve the fusion of working condition features with temperature field images. The UGAN generator employs an encoder-decoder architecture with skip connections to enhance multi-scale feature extraction, while the Patch Generative Adversarial Network (PatchGAN) structure is used to improve the perception of image details. To further refine predictions, the Cuckoo Search (CS) algorithm is applied to correct the predicted temperature images, thereby establishing a correction model for the temperature field. This approach effectively combines deep learning techniques with working condition data to significantly enhance the accuracy of temperature field prediction and enable real-time reconstruction for FSW.
Dynamic wavelength and bandwidth allocation algorithm for minimizing Frame arra ngement based on searching the fittest ONU in NG-EPON
Authors: Kim Myong Il
Published: November 2024

In NG-EPON, while we allocate wavelength and bandwidth to ONUs, balancing the fairness and minimizing frame arrangement are important problems, which is to use bandwidth efficiently. In this paper we proposed two algorithms, one is DWBA-MBD, based on reducing difference of bandwidth utilizations of wavelengths and another is DWBA-SFOP based on searching the fittest ONU bonding pairs to reduce the number of frame guard on total bandwidth by minimizing frame division. DWBA-SFO allocates bandwidth to the fittest ONU for reducing difference of bandwidth of total wavelength while allocating wavelengths DWBA-SFOP allocates bandwidth to the fittest ONU pairs by using the available average bandwidth of each wavelength. Proposed algorithms can achieve good fairness and efficiency of total wavelength utilization.
Nutritional and Dietary Menu Assessment of Cadets in terms of macronutrients, micronutrients and energy balance at the Army Military Academy
Authors: rad reza sabzevari
Published: November 2024

Background
proper nutrition is considered one of the most important pillars of health, which plays the most important role in improving the physical and mental fitness of military forces. Deficiencies and excessive intake of macro and micronutrients will cause a waste of material resources in addition to the adverse effects it can have on their health. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the waste of resources and their secondary effects.
Methodology:
150 military students were selected by random sampling. Demographic information, IPAQ physical activity and food frequency questionnaires based on 168 valid FFQ168 food items were used to collect data. After collecting the data, in order to determine the normality of the data distribution, the Shapiro-Wilk test was used. The obtained data were analyzed using a t-test in SPSS 20 software at a significance level of less than 0.05.
Result
Age, height, weight, body mass index, hours of sleep per day and duration of sedentary activities per week were respectively 21.20 ± 7.8 years, 176.7 ± 6.6 cm, 76.5 ± 9.6 kg, 24.5 ± 2.8 kg/m2, 7.3 ± 1.2 hours and 251 ± 60 minutes per week. The results of this study showed that dietary intake in terms of energy expenditure, protein, linolenic acid (omega-3), linoleic acid (omega-6), fiber intake, water intake, vitamins A, D, C, E, B1, B5, B6 B9, B12, H, choline, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, copper, selenium, manganese, fluorine, chromium, molybdenum, boron, cobalt, nickel are lower than MDRIs (p = 0.001). which can cause complications due to the lack of macronutrients and micronutrients. Also, the amount of energy received, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins K, B2, B3, sodium, chlorine, and iodine were more than MDRIs (p = 0.001), which will have adverse effects on the health of students and waste of material resources.
Conclusion
The assessment of energy balance and nutritional needs, including macronutrients, vitamins and minerals, and then developing a precise and appropriate diet in military students is very important for their general health and performance. Therefore, to prevent side effects and loss of resources, the need to use supplements or include food groups that provide micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, in their diet is an undeniable necessity.
Development of a Wireless Electroretinogram Recording System
Authors: Man Tsz Chun , Yip Wong Ying , Pang Chi Pui , Brelén Mårten Erik
Published: November 2024

A novel device consisting of amplifiers, an analogue-digital converter, offset correction units, and a microcontroller with Bluetooth wireless functionality was fabricated. Electroretinography (ERG) recordings were captured in dark-adapted and light-adapted full-field flash stimulations using the novel wireless system. Recordings were repeated using a standard ERG recording setup of the Espion E3 system for comparison. The electroretinogram signal a-wave and b-wave amplitudes, peak times, signal offset, potential drift, and power line noise were compared between the recording setups. Signals from the novel system were found to have similar waveforms to those recorded from the standard ERG setup. There were no significant differences in the a-wave amplitudes (P > 0.43), a-wave peak times (P > 0.61) and b-wave peak times (P > 0.55). The offset potential drift when using the novel system was significantly smaller than the reference system (P < 0.02). The novel system also showed stronger resilience against powerline noise interference, as evidenced by a statistically significant performance increase during recordings with substantial noise interference (P < 0.01). The on-source signal processing and wireless transmission can improve the quality of recorded ERG signals. Our study demonstrates a proof of concept for performing wireless ERG recordings, which enhance the performance by reducing noise and potential drift in the recorded signals.
Mechanical and Thermal Insulation Properties of Hollow Glass Microspheres Coated with Al2O3 Polyester-based Composite Coatings
Authors: GUO Haiwei , ZHOU Miaomiao , FENG Yashan , LV Meng , ZHANG Yufang
Published: November 2024

In this study, Al2O3 as a filler was chemically plated on the surface of hollow glass microspheres, and composite coatings with filler contents ranging from 0–35 wt% were prepared using polyester as the matrix. In addition, the structural characteristics of hollow glass microspheres were briefly described. The physical properties, morphology, structural composition, mechanical properties, and thermal insulation of the samples were characterized using a true density tester, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric scanning calorimetry (DSC), a universal testing machine, and a thermal conductivity tester, respectively. The hollow glass microspheres coated with Al2O3 improved the mechanical and thermal insulation properties of the prepared composite coatings. Compared with that of the pure polyester coatings, the tensile strength increased by 7% at a 5 wt% filler content, and the thermal conductivity decreased by 41.7% to 0.404 W/m·K at a 25 wt% filler content.
Analyzing Factors Affecting Age at First Birth among Married Women in Somalia: A Bayesian Shared Frailty Modeling Approach using SDHS 2020
Authors: Osman Abdisalan Ahmed , Esse Abdisalam Amin , Muse Abdisalam Hassan
Published: November 2024

The birth of the first child primarily influences fertility, with young mothers accounting for one in ten childbirths worldwide. Somalia faces challenges in achieving Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 on maternal and child health, owing to its fragmented health system and high maternal mortality rates. The study investigates factors affecting the age at first birth among married women in Somalia, including sociodemographic, economic, and health-related factors. It uses shared frailty modeling and evaluates the Bayesian shared frailty model's performance in capturing variation in birth timing. The Bayesian shared frailty model was applied to identify factors influencing the time to first birth among married women in Somalia. Weibull, log-normal, and log-logistic models were compared, and based on their LOOIC and WAIC values, the log-normal model was found to be the most appropriate, as it had the lowest values, indicating a better fit. Consequently, the Bayesian approach and log-logistic AFT model analysis revealed that Region, Residence, and Husband's desire for children are statistically significant factors for married women’s survival time to first birth in Somalia. The study recommends promoting early marriage, preventing underage marriages, expanding education access, addressing maternal health disparities, and strengthening family planning programs for Somali women's reproductive health, especially in rural and nomadic areas.
Optimization of ResNet50 based on flatten and dense layer insertion applied to facial recognition voting system
Authors: HALIDOU AMINOU , Olle Daniel Georges Olle , Fadja Arnaud Nguembang , Von Kallon Daramy Vandi , Thibault Tchana Ngninkeu Gil
Published: November 2024

Biometrics has been used in the Cameroonian electoral system for several years to improve voters’ identification by delivering voter cards. During the electoral phase, voters with voter cards are identified through a paper-based system at their polling stations. When the results are released, opponents loudly criticize the results citing electoral fraud. One of the issues of fraud to be resolved is multiple voting. To resolve this problem, this paper proposes a system that takes as input facial images from each voter using an enhanced ResNet50 architecture with ArcFace loss for facial recognition, and MTCNN for face detection, compares it with the recorded input features using Maha-lanobis distance, and produces results as output. Positive results imply that he/she can vote. After voting, the voter’s facial image is captured again and a short text message is delivered as confirmation from the system. A summary of the votes is produced which guarantees that a person has voted only once. This paper describes the methodology adopted to build the system. The facial recognition accuracy reached 99.85% which is an improvement compared to the baseline.
The relationship between demographic variables and stress coping strategies in teenage girls in Rasht city
Authors: FarmaniGHasabe Nasibe , Garmaroudi Gholamreza , Leyli Ehsan Kazemnezhad , Farrahi Hassan
Published: November 2024

Due to the fact that teenagers have a lot of psychological pressure in their lives, strategies to deal with stress are very important for them, several factors are effective in stress coping strategies in teenagers, which have not been given much attention so far. This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between demographic variables and stress coping strategies in teenage girls in Rasht city.
In this descriptive-analytical study, 1181 adolescent girls of Rasht city were included in the study by cluster sampling method, the working tool was a two-part questionnaire consisting of demographic variables questionnaire and Lazarus coping styles questionnaire. Data analysis with SPSS software and tests Statistics were done.
The use of emotion-oriented coping styles in teenagers was more than problem-oriented coping. Green in the school, the attractiveness of the colors and materials used, and sufficient lighting in the classroom were related to coping styles, school environmental conditions and mother's education were among the predictors of emotion-oriented coping, and mother's occupation was among the predictors of problem-oriented coping.
Improving the economic, social and cultural conditions of the society, planning and implementing educational interventions based on Lazarus' theory of stress and adaptation with the aim of stress coping and improving the mental health of adolescents
The exploratory behaviour of juvenile green-lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus)
Authors: Ram Emanuel Janen , Jeffs Andrew G. , Skelton Bradley M.
Published: November 2024

Secondary migratory behaviour is a major cause of losses of juvenile mussels, known as spat, from mussel aquaculture. Finding ways to reduce losses due to migratory behaviour is essential. One option for reducing these losses is to identify those environmental conditions that trigger secondary migration in mussel spat so they can be mitigated. Another option is growing mussel spat to a size where they may no longer undertake secondary migration. Therefore, this study observed the secondary migratory behaviour of green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) spat ranging in size from 0.6 to 24.4 mm in shell length that were either well-fed or starved and placed in either static or turbulent seawater for 60 min. Most mussel spat initiated migratory behaviour by crawling (well-fed − 76%, starved − 54%) in static seawater, whilst in turbulent seawater spat initiated crawling (well-fed − 43%, starved − 25%) and/or mucous drifting (well-fed − 76%, starved − 41%). Overall, a larger proportion of spat exhibited migratory behaviour in turbulent seawater (well-fed − 95%, starved − 61%) versus static seawater (well-fed − 76%, starved − 54%) and migratory behaviour was initiated more quickly in turbulent seawater (well-fed − 4.22 ± 0.40 min, starved − 10.41 ± 1.41 min) versus static seawater (well-fed − 9.08 ± 0.63 min, starved − 11.70 ± 1.36 min). Collectively, these results indicate that starvation and static seawater conditions reduce the expression of secondary migratory behaviour in green-lipped mussel spat, which could be useful environmental considerations for the selection of coastal mussel farms used for initial seeding of spat. Secondary migration was consistently expressed by mussel spat of all sizes of up to 24.4 mm in shell length. This would indicate that contained nursery systems raising mussel spat to a larger size prior to seeding out to mussel farms, aiming to reduce losses caused by secondary migration, will need to raise them to this relatively large size to avoid secondary migration. Overall, these results have important implications for advancing strategies for managing the nursery culture of mussel spat to avoid ongoing excessive losses due to secondary migration.
Investigating user-friendly machine learning algorithm to forecast the gas hydrate formation temperature
Authors: Khan Nasir , Khan Yasser , Lei Zhang , Ahmad Qazi Adnan , Ma Liqiang , Siyar Muhammad , Ali Muhammad
Published: November 2024

In pipelines and process equipment, especially in cold oceanic environments, gas hydrate development presents a serious problem to the petroleum industry. Getting around this problem efficiently requires an understanding of the chemical thermodynamics of gas hydrate formation. In order to forecast the temperature of gas hydrate formation, the current investigation compares the effectiveness of three different types of machine learning algorithms: Support Vector Regression (SVR), Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), and Decision Tree Regression (DT). The research was conducted using Python 3.11.3 as the programming framework, which made use of its extensive ecosystem of open-source tools, including scikit-learn (version 1.2.2) and Keras with TensorFlow. With ANNs, there was no activation function in the output layer and the hyperbolic tangent function was used as the activation function in a hidden layer. The Radial Basis Function (rbf) was used as the Kernel function for Support Vector Regression (SVR). A maximum tree depth of 15 was imposed on the Decision Tree (DT) regression. Throughout the whole dataset, evaluation measures such as Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2) were calculated. The findings showed that the R2/RMSE values for SVR, ANNs, and DT regression were, respectively, (0.9999, 0.0631), (0.9986, 0.5011), and (0.9278, 3.5606). In conclusion, the models' output was rated as follows in descending order: Support vector regression (SVR) is a subset of decision tree regression (DT) and artificial neural networks (ANNs). Following that, a Web User Interface (WUI) was created using the Decision Tree paradigm, which proved to be the most efficient. In theoretical terms, this work opens the door to further developments in gas engineering. The prediction capability of the models could potentially further improved by adding more experimental data to the dataset used for training.
The trans-European catchment area of common noctule bats killed by wind turbines in France
Authors: Merlet Maela , Arthur Laurent , Soto David X. , Voigt Christian C.
Published: November 2024

Wind turbines used to combat climate change pose a green-green dilemma when endangered and protected wildlife species are killed by collisions with spinning blades. Here, we investigated the geographic origin of bats killed by wind turbines along an east-west transect in France to determine the spatial extent of this conflict in Western Europe. We analysed stable hydrogen isotopes in the fur keratin of 60 common noctule bats ( Nyctalus noctula ) killed by wind turbines during summer migration in four regions of France to predict their geographic origin using models based on precipitation isoscapes. We first separated migratory from regional individuals based on fur isotope ratios of local bats. Across all regions, 71.7% of common noctules killed by turbines were of regional and 28.3% of distant origin, the latter being predominantly females from northeastern Europe. We observed a higher proportion of migratory individuals from western sites compared to eastern sites. Our study suggests that wind-turbine-related losses of common noctule bats may impact distant breeding populations across whole Eurasia, confirming that migratory bats are highly vulnerable at wind turbines and that effective conservation measures, such as temporary curtailment of turbine operation, should be mandatory to protect them from collisions with wind turbines.
Bringing fractal analysis to the GPU
Authors: Nikolaides John
Published: November 2024

In our previous work, we introduced the quickest method of colour image Fractal Analysis there wasup to that point. Despite being incomparably faster than previous methods, it had an O(n log n)“hot path” that prevented it from scaling linearly (ie O(n)) with input.To counteract this, in this paper, we utilise the power of function-oriented programming in order totransport this algorithm to the GPU. This leads to an impressive increase in speed, ending up with anO(n), memory-bound algorithm rather than a time-bound one. To this end, we analyse the varioussub-steps we had to take, including some intermediate results. Firstly, we present the work that hasbeen done in the currently-available literature; secondly, we present our two new implementationsand explain their specific unique points; finally, we present our results and conclude the paper.
Directional Adaptive Metric Sampling Minimal Expected Loss: A Continuous Optimisation Method
Authors: Purnawan Rizal , Adzkiya Dieky
Published: November 2024

This paper presents an optimisation method called Directional Adaptive Metric Sampling Minimal Expected Loss (DAMSMEL) which uses a technique of minimising the expected value of the objective function across a sample of neighbourhood points in an iterative manner generated uniformly in a bidirectional configuration with respect to the vector basis with exponentially decaying distance of adjacent points as well as a reset mechanism, and this method does not rely on gradient information. DAMSMEL is intended to be a robust optimisation method which can escape local minima in non-convex landscapes, overcoming an inherent limitation associated with gradient-based methods. This paper presents the theoretical foundation of DAMSMEL within probability theory and functional analysis including a rigorous proof that DAMSMEL is convergent to a global minimum in convex optimisation landscapes. We have conducted tests on convex and non-convex optimisation problems, on a machine learning regression problem, as well as a non-linear problem, comparing DAMSMEL with GD, Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD), Adaptive Moment Estimation (Adam) and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS). Results show that while both DAMSMEL and GD converge to the global minimum in the convex case, GD gets trapped in local minima for the non-convex problem, whereas DAMSMEL successfully converges to the global minimum, demonstrating DAMSMEL's robustness in non-convex optimisation. In the machine learning regression task, DAMSMEL, SGD, and OLS yield comparable accuracy. And in the non-linear problem, DAMSMEL outperforms GD, SGD and Adam as it provides the most accurate solution compared to GD, SGD and Adam with huge margins. However, DAMSMEL tends to require longer runtimes due to its computational complexity, making it currently more suitable for low to medium-scale optimisation problems.
MSC Classification: 65K10
Perfil Epidemiológico del Cáncer de Colon en Brasil entre 2017 Y 2023
Authors: Silva de Sousa André Luis , Florentin Francisco Javier Molas , Sierra Cristian Pestana , Soto Fernando Genes , Araújo Fernando Vinicius Barleta de , Souza Neto Ezequias Ribeiro de , Lopes Guilherme Gama
Published: November 2024

Introducción: El cáncer de colon es un importante problema de salud pública y una de las principales causas de morbilidad y mortalidad en Brasil, con cifras alarmantes de hospitalizaciones y muertes. Objetivo: Analizar el perfil epidemiológico del cáncer de colon en Brasil entre 2017 y 2023, con énfasis en las tasas de hospitalización y mortalidad, distribución geográfica y factores de riesgo. Metodología: Estudio transversal descriptivo con enfoque cuantitativo, retrospectivo utilizando datos del Sistema de Información Hospitalaria de DATASUS. Se analizaron las hospitalizaciones y muertes por cáncer de colon, considerando región, género, grupo de edad y muertes por región en todas las franjas etarias. Resultados: Se registraron 378.495 hospitalizaciones y 30.447 muertes por cáncer de colon entre 2017 y 2023. La región Sudeste lideró en número de casos, seguida por la Región Sul. El grupo de edad más afectado fue el de 60 a 64 años, con 57.552 hospitalizaciones. En cuanto a la mortalidad, la región Sudeste también lideró en este aspecto. Discusión: La distribución geográfica y demográfica de los casos resalta la necesidad de medidas preventivas y de concienciación en todo el país. El análisis del perfil epidemiológico es fundamental para orientar políticas de salud efectivas y programas de prevención y tratamiento. Conclusión: El cáncer de colon representa un desafío significativo para el sistema de salud brasileño. La concienciación de la población sobre los factores de riesgo y la importancia del diagnóstico precoz son esenciales para reducir el impacto de esta enfermedad en la sociedad.
Examining the interface factors affecting research output of accounting academics in African universities of technology
Authors: Magret Olarewaju Odunayo , Sthembiso Msomi Thabiso
Published: November 2024

The inadequacy of research engagement among accounting academic staff, who predominantly hold affiliations with professional bodies and exhibit limited interest in research pursuits, has been identified as a significant contributor to suboptimal quality and diminished research productivity within the field. This study aims to investigate the intricate relationships among research attributes, research motivation, research enablers, and the perception of research output among accounting academics in African universities of technology. Drawing on a sample of 92 academics from accounting departments in the top 13 universities of technology in Africa, Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling is employed to empirically test the formulated hypotheses. Four distinct constructs are derived from the selected items through Exploratory Factor Analysis. The findings reveal that individual researcher attributes and research enablers exert a substantial influence on the perception of research outputs. In contrast, research motivation exerts a significant impact only when fully mediated by research enablers. Consequently, the study recommends the establishment of collaborative initiatives between accounting research, accounting scholarship, and accounting practices. Additionally, policies governing research operations in Universities of Technology should be designed to empower and facilitate researchers in realizing tangible returns from their research findings.
Implicações do neoliberalismo na garantia de direitos da pessoa humana em saúde mental: Uma análise a partir do contexto da política pública de saúde mental brasileira
Authors: Bruzaca Ruan Didier , Dos Santos Claudineide Alves
Published: November 2024

O presente artigo tem como tema o direito humano à saúde mental, delimitado no objeto das implicações do neoliberalismo na garantia de direitos da pessoa humana em saúde mental. Tem como objetivo principal analisar as ofensivas neoliberais na política pública de saúde mental brasileira, levando em conta uma concepção crítica dos direitos humanos. Quanto aos objetivos específicos, busca compreender criticamente o direito da pessoa humana em saúde mental, resgatar o histórico da consolidação no contexto brasileiro da Reforma Psiquiátrica e, por fim, abordar a respeito das ofensivas neoliberais pós-2016 quanto à política de saúde mental. Metodologicamente, realizou-se pesquisa bibliográfica com o levantamento de obras, artigos e legislações correspondentes à política pública de saúde mental no Brasil, possibilitando compreender o objeto de pesquisa a partir de uma teoria crítica dos direitos humanos. Utiliza-se do método hipotético-dedutivo, buscando falsear ou corroborar a hipótese de que o neoliberalismo fundamenta políticas de saúde mental voltadas para a sustentação do modelo econômico, violando os direitos da pessoa em saúde mental. Como principal resultado, entende-se que apesar dos avanços significativos quanto à saúde mental no Brasil, identificam-se ameaças decorrentes do neoliberalismo e do conservadorismo.
Use of the Delphi method to assess the potential role of enhanced information systems in Mediterranean groundwater management and governance
Authors: López-Gunn Elena , Rica Marta , Zugasti Ibon , Hernaez Oihana , Pulido-Velazquez Manuel , Sanchis-Ibor Carles
Published: November 2024

This research explores the interface between data, information, and knowledge on groundwater systems. We aim to identify the main emergent foresight knowledge related to the application to groundwater management of what we have defined as enhanced information systems (EISs). The results presented are based on results from a Delphi study undertaken at a global scale with 60 experts. The ultimate objective is contributing to participatory and sustainable groundwater management in Mediterranean regions. The results indicate that EISs are a necessary part of improving groundwater management, but they are not sufficient alone. This prospective study indicates that EISs must be framed by a strong command-and-control system. They must have clear rules, stimulate stakeholder empowerment, and facilitate inclusive governance based on the citizen–science-inclusive governance interface. The experts believe this path is seriously challenged by the fierce competition and rivalry for water resources. However, the interface between citizens/users and EISs can help tip the balance so that, if there is more trust in science (and it is used through EISs) and more transparency in data management, stakeholder empowerment can materialise.
The Mineral Recovery Enhanced Desalination (MRED) process for improved brackish water desalination
Authors: Thomson Bruce , Howe Kerry , Lee C. Odell
Published: November 2024

A 4 L/min pilot study of a pretreatment process for brackish water desalination, known as the Mineral Recovery Enhanced Desalination process, was designed and tested. The objectives of the process are to (1) reduce the volume and mass of concentrate requiring disposal, (2) remove scale-forming constituents, (3) recover commodity minerals, and (4) increase feed water recovery by a subsequent desalination system. The process consists of (1) air stripping to remove dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), (2) high pH precipitation and membrane filtration to remove high-purity magnesium hydroxide, (3) ion exchange (IX) to remove calcium, and (4) nanofiltration (NF) to remove sulfate. The pretreated water consists of a monovalent salt solution with low scaling potential that allows increased feed water recovery and reduced waste production. The IX regenerant containing calcium can be combined with the high sulfate concentrate from the NF process to precipitate gypsum. The system achieved more than 98% removal of calcium, magnesium, and sulfate and more than 90% removal of DIC. No fouling of NF and reverse osmosis membranes was observed. A steady-state model was developed and calibrated to calculate the chemical quality and material balances for water and major ions.
“Cadernos de Navegação Geopoética”: Uma Abordagem Humanista na Compreensão do Lugar
Authors: Araujo Danieli Barbosa de , Moura Jeani Delgado Paschoal
Published: November 2024

O presente artigo propõe uma reflexão sobre a atual relação do ser humano com a Terra, destacando como as práticas humanas na contemporaneidade têm moldado e, por vezes, comprometido a autenticidade da experiência de habitar o mundo. Com base na geopoética, teoria desenvolvida por Kenneth White (1989-2019), o estudo busca transcender a racionalidade científica tradicional, oferecendo uma compreensão mais profunda e sensível do espaço geográfico, isto é, uma abordagem humanista do lugar. O objetivo é apresentar a metodologia dos “cadernos de navegação geopoética”, propostos por Rachel Bouvet, que integra o conhecimento científico e a criação literária, valorizando a experiência humana e a criatividade como formas autênticas de habitar o mundo. A pesquisa, de natureza qualitativa e alicerçada na Geografia Humanista, utilizou revisão bibliográfica e exploração prática dos princípios da geopoética. Os resultados indicam que a metodologia proposta por Bouvet proporciona uma nova forma de interação com o ambiente, enriquecendo a compreensão do espaço geográfico e reforçando a importância da experiência e da criatividade na construção de significados. A pesquisa sugere que, ao adotar práticas que valorizam a sensibilidade e a imaginação, é possível redescobrir o sentido do gesto de habitar, em contraste com a lógica exploratória da técnica moderna. Assim, o artigo contribui para a discussão sobre a relevância de uma abordagem humanista e criativa na interação com o ambiente, promovendo uma reflexão crítica sobre a relação entre ser humano e o espaço geográfico.
Factores asociados al uso eficiente de papel en la gestión de proyectos e informes de investigación
Authors: Betancur Heber Nehemias Chui , Centellas Yudy Yaneth Tapia , Argollo Katia Perez , Fernandez Sofía Lourdes Benavente , Quispe Teofilo Yucra , Huanca Edgar Octavio Roque , Cortez Cesar Augusto Achata
Published: November 2024

El consumo global de papel supera los 400 millones de toneladas anuales, con un promedio de 55 kilogramos por persona, y en Norteamérica, este promedio es cuatro veces mayor. Esta investigación busca identificar los factores que contribuirán a reducir el uso de papel en los procesos administrativos de trabajos de investigación. Identificar los factores que influyen en el uso eficiente del papel durante estos procesos académicos. La investigación se realizó en la Escuela Profesional de Educación Secundaria de la Universidad Nacional del Altiplano de Puno, Perú, entre abril y diciembre de 2023, con un diseño transversal descriptivo-explicativo. Participaron 124 estudiantes del décimo semestre y 371 egresados que estaban en proceso de presentar y sustentar sus proyectos e informes de investigación para obtener el título de licenciado en educación. El análisis de regresión lineal múltiple (R² = 0.540) identificó tres factores clave que influyen significativamente en el uso eficiente del papel: habilidades digitales, requisitos de publicación de tesis y facilidad para realizar correcciones. Estos hallazgos subrayan la importancia del entorno digital y las prácticas sostenibles en la optimización del consumo de papel. Los resultados de esta investigación subrayan la importancia de mejorar las competencias tecnológicas en el ámbito educativo para optimizar el uso de papel, sugiriendo que las instituciones deben integrar herramientas digitales y capacitar en software que facilite la gestión eficiente de documentos. Además, revisar los requisitos de publicación de tesis y simplificar los procesos de corrección podría reducir el consumo de papel y mejorar la calidad académica.
Innovación en as Universida des Brasileñas y Políticas Públicas para la Educación en Línea
Authors: Fossatti Paulo , Prado Henrique Sartori de Almeida , Ganga-Contreras Francisco Anibal
Published: November 2024

El presente artículo aborda la justificación de una nueva regulación de la Educación en línea (EL) en Brasil, una necesidad urgente y necesaria; por lo tanto, el objetivo del estudio es reflexionar críticamente sobre la necesidad de una nueva política pública para la educación superior brasileña en la modalidad a distancia, considerando su contribución a la innovación de las universidades brasileñas. La metodología utilizada es cualitativa y cuantitativa, ya que incluye la revisión de la literatura sobre el panorama brasileño, así como el análisis documental del Ministerio de Educación, especialmente los datos estadísticos del Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Educativas Anísio Teixeira (INEP). Otra herramienta de recolección de información es el uso del diario de campo. Los resultados apuntan al fenómeno de la democratización del acceso a la educación superior a través de la modalidad EL, que se populariza cada vez más en todo Brasil. La EL tiene un papel singular en la democratización de la educación brasileña, ya que llega a lugares donde las universidades presenciales no han llegado. Asimismo, facilita la inclusión y permanencia de estudiantes que enfrentan restricciones de horarios fijos para estudiar, además de las barreras geográficas y económicas. La importancia de una nueva política pública para la educación superior brasileña en la modalidad EL será un mecanismo para garantizar su calidad en la oferta y como, en consecuencia, contribuirá a la innovación de las universidades brasileñas, formando personas competentes para la vida y el mercado.
Why Teacher Job Satisfaction Matters: Strengthening Head Teachers’ Transformational Leadership in Sustainable Development Education
Authors: Marni Marni , Abdullah Khairul Hafezad , Yaakob Mohd Faiz Mohd , Fauzee Mohd Sofian Omar , Jamil Syahira Fairishmar , Al Zubaidi Mohamad , Singh Daljit Singh Gurbaksh
Published: November 2024

Achieving Cluster School of Excellence (CSE) status relies on teachers’ job satisfaction. This facet is crucial in driving the school towards its goals. This research employs a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative measures. The quantitative phase includes 177 teachers from six CSE primary schools in Kota Setar, Kedah, Malaysia. In contrast, the qualitative phase involves in-depth interviews with 20 teachers. In the quantitative phase, this study employed two questionnaire instruments, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and the Job Satisfaction Index (JSI). These instruments were utilised to assess headteachers’ transformational leadership level and job satisfaction in school. Within the qualitative phase, the researchers employed a semi-structured questionnaire to categorise positive and negative ideas regarding the four aspects of transformational leadership. The quantitative results indicated that four transformational leadership dimensions significantly relate to teacher job satisfaction explicitly: charisma (idealised influence), intellectual stimulation, individual consideration, and inspirational motivation. The qualitative results based on content analysis showed the frequency of responses for each dimension as follows: charisma (affirmative = 120, negative = 15), intellectual stimulation (affirmative = 80, negative = 15), individual consideration (affirmative = 70, negative = 16), and inspirational Motivation (affirmative = 40, negative = 16). The study concludes that the critical role of transformational leadership in promoting job satisfaction among teachers is crucial for achieving CSE status. The substantial correlations between teacher job satisfaction and the transformational leadership dimensions emphasise the significance of effective leadership in the school ecosystem. As a result, improving transformational leadership practices within schools can result in a more motivated and contented teaching workforce, contributing to the school’s overall success.
Desafio dos Materiais e a Lixolândia: Uma Experiência Pedagógica de Sensibilização sobre a Reciclagem em Sala de Aula
Authors: Hoyos César Andrés Alzate , Ruiz Melissa Salinas , Bastos Felipe Barradas Correia Castro
Published: November 2024

Dentro do programa Novos Arranjos de Pesquisa e Inovação (NAPI) “Alimento e Território”, financiado pela Fundação Araucária, que atua no Sudoeste e Litoral do Estado do Paraná, Brasil, relatamos o processo e resultados de oficinas de sensibilização ambiental realizadas em duas escolas, uma na periferia urbana de Francisco Beltrão e outra na área rural do mesmo município. Centradas as oficinas na temática da reciclagem, foram desenvolvidas duas atividades: o conto da Lixolândia e o desafio dos materiais. Ambos desenvolvidos numa perspectiva de aprendizagem significativa, buscaram explorar/instigar a criatividade das crianças, partindo do universo sensível, os conhecimentos prévios e a curiosidade. A partir do jogo e da encenação, deslindamos questionamentos sobre a composição e funções dos materiais, sobre a contaminação ambiental e, sobretudo, utilizando os mesmos materiais de reciclagem, as crianças criaram mundos possíveis num realismo mágico aberto à sua imaginação. O tempo todo, os desafiamos mediante opostos dialógicos, como começar pelo fim do conto, imaginar um mundo dominado por objetos que já não serviam para nada e jogar um jogo sem perdedores. O resultado foi uma pesquisa-ação-participativa praticada dentro da sala de aula, porém, muito além dela, demonstramos por caminhos do sentipensar, que podemos formar crianças críticas e criativas dentro da relação universidade-território, com responsabilidade de transformação social e compromisso ambiental.
EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF POSITIVE PRESSURE BREATHING ON THE FUNCTIONAL STATE OF VIETNAMESE AVIATION SPECIALISTS USING HARD- AND SOFTWARE BARS-GD
Authors:   Kirov Military Medical Academy, St.-Petersburg, Blaguinin А.А. , Vu К.Kh. ,   Kirov Military Medical Academy, St.-Petersburg, Zhiltsova I.I. ,   Kirov Military Medical Academy, St.-Petersburg
Published: November 2024

The paper reports the results of psychophysiological and physiological investigations using hard- and software BARS-GD with the aim of training 11 Vietnamese volunteers (22 to 23 yrs of age) to breathing and speaking under positive pressure (PP) in a partial-pressure suit (VVK-15) and oxygen mask (КМ-34 and КМ-35). During the first PP session, a reliable growth of blood pressure (BP), respiration rate (RR) and blood saturation (SpO2) started at 300 mm H2O. Only four volunteers reached PP = 1000 mm H2O. Speech intelligibility degraded starting at 500 mm H2O. It was concluded that at least 3 sessions are necessary to increase PP tolerance up to 750 mm H2O; minimum 5 sessions are required to train for breathing and speaking at PP equal to 1000 m H2O. Our results demonstrated effectiveness of this PP training procedure. The investigation laid the basis for development of a procedure for PP training of the Vietnam AF pilots.
DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSION OF THE ADHESION AND CELL-TO-CELL INTERACTION MOLECULES GENES IN BONE MARROW MICROEXPLANTS UNDER SIMULATED MICROGRAVITY
Authors:   Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Yakubets D.A. , Markina Е.А. ,   Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Buravkova L.B. ,   Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
Published: November 2024

Functional activity of the bone marrow cells is dependent on external signals received from a local microenvironment. In addition to the soluble growth factors and hormones, contacts with neighbor cells and signals from the extracellular matrix are also the most important homeostasis regulators in the bone marrow niche. Purpose of the work is to explore the effects of simulated microgravity on the transcription activity of genes the products of which define the cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions in bone marrow micro-explants. Femoral marrow cells from male mice BalbC 19-20 wks of age were used in the investigation. After isolation, bone marrow cells were pooled and exposed to simulated microgravity in vitro over 14 days. Following the exposure, bone marrow micro-explants were found to increase expression of genes of the cell adhesion molecules responsible for cell-to-cell interaction (Ncam1, Icam1, Vcam1), and integrins α-М (Itgam) and β-1 (Itgb1). Also, there was a reliable decrease in expression of genes involved in the cell-to-matrix interaction, including integrins β-3 (Itgb3), β-2 (Itgb2), α-Х (Itgax), α-l (Itga1), α-5 (Itga5), receptor CD44 (Cd44), and molecules of the adhesion complexes, such as α- and β-katenins (Ctnna1, Ctnnb1). These changes in the pattern of cells-to-environment interaction may induce disorders in self-renewal, proliferation and differentiation of stromal and hemopoietic precursors which may end up with distortion of hemopoiesis, change in bone homeostasis leading to osteopenia observed after space missions.
Immunoproteomics: A Review of Techniques, Applications, and Advancements
Authors: Gomase Virendra S. , Dhamane Suchita P. , Kakade Pavan G.
Published: November 2024

Immunoproteomics is the branch of proteomics with an emphasis on the study of functional
peptides and proteins related to the immune system. Combining proteomics techniques with
immunological research aims to uncover the complex interactions of proteins involved in immune
responses. This review discusses the methods, applications, and recent advancements in immunoproteomics,
highlighting its critical role in understanding immune responses, discovering biomarkers,
and developing vaccines and therapeutics. This study offers a comprehensive exploration of
the methodologies, applications, and advancements within immunoproteomics. Techniques such
as mass spectrometry, antibody-based assays, and computational analysis are pivotal in unraveling
the complexities of the immune system at the protein level. Immunoproteomics finds diverse applications
in biomarker discovery, vaccine development, autoimmune disease research, infectious disease
diagnostics, and cancer immunotherapy. Challenges, including data integration, sample
heterogeneity, and biomarker validation, persist, necessitating innovative approaches and interdisciplinary
collaborations. In the future, immunoproteomics will likely play a major role in expanding
our knowledge of immune-related diseases and accelerating the creation of targeted and precise
immunotherapies.